Setting up silent alarm on desk phones

Account owners and admins can configure the silent alarm feature on supported desk phones using the speed dial key assignment in the Zoom web portal. When a silent alarm is triggered, the desk phone places a discreet call to the Public Safety Answering Point (PSAP), and no ringback audio is played to the person pressing the button, keeping the alarm completely silent. The emergency address sent to the PSAP is the same address assigned to the device's emergency location.

There are two silent alarm modes:

• Silent Alarm (Test Mode): Sends an alarm to the PSAP that explicitly indicates the call is for testing purposes. No emergency personnel is dispatched.
• Silent Alarm (Live Mode): Sends an actual alarm to the PSAP, which will dispatch emergency personnel to the device's emergency address.

Requirements for setting up silent alarm on desk phones

• Zoom Workplace license with Zoom Phone, or a standalone Zoom Phone license
• Admin or account owner privileges to configure line keys in the Zoom web portal
• A provisioned desk phone from the supported device list

Limitations for setting up silent alarm on desk phones

The silent alarm feature on desk phones has the following limitations:

• The silent alarm feature is only available on the supported devices assigned as common area phones.
• If the silent alarm call fails, the system does not automatically fail over to dialing 911 or 933.
• The emergency address transmitted to the PSAP is determined by the emergency address assigned to the device. It cannot be overridden at the time of the alarm.
• Settings changed directly on the physical phone do not sync back to the Zoom web portal.
• The silent alarm feature is only available in the U.S.

Supported devices for silent alarm

The silent alarm feature is only supported on the following desk phones:

How to set up silent alarm speed dial

Note: Silent alarm must be assigned using the speed dial key type in the Zoom web portal to enable the feature. Manually entering a phone number into a standard speed dial key will not trigger the silent alarm behavior.

Admin

1. Sign in to the Zoom web portal as an admin with the privilege to edit account settings.
2. In the top-right corner, click your profile picture or initials, then click Admin Center.
3. In the side menu, click Settings .
4. In the side menu, click Product configuration then Phone system followed by Phones & Devices.
5. Click the Common Areas tab.
6. Click the name of the common area phone you want to configure.
7. Click the Settings tab.
8. In the Keys & Positions section, click View or Edit.
9. Click Manage Keys.
10. In one of the keys, click Set Key then click the Key Type drop-down to select one of the following:
    • Silent Alarm (Test Mode): Select for testing purposes.
    • Silent Alarm (Live Mode): Select for live deployment.
      Note: Once configured and a user presses the Silent Alarm (Live Mode) key, the PSAP will dispatch emergency personnel. 
11. Click Save.
    The phone will resync to apply the changes.

Tip: Consider placing the silent alarm key in a position that is easily accessible but not prone to accidental presses. Use Test Mode first to verify the configuration before switching to Live Mode.

Use silent alarm on the desk phone

1. On the provisioned desk phone, press the line key assigned to the silent alarm.
   The phone will place a silent call to the PSAP.
   Note: No ringback audio or on-screen dialing indication is played to the user, keeping the alarm discreet.
2. The PSAP receives the call along with the device's assigned emergency address.

Test Mode vs. Live Mode behavior:

Frequently asked questions

What happens if the silent alarm call fails?

The system does not automatically fail over to 911 or 933. If the alarm call fails, the user should attempt to dial emergency services manually.

Can I use a manually entered phone number instead of the speed dial key type?

No. Manually configuring a phone number in a standard speed dial key will not trigger the silent alarm. You must select Silent Alarm (Test Mode) or Silent Alarm (Live Mode) from the key type dropdown for the alarm to function correctly.

What address is sent to the PSAP?

The address transmitted to the PSAP is the emergency address currently assigned to the device in Zoom Phone. Verify that this address is correct before enabling Silent Alarm (Live Mode).

Can I assign both Test Mode and Live Mode to the same phone?

Yes. You can assign each mode to a different key position on the same device. For example, one key is assigned for testing and another is assigned for live emergencies.

Important: If the silent alarm call fails, the system does not automatically fail over to 911 or 933.