---
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
canonical: "help.gladly.com/answer-mute-and-hold-phone-calls"
---

> ## 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.