What Does ##002# Do on iPhone? Cancel All Call Forwarding (and Keep Your Voicemail)

##002# is one of the most searched phone codes, usually by someone who has read that it "stops your calls being diverted" and wants to know whether it is safe to dial. It is a real, standard code, and it does exactly one thing: it wipes every call forwarding rule on your line. Here is what that means on an iPhone, and the one side effect almost nobody mentions.

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What does ##002# do?

##002# comes from the GSM standard written by 3GPP, so it is handled by your network, not by your phone. That is why it works the same on an iPhone, an Android phone or a basic feature phone. It erases all four kinds of call forwarding in one go:

Forwarding type	Service code	Erased by ##002#?
All calls (unconditional)	21	Yes
When busy	67	Yes
When not answered	61	Yes
When unreachable (off or no signal)	62	Yes

The two hashes at the start mean erase. "002" is the group code for "all forwarding". Its sibling ##004# erases only the three conditional types (busy, no answer and unreachable) and leaves unconditional forwarding alone.

How do I use ##002# on iPhone?

1. Open the Phone app and tap Keypad.
2. Type ##002#.
3. Press the green Call button.
4. Wait a few seconds. Your network shows a short message confirming the erasure. The wording depends on the carrier.

If you see an error such as "Error performing request", your carrier does not accept the code (common on Verizon and some prepaid networks), or you have no signal. Try again with a signal, or cancel forwarding in Settings > Apps > Phone > Call Forwarding (Settings > Phone on older iOS) instead.

Will ##002# turn off my voicemail?

It can, and this is the part most guides leave out. On most GSM networks, voicemail is not a separate switch. It works because your line has conditional forwarding to your voicemail number: when you are busy, do not answer or are unreachable, the call is forwarded to voicemail. ##002# erases those rules too.

After dialling it, some carriers restore voicemail forwarding automatically. Others do not, and missed calls simply ring out. To avoid this:

1. Before dialling ##002#, dial *#61# and note the number it shows. That is usually your voicemail number.
2. Dial ##002#.
3. Call yourself from another phone and let it ring out. If it does not reach voicemail, restore it with **004*voicemailnumber#, using the number you noted.
4. If you did not note the number, your carrier's support page or helpline can give it to you, or reset voicemail for you.

When should I dial ##002#?

• Calls are not reaching you and you suspect forwarding is on.
• You set up forwarding while travelling or switching phones and want a clean slate.
• You were tricked into dialling a code that starts with **21* or **61* followed by a number someone gave you. This is a known scam that diverts your calls, including bank verification calls, to the scammer.
• You bought a used SIM or number and want to remove any forwarding left by the previous owner.

If you only want to check without changing anything, dial *#21# first. I explain how to read the reply in what *#21#, ##21# and **21* mean.

Is ##002# safe to dial?

Yes. It only removes forwarding rules. It does not reset your phone, delete contacts, change your SIM or cost anything on standard plans. The only thing you can lose is forwarding you actually wanted, such as voicemail, which you can put back as described above.

Does ##002# work on every carrier?

It works on GSM-based networks, which covers most carriers in the UK, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, South Asia and Australia, plus AT&T and T-Mobile in the US. Verizon uses its own codes: *73 cancels call forwarding. Some carriers block codes on certain plans. The full forwarding list, including how to turn each type on, is in call forwarding codes for iPhone.

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