Customizing call handling settings
Admins and phone users can customize call handling settings to determine how calls are routed during business, closed, break, or holiday (out-of-office) hours. For example, you can customize settings so that during business hours, you receive calls on the Zoom desktop and mobile app, but during closed hours, all calls go straight to your voicemail.
Note: Admins can also customize default call handling settings for the account or site.
Requirements for customizing call handling settings
- Pro, Business, or Education account
- Account owner or admin privileges to manage account or site settings
- Zoom Phone license
Note: Some call handling settings can be restricted by admins using policy settings.
How to manage business hours
Admin
- Sign in to the Zoom web portal as an admin with the privilege to edit account settings.
- In the navigation menu, click Phone System Management then Users & Rooms.
- Click the name of the phone user for whom you want to adjust settings.
- Click the User Settings tab.
- In the Business Hours section, to the right of Business Hours, click Edit.
A pop-up window will appear. - In the window, select from the following options:
- 24 Hours a Day, 7 Days a Week
- Custom Hours: Set the custom hours. You can also choose Apply hours to every day.
- Click OK.
User
- Sign in to the Zoom web portal.
- In the navigation menu, click Phone.
- Click the Settings tab.
- In the Business Hours section, to the right of Business Hours, click Edit.
A pop-up window will appear. - In the window, select from the following options:
- 24 Hours a Day, 7 Days a Week
- Custom Hours: Set the custom hours. You can also choose Apply hours to every day.
- Click OK.
How to access call handling settings for business and closed hours
Admin
- Sign in to the Zoom web portal as an admin with the privilege to edit account settings.
- In the navigation menu, click Phone System Management then Users & Rooms.
- Click the name of the phone user for whom you want to adjust settings.
- Click the User Settings tab.
- In the Business Hours or Closed Hours section, to the right of Call Handling, click Edit.
- Customize the call handling settings.
User
- Sign in to the Zoom web portal.
- In the navigation menu, click Phone.
- Click the Settings tab.
- In the Business Hours or Closed Hours section, click Edit next to Call Handling.
- Customize the call handling settings.
How to manage break hours
Add break hours
Add hours for when you're taking a break during the day.
Admin
- Sign in to the Zoom web portal as an admin with the privilege to edit account settings.
- In the navigation menu, click Phone System Management then Users & Rooms.
- Click the name of the phone user for whom you want to adjust settings.
- Click the User Settings tab.
- In the Break Hours section, to the right of Break List & Call Handling, click Manage.
You will be directed to the break call handling page. - At the top of the page, click Add.
A pop-up window will appear. - In the window, add a break by completing the following information:
- Select from the following options:
- Every business day
- Name: Enter a break name.
- Time: Set the time of the break.
- Custom Hours:
- Name: Enter a break name.
- Set the custom hours. You can also choose Apply hours to every day.
- Click Save.
The break will be added to the break call handling page.
User
- Sign in to the Zoom web portal.
- In the navigation menu, click Phone.
- Click the Settings tab.
- In the Break Hours section, to the right of Break List & Call Handling, click Manage.
You will be directed to the break call handling page. - At the top of the page, click Add.
A pop-up window will appear. - In the window, add a break by completing the following information:
- Select from the following options:
- Every business day
- Name: Enter a break name.
- Time: Set the time of the break.
- Custom Hours:
- Name: Enter a break name.
- Set the custom hours. You can also choose Apply hours to every day.
- Click Save.
The break will be added to the break call handling page.
Access call-handling settings for break hours
After adding break hours, you can access call-handling settings for breaks.
Admin
- Sign in to the Zoom web portal as an admin with the privilege to edit account settings.
- In the navigation menu, click Phone System Management then Users & Rooms.
- Click the name of the phone user for whom you want to adjust settings.
- Click the User Settings tab.
- In the Break Hours section, to the right of Break List & Call Handling, click Manage.
You will be directed to the break call handling page. - Select a break.
- To the right of the break, click Edit to edit the break's name and hours, then click Save.
- To the right of Call Handling, click Edit.
A pop-up window will appear. - In the window, enable or disable the call handling for break-hours settings.
Note: Enabled items are in the incoming call forwarding list for break hours. - (Optional) Click Add Phone Number to add an External Contact or External Number, then click Save.
- Click Save.
- Customize the call handling settings.
User
- Sign in to the Zoom web portal.
