If real calls aren't reaching your AI, work through this list in order. Each step rules out a common cause.
1. Call your own number
Open Settings → Phone & SMS, Calls tab, and click Test call next to your number. Call that number from your own phone.
- The AI answers: the AI works. If some callers still don't reach it, go to step 3 (who answers at different times) and step 5 (blocked numbers).
- A person, your cell, or voicemail answers: go to step 3. If Who answers is already AI receptionist and you reach voicemail, go to step 4.
- Nothing happens, or your old carrier answers: go to step 2.
2. Confirm the location has a working number
On the Calls tab you should see the location's number with an Answering calls badge. The badge shows the number's real state:
- Answering until (date), then released: a release is scheduled. The number works until that date; cancel the release to keep it.
- Suspended · not answering calls or Being released: the number isn't taking calls. Contact support.
If the tab shows Set up a phone number instead, this location has no number yet:
- Get a number (numbers within your plan's allowance are included; the setup page shows the monthly price when a number would be an add-on), or
- If you're bringing your own number, click Have a number you want to keep? to check the port. Until it reads Completed, calls still go to your old carrier. See Port your existing number.
Each location has its own number. Make sure the location switcher at the top shows the right location.
If you ported a number, or forward an old line to FrontDesk, the old carrier's own call forwarding can send calls somewhere else before they reach FrontDesk. Ask your carrier to check the line.
3. Check who answers
Same tab, under Who answers:
- The card must be set to AI receptionist. Ring my team (web and app) or Your team, in the app rings your staff instead, and Forward to a phone rings the number you entered. If nobody picks up, callers go to voicemail, not the AI.
- Paused: calls go to voicemail means the AI receptionist is paused (for example, someone asked the Setup Assistant to pause it), so every call goes to voicemail, day and night, whatever the Nights, weekends, holidays card says. Choose AI receptionist and save. (The Resume button under it puts back whoever answered before the pause, which may be your team or a forwarded phone.)
- If Answer differently after hours is on, there are two cards. During business hours covers your open hours. Nights, weekends, holidays covers everything else and can be AI receptionist, Voicemail, or Forward to a phone. The card marked ACTIVE NOW is the one in effect right now.
- The hours come from the location. Change business hours is at the top of the section. A holiday closure counts as closed.
Save your changes, then call again.
4. The AI isn't allowed to take calls right now
FrontDesk still answers, but the AI isn't allowed to take calls on your account right now. Callers hear your Voicemail Greeting and can leave a message, which you'll find in Call Logs → Voicemails. Your Home page usually shows why (for example AI minutes used up), and an unverified email shows a Verify your email notice in the sidebar:
- AI minutes used up. This month's AI minutes are gone and overage is off. The account owner can buy minutes (Add AI minutes), turn on Keep it running this cycle, or upgrade under Settings → Billing. See Usage and overages.
- Free plan minutes used up. The Free plan includes 15 AI minutes a month with no overage and no minute packs. The AI answers again on the 1st; to keep it answering now, choose a plan under Settings → Billing.
- Trial minutes used up. A trial's AI minutes are a one-time allowance. Choose a plan to keep going.
- Email not verified. The AI doesn't take calls until the account owner verifies their email. Use the link in the verification email, or Resend email on the Verify your email notice.
- Closed account. A closed account doesn't take calls or messages: callers hear that the number is no longer in service for the practice.
5. Check blocked numbers
Settings → Phone & SMS → Blocked numbers lists the numbers you've blocked. A blocked caller never reaches the AI. Remove a number there if it was blocked by mistake.
6. Look at recent calls
Open Call Logs. If the calls are there but very short, open one and read the transcript or play the recording to hear what went wrong. If a call you made doesn't appear at all, it never reached FrontDesk, so go back to step 2.
Still stuck?
Contact support (choose Phone & SMS or AI Voice) or email support@frontdesk.care with:
- Your practice name
- The number callers are dialing
- The date, time, and caller number of a call that failed
- What the caller heard (silence, a busy signal, voicemail, and so on)