---
title: "Enable Auto Answer"
slug: "content-enable-auto-answer"
updated: 2026-07-23T10:06:34Z
published: 2026-07-23T10:06:34Z
canonical: "help.8x8.com/content-enable-auto-answer"
---

> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://help.8x8.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Enable Auto Answer

**8x8 Contact Center** has improved the call handling efficiency of agents via **Auto Answer**. Using **Auto Answer** in **8x8 Configuration Manager**, every phone interaction that is offered to an agent is automatically connected eliminating the need to accept it manually. This new configurable option enhances agents efficiency by quickly connecting the calls and reducing the number of clicks an agent has to make. **Auto Answer** also helps prevent agents from rejecting or missing calls on their workplace phone. When in **Auto Answer** mode, agents receive an audio prompt to alert them of a call as it connects.

> [!NOTE]
> Note:
> 
> **Auto Answer** is currently on limited availability. Contact [8x8 Support](https://support.8x8.com/) for more help.

Considerations when using **Auto Answer**:

- The agent’s audio may be connected before any visual notification is made on the screen for the interaction or any screen pop can be enabled.
- Direct Agent Access (DAA) or Direct Agent Routing (DAR) calls are only sent in an **Auto Answer** mode to an enabled agent if they are on an Available state.
- An **Auto Answer** agent with a post-processing time set to zero could potentially find themselves with a non-stop succession of calls.
- If a supervisor is in **Auto Answer** mode monitoring an agent who is not, the supervisor may be connected first, but the customer will continue to hear queue music or the ring tone until the agent is connected.
- **Auto Answer** is supported by **8x8 Work for Desktop** and **8x8 Work for Mobile**. If the device is not supported, then the system defaults to the standard manual answer.
- The **Auto Answer** feature is visually indicated with an **A** in the phone tab which persists in all agent states. ![](https://cdn.us.document360.io/e3a59e39-abd3-4423-964c-0a4008dc5673/Images/Documentation/auto-answer02.png?sv=2026-02-06&spr=https&st=2026-11-03T21%3A51%3A19Z&se=2026-11-03T22%3A51%3A19Z&sr=c&sp=r&sig=WYp%2Bdo4AQn6SRJ7S5vfWXUrgQmNas4urfF%2FUBneHFlw%3D)

> [!NOTE]
> Note:
> 
> If **Auto Answer** is enabled, the **Answer Call** button is absent in the user interface when agents are offered calls.

> [!NOTE]
> Note:
> 
> **Auto Answer** is only supported on line **1** for phone interactions.

## Enable Auto Answer for your 8x8 Contact Center

With **Auto Answer**, every phone interaction that is offered to an agent is automatically connected eliminating the need to accept it manually. If **Auto Answer** is provisioned for your tenant, you can enable it at the tenant level, agent group level, or agent level:

**Enable **Auto Answer** at the Tenant Level**

  1. In **8x8 Configuration Manager**, go to .
  2. Under **Phone Connection Mode**, select **Enable Auto Answer**. If you are enabling this feature for the first time, a confirmation dialog box prompts notifying you that a mandatory validation will also be turned on for security reasons.

![](https://cdn.us.document360.io/e3a59e39-abd3-4423-964c-0a4008dc5673/Images/Documentation/auto-answer-workplace-validation.png?sv=2026-02-06&spr=https&st=2026-11-03T21%3A51%3A19Z&se=2026-11-03T22%3A51%3A19Z&sr=c&sp=r&sig=WYp%2Bdo4AQn6SRJ7S5vfWXUrgQmNas4urfF%2FUBneHFlw%3D)
  3. Click **Ok** to continue. **Auto Answer** is enabled at the tenant level for all agents. By accepting the mandatory validation, **Enable Workplace setting change validation** is selected and cannot be changed.

![](https://cdn.us.document360.io/e3a59e39-abd3-4423-964c-0a4008dc5673/Images/Documentation/auto-answer01.png?sv=2026-02-06&spr=https&st=2026-11-03T21%3A51%3A19Z&se=2026-11-03T22%3A51%3A19Z&sr=c&sp=r&sig=WYp%2Bdo4AQn6SRJ7S5vfWXUrgQmNas4urfF%2FUBneHFlw%3D)
  4. Click **Save** to activate **Auto Answer** at the tenant level. You have also enabled the workplace setting validation.

**Enable **Auto Answer** at the Agent Group Level**

  1. In **8x8 Configuration Manager**, go to **Agent Groups** from the main menu.
  2. Click to edit or create a new agent group.
  3. In the **General** tab, select **Enable Auto Answer** if not enabled already. **Auto Answer** is now enabled at the agent group level for all agents. A confirmation message notifies you when the operation is completed successfully.
  4. Click **Save** to activate **Auto Answer** at the agent group level. ![](https://cdn.us.document360.io/e3a59e39-abd3-4423-964c-0a4008dc5673/Images/Documentation/auto-answer03.png?sv=2026-02-06&spr=https&st=2026-11-03T21%3A51%3A19Z&se=2026-11-03T22%3A51%3A19Z&sr=c&sp=r&sig=WYp%2Bdo4AQn6SRJ7S5vfWXUrgQmNas4urfF%2FUBneHFlw%3D)

**Enable **Auto Answer** at the Agent Level**

  1. In **8x8 Configuration Manager**, go to the **Users** page.
  2. Click to edit or create a new agent and open the **Properties** tab.
  3. Select **Enable Auto Answer** to allow agents answer their calls using the **Auto Answer** feature. **Auto Answer** is visible at the Agent level only if it is enabled at the tenant and Agent Group level.
  4. Click **Save** to activate **Auto Answer** at the agent level. ![](https://cdn.us.document360.io/e3a59e39-abd3-4423-964c-0a4008dc5673/Images/Documentation/auto-answer04.png?sv=2026-02-06&spr=https&st=2026-11-03T21%3A51%3A19Z&se=2026-11-03T22%3A51%3A19Z&sr=c&sp=r&sig=WYp%2Bdo4AQn6SRJ7S5vfWXUrgQmNas4urfF%2FUBneHFlw%3D)

## Combinations for Persistent Connection Mode and Auto Answer settings

**Auto Answer** can be combined with the Persistent feature to create an on/off combination of the two features. **Auto Answer** settings combined with Persistent can be configured at multiple levels depending on the features availability:

| Connection | Behavior |
| --- | --- |
| Persistent Off, **Auto Answer** Off | **Phone Connection Mode** is On Demand and **Auto Answer** is off, so the agent needs to answer the phone for every phone interaction. |
| Persistent Off, **Auto Answer** On | **Phone Connection Mode** is On Demand and **Auto Answer** is on, so the agent phone automatically connects, and the interaction is auto answered when offered. |
| Persistent On, **Auto Answer** Off | **Phone Connection Mode** is Persistent, so the agent media path is always connected but for every phone interaction the agent needs to click the Accept button. |
| Persistent On, **Auto Answer** On | **Phone Connection Mode** is Persistent, so the agent media path is always connected, and the interaction is automatically answered when offered. |