Making and receiving calls


If you have Zoom Phone activated on your account, you can use Zoom for making and receiving calls. This articles describes the methods to place calls and the different call notifications.

If you have the Zoom for Google Workspace add-on installed, you can also make Zoom Phone calls directly from the add-on. Learn more about using Zoom Phone with the Google Workspace add-on.

Note: While in a Zoom Phone call, your in-call status will be synced with assigned desk phones.

This article covers:

Prerequisites for making and receiving calls

How to make and receive calls on desktop

Make a call

Note: If you're calling a phone number displayed in another application (for example, Outlook or a web browser), use click-to-dial or highlight-to-call. 

  1. Sign in to the Zoom desktop client.
  2. Click Phone.
  3. Call a number using one of these methods:
    • Number pad: Dial a number using the on-screen or your keyboard number pad, then click the phone icon. If you dial a vanity phone number (the number contains characters), Zoom Phone will automatically convert the letters to numbers when you make the call.
    • Copy and paste: Copy and paste a number in the text field, then click the phone icon .
    • Search contacts: Type a name or number above the dial pad to search through your internal, external, and synced contacts. Click a search result to make a call. If the contact has several phone numbers, click the right arrow icon to view and select the number to call.
    • Starred contacts: Click the Starred tab above the number pad to view your starred contacts. Hover over the contact and click the phone icon to call them.
  4. Click the Caller ID drop-down menu to change the outbound caller ID number. While in a call, your in-call status is synced to any desk phones assigned to you.
    Note: Review the features and limitations of your outbound caller ID number.
  5. Use the in-call controls.

Call a synced contact

If you set up contacts sync, you can call contacts added to your Google, Office 365, or Exchange account.

Note: You can only call your synced contacts using the Zoom desktop app. Synced contacts are not available on the Zoom mobile app or provisioned desk phones.

Using the contacts directory

  1. Sign in to the Zoom desktop client.
  2. Click Contacts.
  3. In the My Groups section, click Cloud Contacts and select a contact to call.
  4. Click Call. Alternatively, you can hover over their name in the directory and click the phone icon.
    Note:
    • Make sure your synced contact has a phone number attached. If they don't have a phone number, they will still appear in Cloud Contacts but you will not be able to call them.
    • If your contact has more than one number, you will see their numbers and the label you set in Google, Office 365, or Exchange. Click a phone number to call it. Clicking Call will call the first phone number displayed.
  5. Use the in-call controls.

Search for a contact

You can also call synced contacts by typing their name or number in the search box above the dial pad.

  1. Sign in to the Zoom client.
  2. Click Phone.
  3. Type a name or number above the dial pad.
    Note: If the contact has several phone numbers, click the right arrow icon to view and select the number to call.
  4. Click the Caller ID drop-down menu to change the outbound caller ID number.
  5. Click the phone icon.
  6. Use the in-call controls.

Receive a call

  1. Sign in to the Zoom client.
  2. During an incoming call, Zoom Phone will display a call notification to help you identify the caller.
    Note: You will not receive call notifications if you manually set your status to Do not disturb.
  3. Click one of these options depending on the call notification you get:
    • Accept: Answer the call.
    • Decline: Route the caller to your voicemail or disconnect the call depending on your settings (look for the drop-down menu called When not answered, calls will be).
    • Decline with text: Select a text to send to the caller and route the caller to your voicemail or disconnect the call depending on your settings (look for the drop-down menu called When a call is not answered).
    • Close icon (×): Ignore the call notification. The call will continue to ring on other devices (Zoom mobile app or desk phone).
    • Dismiss (if the call was routed to you through a call queue): Skip the call notification and remove yourself from the current call queue distribution. The call queue will attempt to reach other call queue members.
  4. If you are currently on a call, you will see these options in the call notification:
    • Hold & Accept: Place the current call on hold and answer the incoming call. You can use the call controls to switch between the calls or merge them into a three-way call.
    • Send to Voicemail: Continue the current call and send the incoming call to your voicemail.
    • End & Accept: End the current call and answer the incoming call.
  5. Use the in-call controls.

How to make and receive calls on mobile

Android | iOS

Make a call

Note: If you call an emergency phone number, Zoom Phone will make the call using your phone's carrier instead of the Zoom app.

