How to Turn Off Call Waiting on a Samsung Phone

Call waiting can interrupt an active call with a beep and a second line, which is handy for some but annoying if you prefer undivided attention or get frequent alerts. This guide shows you how to disable call waiting on any recent Samsung Galaxy phone running Android 11 or newer, either through the Phone app or the system settings. You’ll need your Samsung phone unlocked and, depending on your carrier, a working SIM card.

What You’ll Need

A Samsung Galaxy phone (any model from the last few years)
Access to the Phone app (the default dialer)
Your carrier’s support number (only if the settings toggle doesn’t work)

Step-by-Step

Open the Phone app. Tap the phone icon on your home screen or in the app drawer. It’s usually at the bottom-left of the screen.
Access the keypad. Tap the keypad icon (the one with numbers) at the bottom of the screen. If you’re already on the keypad, skip this step.
Open the menu. Tap the three vertical dots (⋮) in the top-right corner of the keypad screen. This opens a dropdown menu.
Select “Settings”. From the menu, tap “Settings.” This takes you to the Phone app’s settings page.
Find “Call settings” or “Supplementary services”. Scroll down until you see “Call settings” (on older One UI versions) or “Supplementary services” (on newer ones). Tap it.
Tap “Call waiting”. You’ll see a list of options like “Call forwarding,” “Call barring,” and “Call waiting.” Tap “Call waiting.”
Toggle it off. A switch will appear, likely with a checkmark or in the “on” position. Tap the switch to turn it off. The switch should turn gray, and the checkmark disappears.
Confirm the change. Some carriers ask you to confirm the change with a pop-up. If so, tap “OK” or “Turn off.” The setting should now be disabled.

If you don’t see the “Call waiting” option in the Phone app, you can try the system settings route:

Open the main Settings app. Swipe down from the top of the screen and tap the gear icon, or find “Settings” in your app drawer.
Go to “Connections”. Scroll down and tap “Connections.”
Tap “SIM card manager”. If you have multiple SIMs, select the one you use for calls. If you have one SIM, it will be listed as “SIM 1” or “SIM 2.”
Tap “Call settings” or “Supplementary services”. The wording varies by model and Android version. Look for “Call settings” and tap it.
Tap “Call waiting” and toggle it off. Same as before, the switch should turn off.

Common Mistakes

Looking in the wrong place: Call waiting is not under “Sounds and vibration” or “Notifications.” It’s always under the Phone app’s settings or the SIM card settings.
Not checking both SIMs: If you use dual SIM, call waiting is per SIM. You must turn it off for each SIM that you use for calls.
Assuming the toggle is enough: Some carriers override the phone setting. If the toggle doesn’t stick or you still get beeps, you may need to contact your carrier.
Confusing call waiting with call forwarding: Call waiting alerts you to a second call; call forwarding sends calls elsewhere. They are separate settings, so don’t turn off call forwarding by mistake.

Tips

Use the keypad code: As a quick alternative, you can dial #43# and press the call button to disable call waiting. You’ll see a confirmation message on the screen. To re-enable, dial *43#.
Remember it’s per SIM: If you swap SIM cards, the setting may reset to the carrier’s default. Check it again after changing SIMs.
Test the setting: After turning it off, ask a friend to call you while you’re on another call. You shouldn’t hear a beep, and the second call should go to voicemail.
Re-enable easily: To turn call waiting back on, follow the same steps and toggle the switch on, or dial *43#.

Troubleshooting

The toggle is grayed out or won’t turn off: This often means your carrier has disabled the ability to change it from the phone. Contact your carrier’s customer service and ask them to disable call waiting on your line. They can do it from their end.
You still hear beeps after turning it off: First, double-check that you turned it off for the correct SIM. If you’re using Wi-Fi calling, the setting might be separate. Go to Phone app > Settings > Wi-Fi calling and check if there’s a call waiting option there. If not, try disabling Wi-Fi calling temporarily to see if the beeps stop.
The option is missing entirely: On some carrier-branded phones, the call waiting option is hidden. Try the dial code #43# – if it works, you’ll see a status message. If not, contact your carrier.
After a software update, call waiting is back: Updates can reset some network settings. Simply go through the steps again to turn it off.
You can’t find “Supplementary services”: On older Samsung phones (Android 10 or earlier), the path is Phone app > Settings > Call settings > Call waiting. On newer ones, it’s under Supplementary services. If you can’t find it, use the search bar in the Settings app and type “Call waiting.”

Frequently Asked Questions

Does turning off call waiting affect my voicemail?

No. Call waiting only controls what happens when you’re already on a call. Incoming calls will still go to voicemail if you don’t answer, just like before.

Will I be charged for disabling call waiting?

No. Disabling call waiting is a free feature on all major carriers. There’s no charge for changing this setting.

Can I turn off call waiting for just one contact?

No. Call waiting is a network-level setting that applies to all calls on that SIM. You can’t set it per contact.

What’s the difference between call waiting and call hold?

Call waiting alerts you to a second incoming call. Call hold lets you pause the current call and resume it later. They are separate features.

I have a Samsung Galaxy S21, will these steps work?

Yes, the steps work for all recent Samsung Galaxy models, including the S21, S22, S23, and Note series, as long as they run One UI 3.0 or newer.

Why does my phone still show call waiting even after I turned it off?

This can happen if your carrier doesn’t support the setting change or if the network hasn’t updated yet. Try restarting your phone, or contact your carrier to confirm the change.

General steps for current mainstream versions; menus can differ by device and version. See the disclaimer or report an error.

More in this bed

The whole Tech How-To bed →