Managing communications is a crucial part of daily life, and Safaricom offers several features to help you stay connected, even when you’re unavailable. Whether you’re in a meeting, traveling, or simply want to redirect your calls and text messages, call and SMS forwarding gives you the flexibility to manage your communication needs.
In this guide, we’ll show you how to forward calls and messages on Safaricom, including how to set up forwarding for various scenarios, check your forwarding status, and stop forwarding services when you no longer need them.
What is Call and SMS Forwarding?
Call forwarding allows you to redirect incoming calls from your Safaricom number to another number. This can be useful when you’re unavailable, your phone is busy, or you’re out of network coverage.
SMS forwarding lets you redirect text messages to another number. This is particularly useful if you use multiple devices or want to centralize your messages in one location.
Safaricom provides several options for both call and SMS forwarding, allowing you to control how and when your communications are redirected.
How to Set Up Call Forwarding on Safaricom
1. Forward All Calls to Another Number
To forward all your calls to a different number, follow these steps:
- Dial 21*destination number#
Example: 21*0722123456# to forward all calls to 0722123456. - Wait for the confirmation message and restart your phone to activate the forwarding.
To check if the call forwarding is active, dial #21#.
2. Forward Calls When Your Line is Busy
If you’re already on a call and don’t want to miss another one, you can forward calls when your line is busy:
- Dial 67*destination number#
Example: 67*0722123456# to forward calls when your line is busy. - After confirmation, restart your phone.
To check the status, dial #67#.
3. Forward Calls When You’re Unreachable
When your phone is off or out of network coverage, you can forward calls to another number:
- Dial 62*destination number#
Example: 62*0722123456# to forward calls when unreachable. - Restart your phone after receiving the confirmation message.
To check the status, dial #62#.
4. Forward Calls When Unanswered
You can forward calls after a certain number of rings if you don’t pick up:
- Dial 61*destination number#
Example: 61*0722123456# to forward calls after several rings. - Wait for confirmation and restart your phone.
To check the status, dial #61#.
5. Forward Calls to Voicemail
If you want calls to go straight to voicemail, use these codes:
- When busy: Dial 67*0722122122# or 67*0722188188#
- When unreachable: Dial 62*0722122122# or 62*0722188188#
- When unanswered: Dial 61*0722122122# or 61*0722188188#
How to Forward SMS Messages on Safaricom
To forward SMS messages to another phone number, follow these steps:
- Dial 21destination number16#
Example: 21072212345616# to forward SMS messages to 0722123456. - Wait for confirmation.
This is useful for consolidating messages when you have multiple numbers or devices.
How to Stop Call and SMS Forwarding on Safaricom
If you no longer need to forward your calls or SMS, you can easily deactivate the service. Here’s how:
Stop All Call and SMS Forwarding
- Dial ##002# to turn off all forwarding services.
You’ll receive a confirmation message, and your phone will return to normal.
Stop Specific Call Forwarding Services
- To stop forwarding all calls: Dial ##21#
- To stop forwarding calls when busy: Dial ##67#
- To stop forwarding calls when unreachable: Dial ##62#
- To stop forwarding calls when unanswered: Dial ##61#
These codes deactivate specific forwarding types, giving you complete control over how your calls are redirected.
Practical Tips for Call and SMS Forwarding
- Use Call Forwarding for Business: If you run a business, you can forward your calls to a colleague or a different phone number, ensuring that you never miss an important call.
- Forward Calls When Traveling: If you’re traveling to an area with poor network coverage, forward your calls to another number so you can stay connected.
- Manage Multiple Devices: SMS forwarding is great if you use multiple phones or need to consolidate your messages into one device.
Always check your forwarding status after setting it up to make sure it’s working as expected. If you’re not receiving calls or messages as anticipated, use the status check codes to confirm the setup.
Conclusion
Call and SMS forwarding on Safaricom is a convenient way to manage your communications, ensuring you never miss an important call or message. Whether you’re unavailable, in a meeting, or simply need to redirect communications temporarily, these features provide flexibility and control.
By following this guide, you can easily set up, check, and deactivate call and SMS forwarding on your Safaricom line. Whether you need to forward calls to another device, send messages to a different number, or stop forwarding altogether, Safaricom makes it simple to stay connected on your terms.
