--- title: "Handle Auto Answer" slug: "handle-auto-answer" updated: 2026-07-23T10:06:38Z published: 2026-07-23T10:06:38Z canonical: "help.8x8.com/handle-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. # Handle Auto Answer > [!NOTE] > Note: > > **Auto Answer** is currently on limited availability. Contact [8x8 Support](https://support.8x8.com/) for more help. To further enhance the call handling efficiency of agents in **8x8 Contact Center**, we have introduced **Auto Answer**. With this new feature, in persistent connection mode, every phone interaction that is offered to an agent is automatically connected eliminating the need to accept it manually. This new configurable option enhances agent 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. Unlike the **Persistent Connection mode** or On Demand mode which have no audio indication, when in **Auto Answer** mode, agents receive an audio prompt to alert them of a call as it connects. **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 their status is set to **Available**. - An agent with **Auto Answer** enabled, and 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 while monitoring an agent who is not, the supervisor may be connected first, but the customer continues to hear queue music or the ringtone until the agent is connected. - **Auto Answer** is supported by **8x8 Work for Desktop**. If the device is not supported, the system defaults to the standard manual answer. - The **Auto Answer** feature is visually indicated with an **Auto-answer** label in the control panel, when the status is set to **Available**, or **Work Offline**. ![](https://cdn.us.document360.io/e3a59e39-abd3-4423-964c-0a4008dc5673/Images/Documentation/auto-answer-enabled.png?sv=2026-02-06&spr=https&st=2026-11-03T22%3A38%3A05Z&se=2026-11-03T23%3A38%3A05Z&sr=c&sp=r&sig=11zQW4Hy1ZCwugNHkCzm2p0HQgyAx7ShW5PquBHpQ4I%3D) > [!NOTE] > Note: > > If **Auto Answer** is enabled, the answer call ![](https://cdn.us.document360.io/e3a59e39-abd3-4423-964c-0a4008dc5673/Images/Documentation/icon-answer-call_19x18.png?sv=2026-02-06&spr=https&st=2026-11-03T22%3A38%3A05Z&se=2026-11-03T23%3A38%3A05Z&sr=c&sp=r&sig=11zQW4Hy1ZCwugNHkCzm2p0HQgyAx7ShW5PquBHpQ4I%3D) 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. **To handle calls with Auto Answer enabled:** In 8x8 Agent Workspace, if **Auto Answer** is enabled for an agent, the agent is notified of their new status as soon as they log in. 1. Log in to **8x8 Agent Workspace**. 2. Click **Ok** on the **Auto Answer** notification. **Auto Answer** is now connected. ![](https://cdn.us.document360.io/e3a59e39-abd3-4423-964c-0a4008dc5673/Images/Documentation/auto-answer-notification.png?sv=2026-02-06&spr=https&st=2026-11-03T22%3A38%3A05Z&se=2026-11-03T23%3A38%3A05Z&sr=c&sp=r&sig=11zQW4Hy1ZCwugNHkCzm2p0HQgyAx7ShW5PquBHpQ4I%3D) > [!NOTE] > Note: > > When **8x8 Agent Workspace** is enabled, the label **Auto-answer** displays in the **Control Panel**. 3. Change your status to **Available** to receive calls. When **Auto Answer** is enabled, agents receive an audio prompt to alert them as a call connects. If you change your workplace setting, you will receive a verification call. You must validate your new setting before you receive calls. For details, see our topic about how to [validate your workplace setting](/documentation/docs/set-up-workplace-phone#validate-your-workplace-number). > [!NOTE] > Note: > > Validation calls are not auto-answered. ## Combinations for 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 Connection mode** can be configured at multiple levels depending on the feature's 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's phone connects on demand, 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 must accept the call. | | Persistent On, **Auto Answer** On | **Phone Connection mode** is Persistent, so the agent media path is always connected, and the interaction is auto-answered when offered. | In an IVR script, direct agent access permits a caller to reach an agent directly rather than through skills-based routing logic. Agents use the Agent Console to view and manage customer interactions. Virtual Contact Center supports Regular agents and Supervisor agents. The brand new interface for 8x8 Contact Center agents to receive and process customer interactions.