- In the navigation menu, click Phone.
- Click the Settings tab.
- In the Break Hours section, to the right of Break List & Call Handling, click Manage.
You will be directed to the break call handling page. - Select a break.
- To the right of the break, click Edit to edit the break's name and hours, then click Save.
- To the right of Call Handling, click Edit.
A pop-up window will appear. - In the window, enable or disable the call handling for break-hours settings.
Note: Enabled items are in the incoming call forwarding list for break hours. - (Optional) Click Add Phone Number to add an External Contact or External Number, then click Save.
- Click Save.
- Customize the call handling settings.
How to manage holiday hours
Add holiday hours
Add holiday hours for when you're out of the office (OOO) or specific holidays.
Admin
- Sign in to the Zoom web portal as an admin with the privilege to edit account settings.
- In the navigation menu, click Phone System Management then Users & Rooms.
- Click the name of the phone user for whom you want to adjust settings.
- Click the User Settings tab.
- In the Holiday Hours section, to the right of Holiday List & Call Handling, click Manage.
You will be directed to the holiday call handling page. - At the top of the page, click Add.
A pop-up window will appear. - In the window, add a holiday by completing the following information:
- Name: Enter a holiday name.
- Holiday Hours: Set the date/time of the holiday.
- Select the following checkboxes:
- All Day: Select this checkbox if the holiday is an all-day event.
- This is a recurring holiday: Select this checkbox if the holiday is a recurring event, then select the Recurrence pattern.
- Click Save.
The holiday will be added to the holiday call handling page.
User
- Sign in to the Zoom web portal.
- In the navigation menu, click Phone.
- Click the Settings tab.
- In the Holiday Hours section, to the right of Holiday List & Call Handling, click Manage.
You will be directed to the holiday call handling page. - At the top of the page, click Add.
A pop-up window will appear. - In the window, add a holiday by completing the following information:
- Name: Enter a holiday name.
- Holiday Hours: Set the date/time of the holiday.
- Select the following checkboxes:
- All Day: Select this checkbox if the holiday is an all-day event.
- This is a recurring holiday: Select this checkbox if the holiday is a recurring event, then select the Recurrence pattern.
- Click Save.
The holiday will be added to the holiday call handling page.
Access call-handling settings for holiday hours
After adding holidays, you can access call-handling settings for holiday hours.
Admin
- Sign in to the Zoom web portal as an admin with the privilege to edit account settings.
- In the navigation menu, click Phone System Management then Users & Rooms.
- Click the name of the phone user for whom you want to adjust settings.
- Click the User Settings tab.
- In the Holiday Hours section, to the right of Holiday List & Call Handling, click Manage.
You will be directed to the holiday call handling page. - (Optional) Select the Automatically delete holidays that have ended (default holidays exempt) checkbox.
Note: Default holidays created at the site level cannot be deleted. - Select a holiday.
- To the right of the holiday, click Edit to edit the holiday's name, date/time, and recurrence pattern, then click Save.
- To the right of Call Handling, click Edit.
A pop-up window will appear. - In the window, enable or disable the call handling for holiday hours settings.
Note: Enabled items are in the incoming call forwarding list for holiday hours. - (Optional) Click Add Phone Number to add an External Contact or External Number, then click Save.
- Click Save.
- Customize the call handling settings.
User
- Sign in to the Zoom web portal.
- In the navigation menu, click Phone.
- Click the Settings tab.
- In the Holiday Hours section, to the right of Holiday List & Call Handling, click Manage.
You will be directed to the holiday call handling page. - (Optional) Select the Automatically delete holidays that have ended (default holidays exempt) checkbox.
Note: Default holidays created at the site level cannot be deleted. - Select a holiday.
- To the right of the holiday, click Edit to edit the holiday's name, date/time, and recurrence pattern, then click Save.
- To the right of Call Handling, click Edit.
A pop-up window will appear. - In the window, enable or disable the call handling for holiday hours settings.
Note: Enabled items are in the incoming call forwarding list for holiday hours. - (Optional) Click Add Phone Number to add an External Contact or External Number, then click Save.
- Click Save.
- Customize the call handling settings.
How to customize call handling settings for business, closed, break, and holiday hours
You can customize how calls are routed during business, closed, break, and holiday hours.
Note: The lock icon (🔒) means a Zoom Phone admin can restrict access to the setting or its options. If you don't see one of these settings, contact your admin for access.
