It is not always the case that when our phones ring, we want to receive incoming calls for reasons best known to us. In such situations, ignoring a call or hanging up on the caller might not be the ideal alternative, but it may be more convenient to forward it instead. That’s simply getting any incoming call to your number automatically redirected to ring on another number.
So, if you ever want to forward calls but don’t know how to do it, don’t worry. In this comprehensive guide, I will explain how to divert calls, whether you are using Android or iPhone, either through the phone settings or using special USSD numeric codes that work for all network operators in Kenya, including Safaricom, Airtel, and Telkom.
The best part: You can personally choose whether you want to activate the forwarding process always, when your number is busy or not available, or when you cannot answer the phone. Here is all that you need to know
What Is Call Forwarding
Call forwarding is a telecommunications feature that automatically redirects your incoming calls to another telephone number when certain conditions are met. When someone calls your primary number, instead of ringing on your phone, the call gets rerouted to your designated forwarding number. This ensures you never miss important calls, even when you’re unavailable on your main device.
How much does call forwarding cost in Kenya?
In a real sense, call forwarding occurs when you receive a call and decide to transfer it to another number. When that happens, the caller pays for the traffic only until it arrives at your phone number, and then the traffic is directed to another number.
Here is how much call diversion costs in Kenya for all carriers. First, as of 2025, Safaricom charges an average of KSh 4.87 per minute for voice calls, but call forwarding itself doesn’t carry additional charges beyond standard voice rates. However, when calls are diverted to voicemail, you’ll be charged KSh 2 from your airtime for receiving voice notifications.
On the other hand, Airtel Kenya charges a collect fee of KSh 15 plus a call rate of KSh 10 per minute for forwarded calls. In addition, when a call is diverted to another network, Airtel charges a cost of KSh 25 per minute. However, the best or bad thing done, depending on how you view it, is that the person receiving the forwarded call bears these costs, not the original caller.
Lastly, there is the Telkom Kenya network, which doesn’t charge anything beyond standard call rates, making it the most cost-effective option for call forwarding in 2025.
How to Activate Call Forwarding from Phone Settings
No matter the type of operating system your phone runs on, it is very easy to turn on call forwarding to another number. But before we get into the specific details, here are the most current methods for both major smartphone platforms:
On iPhone
If you want to turn on call forwarding on your iPhone, you can easily do so through the phone settings menu:
- Navigate to Settings on your home screen
- Scroll down and tap on Phone, located between Messages and Voice Memos
- Under the “Calls” section, select Call Forwarding
- Toggle the button until it turns green to activate the feature
- Tap “Forward To” and use your phone keypad to enter the destination number
- Always include the country code (e.g., +254712345678 for Kenyan numbers)
You will know that call forwarding is activated successfully by checking the top of your phone’s status bar for an icon shaped like a telephone receiver with an arrow pointing right. To disable call forwarding, simply toggle off the green call forwarding button or change the number you had set earlier.
On Android
Enabling call forwarding to another number is straightforward on Android devices, though the exact wording may vary between manufacturers. Here’s the universal method that works across all Android versions in 2025:
- Open the Phone app from your home screen or app drawer
- Tap the three-dot menu icon (⋮) in the top right corner
- Select Settings from the dropdown menu
- Look for “Calling accounts” or “Advanced settings”
- Tap on “Call forwarding” or “Call diversion”
If you have dual SIM cards, select the appropriate SIM first. After a few moments of loading, you’ll see these forwarding options:
- Always Forward: Diverts all incoming calls to your chosen number immediately
- When Busy: Forwards calls only when you’re already on another call
- When Unanswered: Diverts calls when you don’t pick up after several rings
- When Unreachable: Forwards calls when your phone is off or out of network coverage
For each option, tap to activate, enter the destination number with the Kenya country code (+254 ), and tap “Turn On” or “Enable” to confirm.
Divert calls to another number using USSD Codes
The above methods are not the only ones to divert calls to another number: you can also use codes to type into the phone keypad.
The functionality is exactly the same, but in this case, you may have more control over the options (especially from your Android).
To proceed, launch the phone app on your smartphone, regardless of whether it is Android or iPhone, and enter one of the following codes. Next, tap the green start call button, as you normally would when calling someone.
How to divert all calls
If you want to divert all calls you receive to another number, enter the following code: **21*+254[phone number]#, where [phone number] is the number of the phone to which you want to transfer the call. To deactivate the function, simply dial ##21#, while to check if there have been any calls, dial *#21#.
How to divert calls if your phone is busy
Do you want to forward calls only when your phone number is busy, that is, when you are on a call? In this case, the code to dial is **67*+254[phone number]#.
To deactivate the service, dial this code: ##67#, while to check for incoming calls, dial *#67#.
How to divert calls if your phone is off or unreachable
Do you want to activate call forwarding when your phone is off or unreachable? In this case, you need to dial the code **62*+254[phone number]#.
To deactivate the service, dial the code ##62#, while to check for incoming calls, dial the code *#62#.
How to divert calls if you don’t answer
Finally, there is also a code available in case no one answers. In this case, dial the code **61*+254[phone number]#. As you can imagine, the code to deactivate the service is ##61#, while to check for incoming calls, it is *#61#.
Well, I hope that this article has given you a clear overview of how you can easily enable call forwarding on your Phone regardless of whether you are using an Android, iPhone, or whatever network carrier your phone is using in Kenya. If you have any questions, please let us know in the comment section below.
Well, I hope that this comprehensive article has given you a clear overview of how you can easily enable call forwarding on your phone regardless of whether you are using Android, iPhone, or whatever network carrier you’re subscribed to in Kenya. The methods and costs outlined here reflect the most current information available for 2025. If you have any questions or need clarification on any of the procedures, please let us interact in the comment section below.