  1. Sign in to the Zoom app.
  2. Tap Phone.
  3. Tap the number pad icon.
  4. Call a number using one of these methods: 
    Note: You can view your phone contacts in Zoom Phone if you want to make calls to people in your phone's contacts app.
    • Number pad: Dial a number using the on-screen number pad, then tap the phone icon. If you dial a vanity phone number (i.e. the number contains characters), Zoom Phone will automatically convert the letters to numbers when you make the call.
    • Copy and paste: Copy and paste a number in the text field, then tap the phone icon.
    • Search contacts: You can also tap the contacts icon to view and search your starred, internal, external, and phone contacts. Tap on a contact to call them. If the contact has several phone numbers, the Zoom mobile app will display a list of numbers. Tap a number to call it.
  5. If you have a direct number and main company number, click the Caller ID drop-down menu to change the outbound caller ID number. You can also choose to hide your caller ID.
    Note:
    • The text you see above the number is not the caller ID name that is displayed to the receiving party.
    • You won't see the Caller ID drop-down menu if you don't have any direct phone numbers or your organization only has a single company number.
    • While on a call, your in-call status is synced to any desk phones assigned to you.
  6. Tap the phone icon to place the call.
  7. Use the in-call controls.

Call a phone contact

If you are viewing your phone contacts in the Zoom mobile app, you can call them using Zoom Phone.

  1. Sign in to the Zoom mobile app.
  2. Tap Contacts.
  3. Tap Contacts then Phone Contacts Matching.
  4. Tap the contact's name, then tap Phone Call to call the contact using Zoom Phone.
  5. Use the in-call controls.

Receive a call

  1. Sign in to the Zoom app.
  2. During an incoming call, Zoom Phone will display a call notification to help you identify the caller.
    Note: You will not receive call notifications if you manually set your status to Do not disturb.
  3. Click one of these options depending on the call notification you get:
    • Accept: Answer the call.
    • Decline: Route the caller to your voicemail or disconnect the call depending on your settings (look for the drop-down menu called When not answered, calls will be).
    • Close icon (×): Ignore the call notification. The call will continue to ring on other devices (Zoom desktop client or desk phone).
    • Dismiss (if the call was routed to you through a call queue): Skip the call notification and remove yourself from the current call queue distribution. The call queue will attempt to reach other call queue members.
  4. If you are currently on a call, you will see these options in the call notification:
    • Hold & Accept: Place the current call on hold and answer the incoming call. You can use the call controls to switch between the calls or merge them into a three-way call.
    • Send to Voicemail: Continue the current call and send the incoming call to your voicemail.
    • End & Accept: End the current call and answer the incoming call.
  5. Use the in-call controls.

How to make and receive calls on Zoom Web App

Zoom Web App

Make a call

Note: If you're calling a phone number displayed in another application (for example, Outlook or a web browser), use click-to-dial or highlight-to-call.

  1. Sign in to the Zoom Web App.
  2. Click Phone.
  3. Call a number using one of these methods:
    • Number pad: Dial a number using the on-screen or your keyboard number pad, then click the phone icon. If you dial a vanity phone number (the number contains characters), Zoom Phone will automatically convert the letters to numbers when you make the call.
    • Copy and paste: Copy and paste a number in the text field, then click the phone icon .
    • Search contacts: Type a name or number above the dial pad to search through your internal, external, and synced contacts. Click a search result to make a call. If the contact has several phone numbers, click the right arrow icon to view and select the number to call.
    • Starred contacts: Click the Starred tab above the number pad to view your starred contacts. Hover over the contact and click the phone icon to call them.
  4. Click the Caller ID drop-down menu to change the outbound caller ID number. While on a call, your in-call status is synced to any desk phones assigned to you.
    Note: Review the features and limitations of your outbound caller ID number.
  5. Use the in-call controls.

Search for a contact

You can also call synced contacts by typing their name or number in the search box above the dial pad.

  1. Sign in to the Zoom Web App.
  2. Click Phone.
  3. Type a name or number above the dial pad.
    Note: If the contact has several phone numbers, click the right arrow icon to view and select the number to call.
  4. Click the Caller ID drop-down menu to change the outbound caller ID number.
  5. Click the phone icon.
  6. Use the in-call controls.

Receive a call

  1. Sign in to the Zoom Web App.
    • Note:
      • During an incoming call, Zoom Phone will display a call notification to help you identify the caller.
      • You will not receive call notifications if you manually set your status to Do not disturb.
  2. Click one of these options depending on the call notification you get:
    • Accept: Answer the call.
    • Decline: Route the caller to your voicemail or disconnect the call depending on your settings (look for the drop-down menu called When not answered, calls will be).
    • Close icon (×): Ignore the call notification. The call will continue to ring on other devices (Zoom mobile app or desk phone).
    • Dismiss (if the call was routed to you through a call queue): Skip the call notification and remove yourself from the current call queue distribution. The call queue will attempt to reach other call queue members.
  3. If you are currently on a call, you will see these options in the call notification:
    • Hold & Accept: Place the current call on hold and answer the incoming call. You can use the call controls to switch between the calls or merge them into a three-way call.
    • Send to Voicemail: Continue the current call and send the incoming call to your voicemail.
    • End & Accept: End the current call and answer the incoming call.
  4. Use the in-call controls.