FAQ
Can I have Phonegentic answer my calls?
Yes. Setting up Phonegentic to answer calls for your small business is easy. These short codes allow you to have Phonegentic answer your calls on iOS or macOS.
Call forwarding happens on your phone carrier’s network, so the exact code depends on who your carrier is.
Find your carrier below, open the Phone app on your iPhone, dial the code exactly as shown (replace
NUMBER with your Phonegentic number, including the area code), and press the call button. Your phone
will show a confirmation instead of placing a call.
You can choose how much Phonegentic handles:
- Answer everything — every call goes straight to Phonegentic. Your phone won’t ring.
- Answer what I miss — your phone rings first; Phonegentic picks up if you’re busy, don’t answer, or are out of signal. This is what most small businesses choose.
T-Mobile, AT&T, Mint Mobile, Google Fi, Cricket, Metro, Ultra, Boost, and most other carriers
| I want Phonegentic to… | Turn on | Turn off |
|---|---|---|
| Answer everything | **21*NUMBER# |
##21# |
| Answer what I miss (busy, no answer, or no signal) | **004*NUMBER# |
##004# |
| Answer only when I’m on another call | **67*NUMBER# |
##67# |
| Answer only when I don’t pick up | **61*NUMBER# |
##61# |
| Answer only when my phone is off or has no signal | **62*NUMBER# |
##62# |
| Turn off all forwarding | — | ##002# |
**61*NUMBER*20# — the last number is seconds (choose 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, or 30).
Check what’s set: dial *#21#, *#61#, *#62#, or
*#67#.
AT&T also accepts the shorter form with a single star: *21*NUMBER# to turn on and
#21# to turn off.
Verizon (and Visible, Total Wireless, Straight Talk on Verizon)
Verizon uses different codes, and the call needs to connect. Dial the code, wait for the confirmation tone or message, then hang up.
| I want Phonegentic to… | Turn on | Turn off |
|---|---|---|
| Answer everything | *72NUMBER |
*73 |
| Answer what I miss (busy or no answer) | *71NUMBER |
*73 |
Landlines and home/office phone service (Spectrum, Xfinity, Cox, CenturyLink, Frontier, Ooma, Vonage)
Pick up the handset, dial the code, then dial your Phonegentic number when prompted. Wait for the confirmation tone.
| I want Phonegentic to… | Turn on | Turn off |
|---|---|---|
| Answer everything | *72 then NUMBER |
*73 |
| Answer only when I’m on another call | *90 then NUMBER |
*91 |
| Answer only when I don’t pick up | *92 then NUMBER |
*93 |
Using iPhone settings instead of a code
If you’d rather not dial a code, iOS has a built-in switch for “answer everything” forwarding:
Settings → Phone → Call Forwarding → turn on → enter your Phonegentic number.
This uses the correct code for your carrier automatically. It only supports forwarding all calls; to forward just the calls you miss, use the codes above.
Mac users
Call forwarding is set on your iPhone, not your Mac. Once your iPhone is forwarding, calls that would normally ring on your Mac through iPhone Cellular Calls will go to Phonegentic too. Nothing needs to change on the Mac itself.
Business phone apps (RingCentral, Zoom Phone, Dialpad, OpenPhone, Grasshopper, Google Voice)
These services don’t use dial codes. Sign in to your provider’s web dashboard or app and look for
Call Handling, Call Forwarding, or Forward to external number,
then enter your Phonegentic number. If you use a desk phone with RingCentral, Zoom, or Vonage,
*72 / *73 usually works from the handset as well.
Google Voice can’t forward to an outside number directly. Contact us and we’ll help you connect it.
Frequently asked
Do I need to do this on every phone?
Only on the phone whose number customers call. If your business number is a separate line, set forwarding on that line.
Will I be charged?
Most carriers include call forwarding at no cost. A few prepaid plans bill forwarded minutes against your plan — check with your carrier if unsure.
How do I turn it off?
Dial the “Turn off” code for your carrier, or turn off the switch in Settings → Phone → Call Forwarding. Your calls return to normal immediately.
The code didn’t work.
Make sure you dialed the full number with area code, and that you pressed the call button after the
#. If your phone shows “Call forwarding failed” or “Not supported,” your
carrier may use the Verizon-style codes — try *72NUMBER. Still stuck?
Contact Phonegentic support and tell us your carrier.