Using Webex as a Phone

This Confluence article provides user instructions for basic call functions within the Cisco Webex desktop app. Other articles within the Webex group of knowledge base articles cover more advanced features such as transferring, conferencing, and call centers.

Setting your preferred Speaker and Microphone

When making or receiving calls, Webex will default to using whatever the default audio input and output are set to within your computer’s audio or sound settings. To confirm these settings or change to another audio device either as the speaker (hearing the other person on the call) or the microphone (so the other person on the call can hear you), click the Settings gear icon in the bottom-left corner of the app to open the settings menu.

Open

Within the settings menu, navigate to the Audio tab on the left column. This will open the audio settings, which includes how to change speaker and microphone options, as well as whether you prefer call alerts to ring on any of your connected devices and checkboxes such as auto-adjusting microphone volume.

Click on the menu box next to “Speaker:” or “Microphone:” to open the drop-down list of options for either output or input type. This will include devices you have currently plugged into your computer or connected actively via Bluetooth.

Open

Receiving an Incoming Call

When receiving an incoming call, a call box will appear in the bottom-right corner of your computer screen and ring using your computer audio (whatever has been selected within the Webex Audio settings, as shown above). It will display the caller ID (if any) and the phone number of the incoming call, with a red button to decline the call and a green button to answer.

Making an Outbound Call

When making an outbound call, use the call tab on the app’s left menu column (phone icon) to display the dial pad.

Type or click the numbers for the desired number, then (unless the user has capability for a video call and that is desired) click the Audio button beneath the dial pad (also indicated by a phone icon). You may also search for a contact using the search bar above the dial pad, typing where it reads “Search or dial”.

During an Active Call

When a call is answered (regardless of inbound or outbound), the active call will appear as a new window with call options present along the bottom of the window for mute, keypad, and end call (red-x button).

Accessing Additional Options within the Call

If you need to access additional call options, such as hold, transfer, or conference, clicking the horizontal triple-dot button along the bottom row (between the keypad and red-x buttons) will reveal these options.