- When you hear "your call has been forwarded to voicemail" on your iPhone, it means the receiver can't answer the call, perhaps because their phone is off, they're on another call, or settings like Do Not Disturb or Airplane Mode are enabled.
- To fix calls going straight to voicemail on your iPhone, check if Do Not Disturb, Airplane Mode, or Silence Unknown Callers is on and disable them, ensure call forwarding is off, and check for network signals or carrier issues.
- If you're always getting voicemail when calling someone, the other person's phone might be off, busy, or they may have blocked you; checking these signs can help identify why.
Have you ever tried calling someone and immediately heard the message, “Your call has been forwarded to voicemail” on your iPhone? Or maybe someone said the same thing happens when they call you?
This can be confusing and sometimes even a little worrying. Is the person ignoring your call? Is their phone off? Is there something wrong with your phone?
Don’t worry — you’re not alone. Many iPhone users come across this issue and wonder what it means and how to fix it. In this blog post, we’ll break down everything you need to know about the “your call has been forwarded to voicemail” message, why it happens, and how you can troubleshoot it on your iPhone.
What Does “Your Call Has Been Forwarded to Voicemail” Actually Mean?
When you call someone and hear the message “your call has been forwarded to voicemail,” it means that the call couldn’t be picked up and has been redirected to the recipient’s voicemail box.
- Their phone is turned off.
- Their phone is in Do Not Disturb or Airplane Mode.
- They’re already on a call and have Call Waiting turned off.
- They may have manually declined your call.
- Or, they’ve set up call forwarding rules (yes, that’s a thing on iPhones too).
- They might not have a good network signal.
Why Is My iPhone Sending Calls Straight to Voicemail?
If your iPhone is sending calls straight to voicemail, even when it seems like everything’s normal, it can be frustrating. Here are some of the most common reasons and how you can fix them.
1. Your Phone is on Do Not Disturb Mode
One of the most frequent culprits is Do Not Disturb (DND) mode. When DND is on, your phone won’t ring or light up — and incoming calls are automatically forwarded to voicemail.
How to Check:
- Swipe down from the top-right corner of the screen (on iPhones with Face ID) or swipe up from the bottom (on older models).
- Look for the crescent moon icon.
- If it’s highlighted, that means Do Not Disturb is ON.
How to Turn it Off:
- Tap the moon icon to disable it.
- Alternatively, go to Settings > Focus > Do Not Disturb, and turn it off from there.
2. You Have No Signal or Airplane Mode is On
If you’re in a low-signal area or Airplane Mode is enabled, your phone won’t be able to receive calls. Instead, calls go straight to voicemail.
How to Check:
- Open Control Center (swipe as mentioned above).
- See if the airplane icon is on.
- Also, check your network bars. If there are no bars, you don’t have service.
Fix:
- Turn off Airplane Mode if it’s on.
- Move to an area with better signal coverage.
- You can also try restarting your phone to refresh the network connection.
3. Silence Unknown Callers is Enabled
Apple added a feature called Silence Unknown Callers that automatically sends calls from numbers not in your contacts straight to voicemail.
It’s great for avoiding spam, but it can also cause you to miss important calls if someone new is trying to reach you.
How to Check:
- Go to Settings > Phone > Silence Unknown Callers.
- If it’s turned on, any number not saved in your contacts will be forwarded to voicemail.
Fix:
- Simply turn this feature OFF if you want to receive all calls.
4. Call Forwarding is Turned On
If your iPhone has Call Forwarding enabled, all incoming calls may be redirected to another number — including voicemail.
How to Check:
- Go to Settings > Phone > Call Forwarding.
- If it’s ON, it will show the number where your calls are being forwarded.
Fix:
-
Turn off Call Forwarding to stop calls from skipping your phone.
5. Network or Carrier Issues
Sometimes, the issue isn’t your iPhone at all — it’s your carrier. If your mobile network is having problems, it may route your calls to voicemail automatically.
- Try restarting your phone.
- Check for any carrier updates via Settings > General > About.
- You can also call your carrier’s customer service and ask if there’s an outage in your area.
6. Your Phone is Off or the Battery Died
This one’s obvious, but easily overlooked. If your iPhone is turned off or the battery has died, calls will be forwarded straight to voicemail because your device can’t receive them.
7. Blocked Numbers
If a specific person is saying they’re being forwarded to your voicemail every time they call, check to make sure you didn’t accidentally block them.
- Go to Settings > Phone > Blocked Contacts.
- If their number is on the list, tap Edit to remove them.
What If You’re the One Getting the Message?
If you’re calling someone else and always getting the “your call has been forwarded to voicemail” message, here’s what it could mean:
- They Might Be Busy: They could be on another call or in a meeting and unable to answer.
- Their Phone Might Be Off: If the phone is off or out of battery, it’ll forward to voicemail instantly.
- You Might Be Blocked: If your call goes to voicemail after one ring or no rings at all every time, it’s possible that your number has been blocked.
- They Have No Signal: In areas with no network coverage, iPhones will forward calls to voicemail by default.
How to Tell If Someone Blocked You on iPhone
This is a bit of a tricky one. Apple doesn’t notify you if you’ve been blocked (for privacy reasons), but here are a few signs:
- Your call goes straight to voicemail after one ring or less.
- Your texts never show “Delivered” under the message.
- When you call from another number, it rings normally.
While not 100% certain, these signs can give you a pretty good idea.
Extra Tips to Avoid Missing Important Calls
To make sure you’re not missing any calls unintentionally, here are some helpful tips:
Add Important Contacts to Favorites
This way, even if you enable Do Not Disturb, your iPhone can still allow calls from them.
- Open the Phone app.
- Tap Favorites > + to add a contact.
Customize Focus Settings
You can allow calls from specific people even when Do Not Disturb or other Focus modes are on.
Go to Settings > Focus > Do Not Disturb > People — and add contacts who should be allowed to do so.
Keep Your iOS Updated
Outdated software can sometimes cause bugs or glitches with call settings.
-
Go to Settings > General > Software Update.
Final Thoughts
Getting the “your call has been forwarded to voicemail” message on your iPhone isn’t always a bad thing. It doesn’t always mean you’ve been blocked or ignored — most of the time, it’s due to settings, signal issues, or a simple oversight.
If you’re missing calls or people say they can’t reach you, walk through the steps above to figure out what’s going on. Whether it’s a quick fix like turning off Do Not Disturb, or a deeper issue with your carrier, there’s always a solution.
Hopefully, this guide helped you understand why your call has been forwarded to voicemail and what you can do about it.
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