Managing Calls in Teams: Hold, Transfer and Mute

How to put a Mute, Transfer or put a call on Hold in Teams

Calling in Teams has much of the same functionality as calling from a traditional campus phone. Below are the instructions for how to put a call on Mute, Transfer a call and put a call on Hold.

Step-by-step Guides

Muting a Teams call

Teams app on a computer

In the upper right corner of the Teams window to the left of the Leave button is a microphone icon, click on it to Mute the call.

Teams physical phone

There is a small microphone icon on the bottom right corner of the Teams physical phone. Tap it to mute the call. It will light up red while the call is muted.

Teams app on a smart phone

While on a Teams call there will be a small microphone icon at the bottom of the screen, tap it to mute the call.

Transferring a Teams call

Teams app on a computer

Direct Transfer

1. Click the three-dot menu next to the Leave button.
2. Select "Transfer".
3. Search for the person to transfer to, then click "Transfer" to connect the call directly.

Transfer with Consult

1. While on a Teams call, click on the three horizontal dots to the left of the Leave button.
2. Click on "Consult then transfer"
3. Search of for the person you wish to transfer to or enter their number directly.
   • Please note that if the person you want to consult with is using Teams, your default consult choice will be chat. Click on the drop down arrow to get the other, audio options.
4. When you are done talking to the person you want to consult with, click on the Transfer button to complete the transfer.

Teams Desktop phone

Direct Transfer

1. Tap the "Transfer" icon on the phone screen.
2. Select "Transfer now" to directly transfer the call.

Transfer with Consult:

1. Tap the "Transfer" icon on the phone screen.
2. Select "Consult first" to speak with the recipient before transferring.
3. After the consultation, tap the transfer icon and confirm to complete the transfer.

Teams app on a smart phone

Direct Transfer

1. While in the call, tap on the three horizontal dots at the bottom of the screen.
2. Tap on Transfer.
3. Tap on Transfer now.
4. Search for the person you want to transfer the call to. Tap on their name transfer the call.

Transfer with Consult first option

1. While in the call, tap on the three horizontal dots at the bottom of the screen.
2. Tap on Transfer.
3. Tap on Consult first.
4. Search for the person you wish to consult.
5. Tap their name.
6. A Teams chat will open with some default language asking the person if they are available for a call. You can delete that and add any message you want.
7. After the consultation, tap the transfer icon and confirm to complete the transfer.

How to put a Teams Call on Hold

Teams app on a Computer

1. Click the three-dot menu next to the Leave button.
2. Select "Hold".
3. Click "Resume" to take the call off hold.

Teams physical phone

1. Tap the three-dot menu at the bottom of the screen.
2. Select "Put call on hold".
3. Tap "Resume" to take the call off hold.

Teams app on a smart phone

1. Tap the three-dot menu next to the End Call button.
2. Select "Put call on hold".
3. Tap the Resume button to take the call off hold.

If the person you consulted with can't take the call press the hold button (two vertical lines next to each other, the button will be beside the transfer button) to resume your conversation with them.

For more information please refer to the following Microsoft web resource: Managing Active Calls

If you need further assistance, please contact the Bowdoin College Service Desk