- Call Handling: Click Edit to customize how calls are routed during the specified hours.
Note: When call handling is set as Simultaneouly on an iPhone and call handling redirects calls back to the same iPhone, inbound call failures may occur, leading to call termination or redirection to voicemail. Users are advised to change their ring mode to another option or disable General > Use CallKit to receive calls when not on Zoom from the Zoom app.
- Enable or disable the toggles for call handling:
- Turn on the appropriate toggle according to where you want to receive your phone calls:
- Zoom Phone Appliance Apps
- Personal Zoom Room Apps
- Zoom Desktop Apps
- Zoom Mobile Apps
- Desk phones
Note: Add assigned desk phones to your call-handling settings for closed and holiday hours. This feature allows you to receive calls on your assigned desk phones during closed and holiday hours while preventing disruptions during open hours. For existing users with assigned desk phones, the desk phone will be automatically added as the last device in the call handling sequence for closed and holiday hours, with the status set to off by default. Additionally, account owners and admins can manage desk phone settings for any user's closed and holiday hours call handling. This feature is not enabled by default for accounts. To have this feature enabled, submit a request to Zoom Support.
- Move the toggle to rearrange the order of the apps and devices where your calls are received.
- Turn off the appropriate toggle if you don't want to receive calls on the Zoom desktop app, mobile app, or another device type.
- 🔒Click Add Phone Number to forward to an external phone number or external contact; for example, a personal phone number not part of Zoom Phone. You can also edit or delete existing external phone numbers or contacts.
Note: Make sure to select the correct country/region in the drop-down menu so you can add the external phone number. Some countries share the same country code but appear as separate entries in the drop-down menu.
- Require to press 1 before connecting the call: This is checked by default and cannot be changed for call queues, however, can be turned off for non-call queue calls.
- Select the Call Handling Ring Mode:
- If you selected Simultaneously, in the Max Wait Time box, click the arrow to select the desired maximum wait time. The maximum wait time before the call is handled as specified in the setting below (When a call is not answered).
- If you selected Sequential, in the Ringing Duration for Each Device box, click the arrow to select the desired ringing duration.
- When I'm busy on another call: Select how calls are handled when you are busy in another call.
- Call waiting: Receive the call even if you are busy on another call. You can answer by holding/declining the first call or sending the waiting call to voicemail.
- Forward to voicemail/videomail: Route calls to your voicemail or videomail.
- Allow callers to reach an operator: Do not select if you don't want your user to forward or route calls to an operator.
- Allow callers to check voicemail: Do not select if you don't want your user to check voicemails.
- Play a message, then disconnect: Plays a custom message for the caller then hangs up the call. Click Audio Library to customize audio.
- Play a busy signal: Plays a busy signal to let the caller know you are busy.
- Forward to another extension: Route calls to another extension in the account.
- Forward to External Contacts: If the account has a directory of external users, you can route calls to an external contact.
- When a call is not answered: Select how unanswered calls are handled during business or closed hours.
- Forward to voicemail/videomail🔒: Route calls to your voicemail or videomail.
- Allow callers to reach an operator🔒: Allow callers to press 0 to reach the operator, or press 1 to leave a voicemail message. After enabling this option, you can customize audio.
Note: For admins, this setting is also available in the default call handling settings for the account or site.
- IVR Menu: Displays the IVR menu for callers, which shows the keys that customers can press to reach the operator or leave a voicemail. This IVR menu can't be customized.
- Connect to Operator: Set the operator to any phone user, Zoom Room, common area, Cisco/Polycom room, call queue, auto receptionist, shared line group, or external contact.
- Allow caller to check voicemail🔒: Allow callers to check voicemails over phone.
- Greeting & Leave voicemail instruction/Greeting & Menu: Connect to operator, leave or check voicemail: Use the Default greeting or click Edit to add an audio greeting.
Note: Videomail greetings can be recorded on the Zoom app.
- Play a message, then disconnect🔒: Plays a custom message for the caller then hangs up the call. Click Audio Library to customize audio.
- Disconnect: Disables voicemail during the specified hours. The call will be disconnected without playing the voicemail greeting or routing to voicemail.
- Forward to another extension🔒: Route calls to another extension in the account.
- Forward to External Contacts🔒: If the account has a directory of external users, you can route calls to an external contact.