Call forwarding is a feature offered by phone carriers that allows you to forward incoming calls to a different phone number. This can be useful if you are going to be away from your regular phone for a while but still want to receive your calls. Here are a few ways to check if call forwarding is enabled on your phone line.
Check with your phone carrier
The easiest way to check if call forwarding is active is to contact your phone carrier. Most carriers allow you to check your call forwarding status through your online account or by calling customer service. A customer service representative will be able to tell you if call forwarding is enabled and what number calls are being forwarded to.
Dial a special code
Most phone carriers use special dialing codes to activate and deactivate call forwarding. Dialing this code on your phone will usually play an automated message telling you if call forwarding is on or off. For example, with Verizon, dialing *73 turns call forwarding on while dialing *73 deactivates it. Other carriers use codes like *72, *90, or #21#. Check with your carrier to find out what their call forwarding code is.
Look for a forwarding icon on your phone
Many cell phones and smartphones will display a small forwarding arrow or icon when call forwarding is enabled. Check your phone’s status bar at the top of the screen for a forwarding symbol. On an iPhone, this icon looks like an arrow curving to the right. On an Android, it’s usually an arrow pointing to the right. If you see this icon, it means call forwarding is currently active.
Make a test call
Try calling your own phone number from another phone. Let it ring a few times before hanging up. If call forwarding is enabled, the call should have been forwarded to the other number. You can also ask a friend to call your number and let you know if it rings or goes directly to voicemail. If their call gets forwarded, then call forwarding is working.
Check your voicemail greeting
Many voicemail systems will explicitly state in the greeting message that call forwarding is active. Listen to your voicemail greeting to check for any announcements about call forwarding being enabled. Phrases like “I’m not available at the moment, calls are being forwarded…” indicate that call forwarding is turned on.
Use third-party apps
There are various third-party apps available to detect call forwarding status. Apps likeforwarding detector and mr. Number can be installed on your smartphone and used to check if call forwarding is enabled. These apps can provide a simple visual indicator and may also announce your current forwarding configuration.
Conclusion
In summary, the main ways to check for call forwarding are:
- Contact your phone carrier
- Dial the carrier’s call forwarding code
- Look for a forwarding icon on your phone
- Make a test call to your number
- Listen to your voicemail greeting message
- Use a third-party call forwarding detector app
Using one or more of these methods, you can easily determine if call forwarding is currently enabled on your phone line. Knowing your call forwarding status allows you to troubleshoot issues and ensure calls reach you when intended.