Your Call Has Been Forwarded: What It Really Means

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How to tell whether you're being blocked or sent straight to voicemail

Written by Nicole Levine, MFA

Last Updated: April 1, 2025 Fact Checked

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What It Means

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Am I Blocked?

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If It Didn't Ring

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If you call someone and hear a recording that says, "Your call has been forwarded to an automatic voice message system," you've been sent to voicemail. This doesn't mean the person has blocked you—they may not have been able to answer at the moment, or they may not have known you were calling. There are many other reasons why your call may be forwarded to voicemail, and this wikiHow article will help you understand them all.

Things You Should Know

"Your call has been forwarded to an automatic voice message system" means your call was sent to voicemail.
If the phone didn't ring or only rang once, their phone may be off, on Do Not Disturb, in airplane mode, or not receiving a signal.
You may also hear this recording if the person blocked you or has rejected your call.

Section 1 of 3:

What "Your Call Has Been Forwarded" Means

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Your call was sent to voicemail, either automatically or manually. The recording you're hearing is the default voicemail greeting for most cell phone owners who haven't set a custom greeting . "When a person doesn’t answer their phone or sends a call to voicemail, the call is actually "forwarded" to their voicemail inbox, which allows you to leave a message . There are many reasons why you may hear the "Your call has been forwarded" message, including:
- The person you're calling has turned their phone off.
- The person doesn't have a good cellular signal.
- They may have turned on Do Not Disturb or airplane mode .
- The person may have blocked your phone number.
- They may have rejected or declined the call. ^{[1]
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Section 2 of 3:

If my call was forwarded to voicemail, am I blocked?

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Hearing "Your call has been forwarded" does not mean you are blocked. It usually just means that the person you're calling didn't answer your call. However, if the person has blocked your phone number , your call may be forwarded to voicemail automatically, depending on how the person blocked you. ^{[2]
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- If the person blocked you through their Android or iPhone settings, your call will be forwarded to voicemail automatically instead of ringing through. In this case, you may hear "Your call has been forwarded to an automatic voice message system" (or "to an automated voice messaging system" for some carriers) or the person's custom greeting. You'll be able to leave a voicemail, even if you've been blocked. ^{[3]
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- If you're blocked through the person's mobile carrier, you may either hear the "Your call has been forwarded" message, or a message that says "Your call cannot be completed as dialed." In most cases, if you've been blocked by the carrier, you won't be able to leave voicemail. ^{[4]
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- Even though "Your call has been forwarded" could mean you've been blocked, there are many other reasons why your call might be sent to voicemail. Don't assume you've been blocked if you hear this recording—the recording is extremely common and typically nothing to worry about.

Section 3 of 3:

What if the phone didn't ring?

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The person you're calling likely didn't receive the call. If you hear "Your call has been forwarded to an automatic voice message system" without hearing a ring first, the person's phone may be turned off, or they could be in an area where they don't have a good cell phone signal. It's also possible the person has blocked your calls , but this isn't always the case. ^{[5]
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- If you only hear one ring, a half-ring, or two rings before hearing "Your call has been forwarded," the person you're calling may have manually sent your call to voicemail.
- The person may have also rejected the call, either on purpose or accidentally.

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If your call is forwarded to an automated voice system, does that mean you're blocked?

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Community Answer

If it rings for a while, you are most likely not blocked. They might have missed your call. If it skips ringing and goes straight to voicemail, there is a chance you could be blocked. It could also be that their phone is dead, or they have no service.

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Tips

Different carriers and voicemail providers have different variations of the "Your call has been forwarded" message. You may also hear the recording "Your call has been forwarded to an automated voice messaging system." ^{[6]
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Your Call Has Been Forwarded: What It Really Means

Things You Should Know

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What "Your Call Has Been Forwarded" Means

If my call was forwarded to voicemail, am I blocked?

What if the phone didn't ring?

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