How to enable a call forwarding on your Xiaomi phone

In today’s rhythm of life, a missed call from an important customer or loved one can be a serious problem, especially when you are in a low coverage area or are busy with another conversation. For owners of Xiaomi smartphones, including the Redmi and POCO series, the redirection function becomes a real salvation, allowing you to redirect incoming calls to another number or to the operator’s voicemail. It is not just a convenient option, but a necessary tool for maintaining constant communication that works at the level of the cellular network, not the device itself.

Operating system MIUI, which is an add-on to Android, offers several ways to activate this feature: from standard USSD-Teams familiar from the days of button phones to deep integration into the system settings menu, but despite the apparent simplicity, users often face nuances, such as operator fees or hidden menus of engineering diagnostics. In this guide, we will take a detailed look at all the available methods so that you can choose the most suitable for your situation.

It is worth noting that the redirection of calls is carried out directly in the SIM-This means that even if your Xiaomi smartphone is turned off or in flight mode, the correctly configured redirect will continue to work, redirecting the caller to the number you specified. Understanding this principle is important for correct diagnosis of problems if a function suddenly ceases to respond in the expected way.

Use of the USSD-call-management teams

The fastest and most versatile way to activate call forwarding is to use USSD-This method does not require Internet access or deep immersion in the settings menu of Xiaomi, since the commands are processed by the operator’s network immediately after they are dialed. To start work, you need to open the standard application "Phone" and go to the dialing panel, where special codes are entered.

Each command has its own unique syntax and purpose, for example, the *21* number# code is used to enable unconditional forwarding (when calls leave immediately without calling your phone). If you want to redirect only those calls that you didn't answer, or when the line is busy, the codes will be different. SMS-notification or pop-up message from the network about the successful activation of the service.

For Russia, it will start with +7. A single-digit error will cause calls to go wrong, or the service simply won't activate due to a syntax query error.

Below is a table with the main commands that are relevant to most carriers working with Redmi and POCO devices:

⚠️ Attention: Use USSD-The codes may be charged depending on your carrier's plan, and calls redirected to another number are often charged as outgoing calls from your account, even if you haven't spoken to the subscriber.

Configure via the MIUI system menu

For those who prefer a visual interface and are afraid of making mistakes in numbers, Xiaomi has implemented a user-friendly graphical interface for managing calls. This method is more intuitive and allows you to flexibly adjust timers and redirect conditions without having to remember complex combinations. To access these settings, you need to open the Phone application and click on three dots or a gear in the upper right corner of the screen.

From the menu that opens, select Settings and then find Accounts for Calls or SIM Cards and Mobile Networks, here, depending on the firmware version. MIUI (HyperOS or earlier versions, you need to choose active SIM-If you have two cards, you can find the "Redirect" item, and the system will try to read the current settings from the network, which can take a few seconds.

Once you download the data, you'll see a list of four basic options: Always, Busy, Unanswered, and Unavailable. If you choose the right option, you can enter the phone number that you'll be receiving calls, or select the contact from the phone book, which is especially useful if you don't remember the voicemail number or the second phone by heart.

• 📱 Always: Calls are redirected instantly, your phone won't ring.
• 📞 Busy: Redirect will work if you drop a call or talk to another caller.
• ⏳ Unanswered: The call will go to another number after a certain number of horns.
• 📶 Unavailable: activated when the phone is off or out of network coverage.

The settings interface in Xiaomi also allows you to set a timer for the “No Answer” option, so you can choose how many seconds (15, 20, 25 or 30) the call will be forwarded to another number, which gives you the option to decide whether to answer the call or let the system redirect it.

Hidden menu of engineering settings of the phone

The Android operating system that runs MIUI has a hidden test and diagnostics menu known as Testing Menu, which provides access to advanced radio control features, including fine-tuning call forwarding. You can access this menu by typing dialer code ##4636##. If the code doesn't work, your firmware version or POCO model may have manufacturer restrictions.

In the menu that opens, select “Phone Information” and scroll down to the “Call forwarding settings” section. Here, the interface looks more technical and dry, but it allows you to manage settings directly, bypassing some of the limitations of the standard menu. SIM-card if the device supports two SIMs.

In this section, you'll see the same four types of redirects: Voice, Data, Fax, and others. For regular calls, we'll be interested in the Voice setting. By clicking on it, you can activate the feature (Enable), deactivate (Disable) or obtain status (Query), you will need to enter the number in the international format in the appropriate field.

⚠️ Warning: Be extremely careful when changing the settings in the engineering menu. Incorrect actions can lead to unstable operation of the communication module or reset network settings. Use this method only if the standard methods do not work.

Features of redirection on two-symbol devices

Xiaomi and Redmi smartphones are famous for their support of two SIM-This is a map that creates additional nuances when setting up a redirect, and it's important to understand that the settings are applied individually for each SIM card. SIM 1 will not affect the work in any way. SIM 2 even if they are from a single operator.

When using two numbers, you often have to redirect calls from one SIM to another, for example, if you want all business calls to the main SIM and use the second one only for the Internet, in which case you need to clearly select the target SIM card from the settings menu before entering the redirect number.

There is also a scenario where both numbers belong to the same user and they want to combine the incoming stream, in which case one of the SIM cards (usually the one that is less commonly used for calls) is unconditionally redirected to the main number, which allows you not to carry two phones with you and not to switch SIM cards.

• 🔹 Make sure both of them are SIM-Cards activated redirection service from the operator.
• 🔹 When setting up, carefully monitor what operator logo is displayed in the status bar, so as not to confuse the SIMs.
• 🔹 The cost of redirection between the numbers of one operator may differ from the tariff for other networks.

Remember that if the main SIM-The card to which the redirect is going will be occupied or unavailable, the caller will hear the signal "occupied" or will get to voice mail, depending on the settings of the main SIM. The redirect chain is usually not infinite and is limited by the network.

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Save screenshots of redirect settings for each SIM-This will help you quickly restore the configuration after changing the device or resetting to the factory.

Problems with activation and ways to solve them

Despite the simplicity of the procedure, Xiaomi users may encounter errors when enabling redirects. Most often, the problem lies not in the phone itself, but in the operator’s settings or lack of balance. The network can reject activation requests if there are not enough funds in the account to reserve the service or if the option itself is not connected in the tariff.

Another common cause is a settings conflict. If you've previously configured redirects through USSD-If you try to change it through the menu, you may get out of sync, and in such cases, it is recommended to turn off all redirects completely using the ##002# code, and then reconfigure the desired parameters again.

Also, it is worth considering that in roaming, the rules can change: Redirecting calls when you are abroad can be very expensive, as the call first arrives at your number (international roaming), and then redirects further.

If nothing helps, follow the following steps:

1. Reboot your Xiaomi smartphone to update your online registration.
2. Check if there is a Do Not Disturb mode or locking unknown numbers that can mimic redirect behavior.
3. Contact your operator’s support to make sure there are no network-level restrictions.

⚠️ Note: If you receive a connection error or encoding message when you try to enable a forwarding, do not try to enter commands indefinitely, this may lead to a temporary blocking of the ability of the operator to make outgoing calls.

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In 90% of cases, redirect problems to Xiaomi are solved by completely resetting your settings through the ##002# code and re-activating through the settings menu, rather than through the codes.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)