Make and receive phone calls from your computer

Here are the simple steps you follow to make and receive a phone call from your Windows PC or Mac.

1. Install VoIP phone software, or access one from an internet browser.
2. Select the Calls option.
3. Dial your contact’s number on the dial pad. If you only know the contact’s name, you can search for their number in the search bar on top of the dial pad.
4. Click on the dial icon – it’s usually in the shape of a phone.

To make and receive calls from your computer, you just need to set up an account on the Ringover website. Once your account is activated, simply log in to the App.ringover.com URL with your username and password to start making and receiving calls immediately. There is no installation to do. You can use any PC or Mac, desktop or laptop, to make calls from anywhere.

Please consider the following requirement:

• Internet Connection
  A sufficient and relatively stable internet connection is required to make your calls. The technical recommendations are an overall bandwidth of 100kb in transmission and 100kb in reception per user. If you encounter quality problems on your calls, you can read our article on Jitter and Latency problems.
• Headset
  You need to acquire a headset and microphone.
• Laptop Microphone
  You can also use the microphone of your laptop.

Simply put, a softphone is a software application that lets you make calls without an actual phone. You can use it on internet-connected devices like laptops and PCs to make or receive calls over the internet. It usually comes as a feature of VoIP business phone systems and serves as a web calling interface to make calls from computers and browsers. Softphones also work on mobile devices.

With a softphone for PCs, laptops, or mobiles, you need no dedicated physical hardware for calling. It is a virtual calling interface that looks much like a traditional phone screen with a dial pad to key in the inputs and functions like mute, call/answer, contacts, call logs, etc.

Most softphone apps run on all operating systems like Windows, macOS, Linux, and others. They also run from web browsers like Chrome and Safari to allow browser calls.

Want to transform your computer into a phone? Use the softphone application from Ringover and let your teams call from browsers and computers and enjoy many additional calling functionalities. The softphone app, which is part of our business phone plans, runs on all operating systems. With a user-friendly interface and several business communications features, the app promises you a high-quality and seamless calling experience.

The name softphone in English stands for software phone, and that is where it gets its name. As the name suggests, it is a software application that runs on internet-enabled devices like desktops, laptops, and mobile phones. Unlike hard-wired phones, it requires no physical hardware and needs only an internet connection for making or receiving calls.

A softphone works pretty much like a regular phone except that it needs three things:

• An internet-enabled device, such as laptops, desktops, tablets, or smartphones.
• A headset or access to the speaker and microphone on your device.
• A good internet connection.

To start using a softphone, you must first download the app offered by your service provider on your device or access it through browsers. Since all the phone features are written into the software, it mimics the functionalities of a regular phone. You get a user-friendly interface with a dial pad, call button, voice calling, video calling, recent call activities, and other call-handling features.

Softphones also offer you portability. You can run the application on multiple devices, making and receiving calls from laptops, desktops, or smartphones as it suits you.

Voice over Internet Protocol, more commonly known as VoIP, is a telephone system or technology that enables users to make or receive calls over the internet. Unlike an analog that uses phone lines to transmit data, a VoIP phone system carries data via internet networks. In other words, it is a telecommunication channel that runs through the internet.

A softphone, on the other hand, is a software program that supports VoIP calling. It is specially designed for internet calling and works only on internet-enabled devices. In other words, a softphone acts as an interface with all required calling functions so that VoIP users can call from PCs, laptops, and mobile devices without requiring an actual telephone.

Yes. You can make and receive computer calls using a softphone application. To make a call from your computer using a softphone for PC, you must have access to the microphone and speakers of your computer as well as a good internet connection.

One of the prerequisites for making a call from PC devices or laptops is to create an account with a VoIP service provider. While some service providers require you to download the software or install the app, others allow you to make browser calls by creating an account on the service provider’s website and logging into it. Ringover, for instance, offers browser-based softphones – you can access the web softphone through browsers without downloading any software.

Once you have logged into your account, you can start making calls to any destinations included in the plan. You can call a phone from computers - mobile or landline - using softphones based on the package and provider you choose.

A few free VoIP softphone apps let you make free calls from your computer, but they often have limitations. For instance, many free softphone apps allow only app-to-app calling – both the caller and the receiver should have the same app installed on the computer.

PopTox, Globfone, Google Voice, TextNow, and VoipDiscount are some popular apps for making calls from computers for free. However, the free versions of such apps offer only limited hours of free calls or come with advertisements. Further, they lack advanced features or functionalities.

While free calling apps may be ideal for making a personal call from your computer, they will not suit businesses. For business owners, VoIP phone systems like Ringover are the best option. Softphone apps are part of all the plans offered by Ringover and you can make unlimited calls to over 90 destinations from your computer or any other device using the app.