# Turn Off a Rule

> Turn off call forwarding without losing the setup, pause a rule, or delete it - and what callers hear after each.

Source: https://edesy.in/docs/call-forwarding/rules/disable-a-rule

To stop forwarding, use **Turn off forwarding**. It stops ringing your team and hands the number back to whatever it did before, for example your voice agent or app, while keeping the forward-to list and settings so you can switch it back on in one click. Pausing and deleting are the other two options.

## Three ways to stop forwarding

| You want to | Portal | API | What callers hear afterwards |
|---|---|---|---|
| Turn forwarding off, keep the setup | **Turn off forwarding** | `POST /v1/forwarding/rules/:id/disable` | Whatever the number did before forwarding |
| Remove forwarding completely | **Delete** | `DELETE /v1/forwarding/rules/:id` | Same as above. Call logs are kept |
| Pause briefly | | `PATCH /v1/forwarding/rules/:id` with `{"status": "paused"}` | "This number is not in service" |

Most people want **Turn off forwarding**, not pause. A paused number is not handed back to anything; it tells callers it is not in service.

## Switch it back on

In the portal, open the rule and choose **Turn forwarding on**. With the API:

```bash
curl -X PATCH https://voice-api.edesy.in/v1/forwarding/rules/RULE_ID \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer sk_your_api_key" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{ "status": "active" }'
```

## FAQ

**Will I lose my forward-to numbers if I turn forwarding off?**
No. The rule and its settings are kept.

**Is turning off safe to repeat?**
Yes. If the API returns `502 inbound_repoint_failed`, forwarding is already off; send the request again to finish handing the number back.

**Are call logs deleted when I delete a rule?**
No. Call logs are kept.

**Do I still pay number rental while forwarding is off?**
Yes. Rental is for the number. Release the number if you no longer need it.