The Teams Call Bot Will Answer
Figuring out the best headset, microphone, and camera to use in Teams calls can be a pain. Usually, dedicated hardware is best and delivers better results than the microphone and speakers built into workstations. Using a dedicated camera is a harder call because the quality of cameras available in workstations today is pretty good.
But even after you’ve settled on the hardware, you still don’t know how well it works from the perspective of other people on Teams calls. Which is where the ability to make a Test Call comes in. The Check Call Quality feature exists in Skype for Business Online and is requested on User Voice, where Microsoft’s 12 June response reports that the feature is “currently being tested internally.” Well, Test Call has shown up in a number of tenants I used (all configured in targeted release), so it must be coming very soon.
Making a Teams Test Call
To make a test call with the desktop client (the option doesn’t exist in the browser client), click your avatar (picture) in the top bar and select Settings, then Devices. Make sure that the right audio devices are selected for the test and then click Make a test call (Figure 1).
Teams makes the test call to a bot. Unlike human beings, bots are always ready to accept a call, even from annoying people. The bot answers and allows you to record some words before playing the words back to you to check if the quality is acceptable. Only English-language calls are supported currently. At the end of the call, you see some test results (Figure 2).
Microsoft removes the recording of the test call after you finish.
The test call verifies that you can connect to Teams to make a call in the same way as you’d call into a meeting. It tests the selected audio devices and it shows you what you see on the camera (and demonstrates why you should turn background blur on). It does nothing to improve your voice or looks, but aside from that, Test Call is a pretty useful function.
Need to know more about Teams calling? The Office 365 for IT Pros eBook includes a complete chapter to explain the mysteries of calling and how to attain great call quality.
I press the button and nothing happens.
Maybe you’re not configured to make calls …
Does test call is possible through mobile phone??
No
Hello, why this feature is missing for Linux version of the app?
No idea. It’s possibly because the feature simply hasn’t been coded or tested yet on Linux.
I don’t have Device and Permissions in Setting
You’re using an enterprise version of Teams?
I don’t have Device and Permissions in Setting which I had over two weeks ago,
I am using the web app on my laptop.
Try making a test call with the Teams desktop client. The option isn’t available in the browser.
no me funciona en computadora de escritorio.. cuando hago la llamada se corta a uno segundos… lo intente de todo y no quiere
Llame a Microsoft y solicite su ayuda para resolver el problema. Pero antes de hacerlo, asegúrese de que todo su equipo funcione correctamente. A veces son las pequeñas cosas las que se interponen en el camino.
asi sale
The “Make a test call” button. Trying https://teamsdude.com/2019/09/05/make-a-test-call-option-is-missing-in-microsoft-teams/ workaround, but not working. Any idea?
It appears that this is not available when logged into a GCCH Tenant?
Could be. I use a commercial tenant. It’s hard to track everything that is approved (or not) for the government cloud. And harder because there are multiple variants. So I don’t even try.
And how do you fix issues? The tests returns an all-clear, even if I don’t hear any echo; so what now??
Don’t expect the feature to detect and fix every possible issue. All it does is establish that a call can be made. There can be other problems that need to be dealt with. For instance, during Teams calls I sometimes have problems when I move a metal cup in between the base station for my headset and the headset…
Good old “turn it off and on again” ..
Well, now I have learned not to drink from a metal cup during Teams meetings… but yes, in the past, I have turned devices on and off.
Hey, I can’t see the option where words are recorded and it’s played back for you right now. I remember having it in the past. Any idea how to get this back or find it? I use the test call option through profile –> settings –> devices
Make sure your Teams client software is updated.
Sign out and sign back in again.
And if those don’t work, file a support case with Microsoft.
why can i not do a test call … the “BOT” does not speak and does not respond with the verificaition, that everything is connected.
File a support call with Microsoft and ask them to investigate.
Thank you so much! I was looking all over the internet for this, and I couldn’t find anything, and your FIRST sentence told me everything I needed to know: “To make a test call with the desktop client (the option doesn’t exist in the browser client)”
Why don’t Microsoft Support sites make this statement more readily known??
Thank you so much for your help!
My devices screen doesn’t look at all like the example. I have checkboxes for use ultrasound, connect to nearest device and use wifi. Any thoughts?
Use ultrasound? That’s a new one on me… I don’t know.
I’ve asked MS about this but I’m wondering if anyone knows how to prevent/restrict the Test call function. I work at a school and students are adding the echo bot as a participant which creates a disruption. I know this is a bit of a tangent to the thread, but thought I’d ask. Thanks,
I’m unaware of any way to restrict this function. It would be good to raise your concern on Teams User Voice so that the developers have a chance to review your issue.
Thanks Tony. I will add add it to the user voice. I pinged one of the PMs, Mike Tholfsen on it so we’ll see if he gets back to me. I suspect it’s a pretty fundamental component so not thinking there will be a quick fix (but I had to ask:).
Hi Tony, is there any option to have a test call as guest without MS Teams application?
Nope. The Test Call uses a Teams bot and needs the Teams app to do its work.
Not available on the iPad app. Nothing works. This is shit.
I believe the problem is with Apple rather than Microsoft. You can’t blame an application creator if a feature cannot be implemented on a platform they don’t control.
No, it’s not in the desktop app on my Win 10 Pro machine. At first even the “Devices” option was missing. Incredible, for a *software* creating company, *it’s their business* for crying out loud, to create and test software that millions of users need to work with, THIS IS WHAT THEY DO, and they have an unlimited budget for it (making it even worse), yet somehow, even 2 years later, the idiots at this company still did not fix this? IT IS NOT THERE! Not even in the English US Language version. Pathetic, truly pathetic. MS is run by complete retards.
Have you logged a support call with Microsoft to allow them to debug why the option is missing?
Letting off steam about the woes of Microsoft software engineering here might be cathartic, but it won’t solve the problem. Only Microsoft support can do that for you. And if they can’t, they can escalate to engineering to pursue why you’re having a problem when tens of millions of other people are not.