In short
A VoIP softphone is an app that makes and receives business calls on a computer, browser or mobile, using the same extension and number as the rest of your phone system. 3CX includes a web client and Windows, iOS and Android apps for every user, with chat, presence, video and a shared phone directory.
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What a VoIP softphone is
A softphone is software that does the job of a telephone. It registers with your phone system just as any other endpoint does, so calls to your extension ring in the app, and calls you make show your business number.
For a business the point is freedom of place. The same person can answer on a laptop at their desk in the morning and on a mobile app in the afternoon, and the caller sees no difference.
What a business softphone app does
- Calls: make, answer, hold, transfer and conference, with your business number shown
- Presence: see who is free, on a call or away before you transfer
- A shared phone directory: colleagues and company contacts in one searchable list
- Chat and video: message a colleague or start a video meeting from the same app
- Voicemail and call history, synchronised across your apps
- Queue tools: sign in and out of queues and see callers waiting, on editions with queues
The 3CX apps
| App | Where it runs | Typical use |
|---|---|---|
| 3CX web client | In a browser, with nothing to install | Office and home PCs; reception and queue screens |
| 3CX Windows app | Windows PCs | People who want calls outside the browser |
| 3CX iOS and Android apps | Mobile phones and tablets | Staff away from a desk, on Wi-Fi or mobile data |
The apps are included for every user on every edition; see the 3CX phone system page for the system behind them.
Source (checked 11 November 2026): 3CX's full feature list, which lists apps for Windows, web, iOS and Android under user features.
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Softphones and your CRM
Because a softphone is software, it can talk to other software. With 3CX CRM integration on PRO and AI, an incoming call shows the caller's name from your CRM with a link to the record, and the call is logged afterwards. Click to call lets staff dial from the CRM without retyping a number.
What softphones need to work well
- A steady connection: wired or good Wi-Fi in the office; a solid home broadband or mobile data signal elsewhere
- Voice given priority on the office network; see VoIP QoS settings
- Notifications allowed on mobiles, so the app can ring when it is in the background
- A quiet way to listen and speak that suits the place the person works
VoIP call quality explains how to find and fix audio problems.
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Rolling softphones out to a team
We set up each user, send sign-in details, and show people the handful of things they will do every day: answer, transfer, set status and check voicemail. Desk phones remain an option for the people and places that want them, on the same extension as the app.
How Forever Systems helps with a VoIP phone system
We supply, host, set up and support 3CX phone systems. Forever Systems is a 3CX Partner.
- 3CX sized for you: the edition and the number of simultaneous calls matched to how your team takes calls
- Hosting and set-up: 3CX hosted for you, with call flows, users, queues and voicemail configured
- A requirements check of your broadband, network and router settings before anything goes live
- Numbers and porting: we can help you keep your existing business numbers and plan the move away from analogue and ISDN lines
- Changes afterwards: help with moves, adds and changes as your team grows
3CX works with the 3CX apps and with Yealink and Poly desk phones. We work with businesses, schools, charities and public sector organisations.
Frequently asked questions
What is a VoIP softphone?
It is an app that makes and receives calls over the internet on a computer, browser or mobile, using your business extension and number in place of a physical telephone.
Is call quality good on a VoIP softphone?
Yes, on a steady connection. Audio quality depends on the connection and on how the person listens and speaks, and the app adds presence, chat and a searchable directory to the call features.
Does a VoIP softphone work on a mobile?
Yes. The 3CX iOS and Android apps ring on Wi-Fi or mobile data, show your business number on outgoing calls and keep personal numbers private.
Can a softphone show our company directory?
Yes. The 3CX apps include a phone directory of colleagues and company contacts, and with Microsoft 365 or CRM integration contacts can be drawn from those systems.
Do softphone apps cost extra with 3CX?
No. The web client and the Windows, iOS and Android apps are included for every user on every 3CX edition.
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