How to Set Up a Softphone on Desktop and Mobile

What Is a Softphone?

A softphone (short for software phone) is an application that runs on your computer, smartphone or tablet and allows you to make and receive VoIP calls without a physical desk phone. Your device's microphone and speakers (or a headset) replace the traditional handset, and the softphone app connects to your hosted VoIP system over the internet using SIP credentials — just like a desk phone would.

Softphones are increasingly popular for remote workers, hybrid teams and anyone who needs the flexibility to take business calls from anywhere. Your VoIP mobile phone app gives you your full business extension in your pocket.

Benefits of Using a Softphone

Work from anywhere — Make and receive calls on your business number from home, a coffee shop, a client site or while travelling.
No hardware costs — Eliminate the need to purchase a physical desk phone.
Consistent caller ID — Outbound calls display your business number, not your personal mobile number.
Full feature access — Transfer calls, use hold, access your directory, check voicemail and more — all from the app.
Use alongside a desk phone — Many users have both a desk phone at the office and a softphone on their mobile for when they're away from their desk.

Downloading the Softphone App

Most hosted VoIP providers offer their own branded softphone app, which is the recommended option as it's pre-configured for their platform. Common options include:

Provider-Specific Apps

Your VoIP provider will typically offer a desktop app (Windows and Mac) and a mobile app (iOS and Android).
Download from your provider's website (desktop) or the App Store / Google Play (mobile).
These apps are usually the easiest to set up as they're designed specifically for your provider's platform.

Generic SIP Softphones

If your provider doesn't offer a branded app, or you prefer a third-party option, popular generic SIP softphones include:

Obi (Obi200/Obi300) — For desk-based VoIP adapters.
Obi Talk — A companion app for Obi devices.
Obi Hai — Another option in the Obi ecosystem.
Obi-compatible apps — Various third-party SIP apps work with hosted VoIP providers.
Zoiper — A popular cross-platform SIP softphone available for Windows, Mac, Linux, iOS and Android.
Obi Linphone — An open-source SIP client available on all major platforms.

Entering SIP Credentials

To connect your soft phone to your hosted VoIP system, you'll need your SIP credentials from your provider:

SIP Server — Your provider's SIP server address (e.g., sip.hypercloud.co.uk).
Username — Your SIP username or extension number.
Password — Your SIP password (this is different from your web portal password).
Display Name — Your name as you want it to appear on caller ID.

Enter these details in the softphone app's account or SIP settings section. Once saved, the app will register with the VoIP server and show a "Registered" or "Connected" status.

Audio Settings

Proper audio configuration is essential for clear calls:

Select the correct microphone — If using a headset, ensure the softphone is set to use the headset microphone rather than the laptop's built-in mic.
Select the correct speakers — Route call audio to your headset or external speakers as preferred.
Use a headset — For the best call quality, always use a headset rather than your laptop's built-in microphone and speakers. A USB headset with noise cancellation is ideal.
Test audio — Most softphone apps include an audio test feature. Use it to verify your microphone and speakers are working correctly before making important calls.
Adjust volume levels — Set microphone input and speaker output levels to comfortable levels. Avoid maxing out the microphone gain as this can cause distortion.

Testing Your First Call

Once configured, make a test call to verify everything is working:

Call a colleague's extension to test internal calls.
Call your mobile from the softphone to test outbound calls and verify your business caller ID is displayed.
Ask someone to call your extension to test inbound calls.
Check for two-way audio — ensure both parties can hear each other clearly.

Push Notifications on Mobile

For mobile softphones, push notifications are essential to ensure you receive incoming calls even when the app is in the background:

Enable push notifications — In the app settings, ensure push notifications are turned on. This allows the app to receive incoming call alerts without running constantly in the foreground.
Allow notifications in phone settings — On iOS, go to Settings > Notifications and ensure the softphone app is allowed to show notifications. On Android, check the app's notification permissions.
Disable battery optimisation (Android) — Android's battery optimisation can prevent the softphone from receiving push notifications. Go to Settings > Battery > Battery Optimisation and set the softphone app to Not Optimised.

Battery Optimisation for Android

Android devices aggressively manage background apps to save battery, which can interfere with softphone reliability:

Exempt from Doze mode — Add the softphone to your battery optimisation exceptions.
Disable adaptive battery for the app if incoming calls are being missed.
Keep the app in recent apps — Don't swipe the softphone away from the recent apps list, as some Android devices will kill the process.
Manufacturer-specific settings — Samsung, Huawei, Xiaomi and other manufacturers have additional battery management features that may need to be configured. Check your phone's settings for app-specific battery options.

Using a Softphone Alongside a Desk Phone

Many users run a softphone and desk phone simultaneously on the same extension:

Both devices ring when a call comes in — answer on whichever is most convenient.
Start a call on your desk phone and transfer it to your softphone (or vice versa) when you need to move.
Use the desk phone at your desk for the best audio quality, and switch to the softphone when you leave the office.

Switching Calls Between Devices

Some hosted VoIP systems support call pull or call flip, allowing you to seamlessly move an active call from one device to another:

Call pull — Pick up an active call on another device without the caller noticing any interruption.
Call flip — Transfer an active call from your desk phone to your mobile softphone (or vice versa) with a single button press.

This is invaluable for situations where you need to leave the office mid-call.

Ready to set up softphones for your team? Get a quote for hosted VoIP and we'll configure softphone access for all your users.