How to Set the Number of Rings on Your iPhone Before Voicemail Picks Up (Full Guide)

Most iPhone users never realize they can control how long their phone rings before it goes to voicemail. By default, your iPhone rings for 20 seconds, roughly 3–4 rings, before forwarding the call to your voicemail greeting.

If you’ve ever wished your phone would ring longer so you don’t miss important calls — or if you want it to ring shorter — Apple and your carrier give you a hidden network code that allows you to customize this timer precisely.

In this complete guide, you’ll learn:

How to check your current voicemail forwarding settings
How to find your carrier’s voicemail forwarding number
How to extend your ring time up to 30 seconds
How to revert back to the default 20 seconds
Why this method works
Troubleshooting tips
Additional resources for iPhone and computer users

This article expands on the YouTube tutorial but gives deeper explanations and more useful details so anyone can apply the steps confidently.

📞 Understanding How iPhone Voicemail Ring Timing Really Works

When someone calls your iPhone, your carrier gives you a limited amount of time to answer before forwarding the call to your voicemail server. This delay is controlled by a hidden “conditional call forwarding” timer, not by any normal iPhone setting.

There is no button inside iOS to change how long your phone rings.
However, Apple’s system supports the same GSM network commands used worldwide that let you customize the unanswered call timer.

These commands work on:
✔ AT&T
✔ T-Mobile
✔ Verizon (LTE/VoLTE lines)
✔ Rogers
✔ Bell
✔ Telus
✔ Vodafone
✔ O2
✔ EE
✔ Optus
✔ Most European & Asian carriers

If your network supports the GSM forwarding structure (most do), this method will work flawlessly.

STEP 1 — Find Your Voicemail Forwarding Number

Your iPhone has a special forwarding number tied to your voicemail system. You need this number to customize the ring time.

Follow these steps:

Open the Phone app
Tap the Keypad
Dial *#61#
Press Call

After 1–2 seconds, your device will show a service information screen that looks something like:

“Setting Interrogation Succeeded
Voice Call Forwarding
When Unanswered
Forwards To: +18555513466
Delay: 20 seconds”

The +1855… number (yours will be different) is the voicemail server for your carrier.

This is the number you must include in the next step.

Write it down or copy it.

Tap Dismiss to exit.

STEP 2 — Change How Long Your iPhone Rings (Up to 30 Seconds)

Now you will enter the new timer setting using a GSM activation code:


*61*+[your-eleven-digit-forwarding-number]*11*[ringtime]#

Replace [ringtime] with the number of seconds you want:

30 seconds (maximum)
25 seconds
20 seconds (default)
15 seconds
10 seconds
5 seconds (almost instant voicemail)

✔ Example

If your forwarding number is +18555513466 and you want 30 seconds, dial:


*61*+18555513466*11*30#

Press Call.

You should now see:

“Setting Activation Succeeded”

This means your new ring duration is active.

STEP 3 — Test Your New Ring Time

Call your own phone from another device or ask someone to call you.
Your iPhone should now ring for exactly the number of seconds you entered.

If you set it to 30 seconds, you should get 5–6 full rings before voicemail picks up.

How to Revert Back to Default (20 Seconds)

If you want the standard ring duration again:

Use your same voicemail forwarding number and replace the ring time with 20:


*61*+[your forwarding number]*11*20#

Press Call, confirm, and you are back to normal.

🔧 Troubleshooting — When the Code Doesn’t Work

✔ No response or error message?

Try removing the + before the number:


*61*18555513466*11*30#

✔ On Verizon?

Older CDMA lines can be limited.
Verizon LTE/VoLTE lines do support this.

If not, call Verizon and ask them to extend conditional call forwarding time manually.

✔ Voicemail stops working?

Just redo the code using your original forwarding number and 20 seconds.

✔ Still rings short?

Restart your iPhone after activation.

📡 Why This Method Works — Technical Explanation

These codes are part of the GSM/UMTS global standard, long before iPhones even existed. Apple simply allows the network-level “unanswered call timer” to be controlled through these dialing commands.

This method:

✔ Does NOT require jailbreak
✔ Does NOT install apps
✔ Does NOT change iPhone internals
✔ Does NOT affect call quality
✔ Works instantly

It simply instructs your carrier how long to wait before transferring the call to your voicemail server.

📚 Additional iPhone Tips (From My Tech Blog)

Explore more iPhone and computer solutions here:

📱 iPhone Q&A Archive:
http://resolvedproblem.blogspot.com/2014/10/iphone-questions-and-answers.html

💻 Windows Error Fixes & Tips:
http://windowerrorfix.blogspot.com/
http://askpctech.blogspot.com/2014/06/how-to-enter-bios-or-cmos-setup.html

🛠 Helpful tutorials include:
• Fixing black screen with no icons
• Speeding up Windows 7/8/10/11
• Boosting internet performance
• Hard drive and SSD error checks
• Entering BIOS on any computer
• Removing viruses manually
• Understanding BIOS vs CMOS
• Fixing computers that won’t load the desktop

Each guide is written step-by-step like this one.

💬 Final Thoughts

Missing calls can be frustrating, especially when your voicemail kicks in too quickly. Luckily, Apple and your carrier provide a simple, official way to extend your iPhone’s ring time.

Whether you want more time to answer, fewer missed calls, or a smarter voicemail delay, this method gives you full control over something most iPhone users never even knew they could modify.

If you followed this guide carefully, your iPhone should now be ringing as long as YOU want.

📈 Recommended Resources & Offers

📢 Contact for collaborations

@goasfarasyoucansee

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Saturday, November 29, 2025