How do I forward calls on T-Mobile?

Dial star star 21 star, then the ten-digit destination number, then the pound key, and press call. The double star at the start is required on T-Mobile. A confirmation message appears on screen, and activation can take up to a minute before forwarding is live.

How do I turn off call forwarding on T-Mobile?

Dial pound pound 21 pound and press call. If you have used conditional forwarding codes as well, pound pound 002 pound cancels every forwarding type on the line at once, which is the fastest way out of a tangled setup.

Do the same codes work on Metro by T-Mobile?

Yes. Metro by T-Mobile runs on the T-Mobile network and honours the same forwarding codes, including the leading double star on the all-calls code, the conditional star star 61 and star star 67 variants, and the pound-pound cancellation codes. Activation timing behaves the same way too, so give a new rule up to a minute before testing it from another phone.

Why does my T-Mobile forwarding code not work?

The most common cause is a single star where T-Mobile requires two: the all-calls code is star star 21 star. The second is testing too quickly, since T-Mobile activations can take up to a minute. Dial the code exactly, wait sixty seconds, then test from another phone before concluding anything failed.

T-Mobile call forwarding: codes that actually work

T-Mobile forwards calls with a GSM code that starts with a double star: dial star star 21 star, then the ten-digit destination number, then the pound key, and press call. The double star at the start is required, and leaving one out is the single most common reason the code fails. A confirmation message appears on screen, though activation can take up to a minute. To turn forwarding off, dial pound pound 21 pound. The same codes work on Metro by T-Mobile. Because T-Mobile is a GSM network, iPhones on T-Mobile also get the Settings toggle under Phone, then Call Forwarding, and the standard GSM conditional codes work too, so you can forward only missed calls rather than every call. Forwarding is included on standard plans, with forwarded minutes treated like outbound calls where metering applies.

Forward all calls (**21* [number] #)

1Open the Phone app on your T-Mobile phone
2Dial **21* [number] #, and note the DOUBLE star at the start
3Press the call button
4You'll see a confirmation message on screen.
5Give it up to a minute, then call your number from another phone to test

Turn forwarding off (##21#)

1Dial ##21# and press call
2Wait for the confirmation message
3Test from another phone to confirm your line rings again

The codes at a glance

Call forwarding codes: T-Mobile call forwarding: codes that actually work
What it does	Turn on	Turn off	Note
Forward all calls	*21 [number] #	##21#	Double star required at the start
Forward when unanswered	*61 [number] #	##61#	Rings you first, then redirects
Forward when busy	*67 [number] #	##67#	Redirects while you are on a call
Forward when unreachable	*62 [number] #	##62#	Phone off or out of coverage
Cancel all forwarding types	##002#	-	One code clears everything

The double star, and other T-Mobile quirks

T-Mobile expects its forwarding codes with a leading double star, so the all-calls code is star star 21 star rather than the single-star form AT&T uses. Type it with one star and the network either rejects it or reads it as a different service code, which is why the same person can have the code work on one carrier and fail on the next.

The other quirk is patience: T-Mobile activations can take up to a minute to propagate. Set it up, put the phone down, and test after sixty seconds rather than concluding it failed.

Metro by T-Mobile and prepaid lines

Metro by T-Mobile rides the same network and honours the same codes, double star and all. Prepaid plans support forwarding as well, with the note that forwarded calls consume plan minutes like outbound calls, which matters on minute-metered prepaid plans in a way it does not on unlimited ones.

Conditional forwarding for a business line

The conditional codes are where a business line gets practical. Star star 61 star with your overflow destination forwards only the calls nobody answers, which means the phone still rings at the counter first. Star star 67 star catches the second caller who arrives while you are already talking, which is exactly the call that otherwise becomes a competitor’s customer. Both cancel with their pound-pound codes, and pound pound 002 pound wipes the slate entirely.

Setting how long your phone rings first

T-Mobile lets you choose how long a call rings you before the no-answer rule takes over. The code form is star star 61 star, the destination number, then two stars, the ring time in seconds, then pound, with the timer accepted in five-second steps between five and thirty seconds. Twenty seconds is the practical sweet spot for a business: long enough to cross the room and answer, short enough that callers are not left listening to a dozen rings before anyone or anything helps them.

While any forwarding rule is active, remember your T-Mobile voicemail is out of the loop for those calls: whatever answers at the destination, including its voicemail, is what your caller reaches.

What to forward the missed calls to

The honest question for a business is not how to forward, it is where. Forwarding missed calls to a personal cell trades one unanswered phone for another. Forwarding them to an AI answering service means the overflow gets answered in your business name, booked into your calendar, and texted the links they ask for. Your T-Mobile number stays exactly as it is; only the destination of the calls you were already missing changes.

Questions

How do I forward calls on T-Mobile?: Dial star star 21 star, then the ten-digit destination number, then the pound key, and press call. The double star at the start is required on T-Mobile. A confirmation message appears on screen, and activation can take up to a minute before forwarding is live.
How do I turn off call forwarding on T-Mobile?: Dial pound pound 21 pound and press call. If you have used conditional forwarding codes as well, pound pound 002 pound cancels every forwarding type on the line at once, which is the fastest way out of a tangled setup.
Do the same codes work on Metro by T-Mobile?: Yes. Metro by T-Mobile runs on the T-Mobile network and honours the same forwarding codes, including the leading double star on the all-calls code, the conditional star star 61 and star star 67 variants, and the pound-pound cancellation codes. Activation timing behaves the same way too, so give a new rule up to a minute before testing it from another phone.
Why does my T-Mobile forwarding code not work?: The most common cause is a single star where T-Mobile requires two: the all-calls code is star star 21 star. The second is testing too quickly, since T-Mobile activations can take up to a minute. Dial the code exactly, wait sixty seconds, then test from another phone before concluding anything failed.

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