--- title: "Answer, Mute, and Hold Phone Calls" slug: "answer-mute-and-hold-phone-calls" description: "Discover how to answer, mute, and hold phone calls in Gladly. Read comprehensive guide in Gladly Help Docs." updated: 2025-01-25T22:55:07Z published: 2025-01-30T20:01:48Z --- > ## Documentation Index > Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://help.gladly.com/llms.txt > Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further. # Answer, Mute, and Hold Phone Calls The [Voice Control bar](https://help.gladly.com/docs/voice-control-bar-overview) appears above the Customer Profile during a phone call. ![Chat conversation showing Julie asking for help and Matthew listening on the call.](https://cdn.us.document360.io/7047b671-c4f2-4df0-bb0a-b9b511fd2452/Images/Documentation/voicecontrolbar.webp) ## Answer/accept a call 1. Click**Accept** from the notification banner to accept a call routed to you. ![Incoming call notification for Nelson Yang with options to accept or decline.](https://cdn.us.document360.io/7047b671-c4f2-4df0-bb0a-b9b511fd2452/Images/Documentation/incoming_call.png) 1. Additional Voice [controls](https://help.gladly.com/docs/voice-control-bar-overview) to mute, transfer, conference, or end the call appear at the top of the screen. ![Icons representing audio, video, and user interaction features in a digital interface.](https://cdn.us.document360.io/7047b671-c4f2-4df0-bb0a-b9b511fd2452/Images/Documentation/additional_voice.png) 2. Call recordings immediately start in the Conversation Timeline and stop when the call ends. Whenever you are on a live phone call with a Customer, you can place the Customer on hold or mute while you work on their request. ## **Automatically accept calls** If [activated](https://help.gladly.com/docs/configure-voice-routing-settings/#autoaccept-incoming-calls), calls routed to you are automatically accepted after a few seconds, removing the need to click Accept. Click **Auto-Accept** from the banner to take the call immediately. ![Incoming call notification for Julie Chang with an auto-accept option displayed.](https://cdn.us.document360.io/7047b671-c4f2-4df0-bb0a-b9b511fd2452/Images/Documentation/Auto-accept-banner-without-decline-1024x88.webp) If [Decline calls](https://help.gladly.com/docs/configure-voice-routing-settings/#decline-calls-configuration) are also activated, you can click Decline on the banner to prevent the call from being auto-accepted. ![Incoming call notification from Julie Chang with options to decline or auto-accept.](https://cdn.us.document360.io/7047b671-c4f2-4df0-bb0a-b9b511fd2452/Images/Documentation/Auto-accept-banner-without-decline.webp) > [!CAUTION] > Auto-accept will not work if multiple browsers are open > > Auto-accept will not work properly if Gladly is running on multiple browsers. ## Decline a call 1. If [activated](https://help.gladly.com/docs/hide-decline-option?), click**Decline** from the notification banner to accept a call being routed to you. When a call is declined or missed, it is rerouted to another Agent, and you'll receive the next call waiting based on the [Time before next call after declining (seconds)](https://help.gladly.com/docs/configure-voice-routing-settings/#time-to-route-the-next-call-after-a-call-is-declined-or-missed) setting or when you click **Next**. ## Place the Customer on hold 1. From the Voice Control Bar, click ![](https://cdn.us.document360.io/7047b671-c4f2-4df0-bb0a-b9b511fd2452/Images/Documentation/pause-icon.svg). ![Control panel with microphone, pause, add user, grid, download, and record buttons.](https://cdn.us.document360.io/7047b671-c4f2-4df0-bb0a-b9b511fd2452/Images/Documentation/call_pause.webp) 2. ![](https://cdn.us.document360.io/7047b671-c4f2-4df0-bb0a-b9b511fd2452/Images/Documentation/pause-icon.svg) will turn red, and the word *On Hold* appears with two running timers on the top right of your screen. ![Display showing live time and hold duration for a call or session.](https://cdn.us.document360.io/7047b671-c4f2-4df0-bb0a-b9b511fd2452/Images/Documentation/liveonhold.png) - **Live –**Current length time of the call. - **On Hold –** How long the Customer has been on hold. 2. To unpause the call, click the red ![](https://cdn.us.document360.io/7047b671-c4f2-4df0-bb0a-b9b511fd2452/Images/Documentation/pause-icon.svg) until it turns black. While on hold, the Customer will hear your hold music/recording. ## Mute and unmute 1. From the Voice Control Bar, click ![](https://cdn.us.document360.io/7047b671-c4f2-4df0-bb0a-b9b511fd2452/Images/Documentation/microphone-mute-unmute-icon(1).svg). 2. The ![](https://cdn.us.document360.io/7047b671-c4f2-4df0-bb0a-b9b511fd2452/Images/Documentation/microphone-mute-unmute-icon(1).svg) will turn red to indicate that you are currently muted. Two running timers will appear at the top right of your screen. ![](http://connect.gladly.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/mute_timer.png) - **Live –**Current length time of the call. - **Mute –**How long you have been on mute. The Customer hears silence when you're on mute. To unmute yourself, click on the red microphone icon.