Select your calling device

Need a hands-free calling experience, or want to dial in 8x8 Work but continue your calls via a phone? Place, receive, and manage 8x8 Work calls through your headset, your desk phone, or any other phone you have access to!

By default, you make and receive calls in 8x8 Work for Desktop using your computer microphone and speakers. By opening the Call using menu, you can switch your calling device or number, or add another number to call from.

Notes: Starting with 8x8 Work for Desktop version 7.17 offers support for Virtualized Desktop Infrastructure (VDI), enabling you to use your own computer’s audio devices for calls in an 8x8 Work for Desktop instance running on a virtual machine! When 8x8 Work for Desktop on a virtual machine successfully connects to your computer’s audio sources, the Computer audio option in the Call using panel changes to read Computer - VDI.
Now, the optimization for Citrix:
- Is available through the Citrix Workspace desktop app (starting with 8x8 Work for Desktop 7.17), and through the Citrix Workspace web app (starting with 8x8 Work for Desktop 7.18) .
- Is available on 8x8x Work for Desktop (starting with 8x8 Work for Desktop 7.17) as well as 8X8 Work for Web (starting with 8x8 Work for Desktop 7.18 ).
- Applies to audio for two-way calls, but not to conference calls or meetings.

Call using headset with call controls

8x8 Work for Desktop allows call audio via headsets from various manufacturers. If you are using a Jabra, Plantronics, or Sennheiser headset, 8x8 Work also allows you to answer or end calls, and mute or adjust volume using your headset controls instead of the app. This allows 8x8 Work for Desktop users with supported headsets or speakerphones to take calls from anywhere in their home or office, eliminating the need to stay close to their computer for answering calls.

Note: This functionality is specific to USB headsets from Jabra, Plantronics, or Sennheiser. Bluetooth headsets with a USB dongle are also supported.

You can add call audio via:

• Integrated call control setting for Jabra, Plantronics, or Sennheiser headsets

  As a Jabra, Plantronics, or Sennheiser headset user, you can easily enable integrated call controls via your settings in 8x8 Work for Desktop.

  To enable the integrated call control setting:

  1. Go to Settings > Audio & Video, or open the Call using menu.
  2. Enable the slider for Enable built-in call controls.
     
• Plantronics Hub software for Plantronics headsets (only for 8x8 Work for Desktop version 7.16 and earlier)

  As a Plantronics headset user, you can install Plantronics Hub software that enables call control support for Plantronics headsets or speakerphones.

  Important: Starting with version 7.17 of 8x8 Work for Desktop, Plantronics Hub is no longer required to support headset features; instead, simply enable your integrated call control setting in the app.

  To integrate your headset via Plantronics Hub:

  Install Plantronics Hub, and then restart 8x8 Work for Desktop; this allows support with your individual headset's features and a large variety of Plantronics headsets. On the Plantronics Hub installation page, you can find a full list of features, supported devices, and system requirements.

  Note: When you plug in or connect a Plantronics Hub-supported headset, you can use call controls in 8x8 Work, but you must quit and re-launch 8x8 Work for Desktop in order to use the control buttons on your headset.

  Once you connect a Plantronics headset, you can also check the connectivity status of Plantronics Hub underneath the selected headset.
  

Important: The integrated call control setting in 8x8 Work conflicts with Plantronics Hub. To ensure integration, you can:
-Continue to use Plantronics Hub and keep the setting in 8x8 Work disabled.
-Enable the setting in 8x8 Work and uninstall Plantronics Hub.

Note: Call control integration with Plantronics headsets works best when the headset is connected to only one device.

To switch to a headset for call audio:

1. Plug in or pair your headset with your computer.
2. Go to Settings > Audio & Video, and change your in-call audio microphone and speakers to your headset.
3. Open Call using to view a menu of audio devices you can use for 8x8 Work calls.
4. In the Call using menu, make sure that you are calling via your softphone, and close the menu to apply your changes. As you have selected your headset to be your audio device for calls, you can use the call control buttons on your headset during the call.

Call using desk phone

Let's say your department requires you to use a headset coupled with a desk phone for calls, but you also want to use the more flexible call management capabilities available in 8x8 Work for Desktop. You can have the best of both worlds by setting up 8x8 Work to make calls via your desk phone; click to call your contacts in 8x8 Work for Desktop, and enjoy full access to the 8x8 Work contact directory and call management controls. Just as in 8x8 Work for Desktop, you can handle up to two concurrent calls and merge them into a conference.

If you enable Auto Connect, your desk phone goes off-hook automatically when you make a call. Once the call on your desk phone connects, you are able to hold, transfer, merge, and add calls from 8x8 Work for Desktop. If you enable Device supports Answer, you are able to answer and dismiss incoming 8x8 Work calls using your desk phone.

If you choose to disable incoming call notifications in 8x8 Work for Desktop, your desk phone continues to ring and show information on an incoming call; this way, you can answer calls via desk phone without having an additional incoming call notification on your screen.

To switch to your desk phone for call audio:

1. Open the Call using menu to view a menu of audio devices you can use for 8x8 Work calls.
   
2. In the Call using menu, make sure that you are calling via your desk phone. Even if you dial a number or click to call from 8x8 Work for Desktop, the call is then placed from your desk phone.
   • To automatically send the call from the desk phone once the number is dialed from 8x8 Work, enable Auto Connect.
   • To send the call from the desk phone by picking up the receiver manually once the number is dialed from 8x8 Work, enable Auto Connect.
   • If your desk phone also supports incoming call management for 8x8 Work, enable Device supports Answer.
3. Close the menu to apply your changes. The next time you make or receive a call, it goes through your desk phone and you are able to handle desk phone calls via 8x8 Work for Desktop.

Known limitation: Not all phones are supported for incoming calls via Device supports Answer.

Call using an external device

When you would prefer to make 8x8 Work calls using another device, you can send audio for outbound calls through an external device.

Note: Sending call audio through an external device works only for outbound calls.

To switch to another number for call audio:

1. Open Call using to view a menu of audio devices you can use for 8x8 Work calls.
   
2. In the Call using menu, select an existing custom number, or click Add phone number, and enter the device name and number.
   
   The new device is automatically selected to make outbound calls, and is available for future use.