Ad-Hoc Audio Conferencing

Introduction

Use the Conference button in the 3CX Web Client to start an immediate private audio conference. Select team members or contacts, add external telephone numbers and manage everyone from one panel without scheduling a meeting or manually merging calls.

Requirements

Before starting, confirm the following:

  • 3CX Version 20 Update 10.
  • Access to the 3CX Web Client.
  • Permission to call internal and external destinations.
  • A configured outbound route when adding external telephone numbers.
  • A working browser, desk phone or softphone selected for calls.

Start an Audio Conference

The Conference button appears in the top bar next to the Dialer button and in the Menu Bar of the Team view.

  1. Sign in to the 3CX Web Client.
  2. Select the Conference button in the top bar.
  3. In New conference, search for the required team members or contacts.
  4. Select each person to add them to the conference.
  5. Review the selected participants and select Start Conference.

Select Internal Participants

Use the search field to find 3CX users and phonebook contacts. Selected participants appear at the top of the panel, and the selected participant count is shown above Start Conference.

If Start Conference is unavailable, select at least one participant.

Add an External Participant

Enter the telephone number under Add by Number and select the plus button. Use the same number format that the user normally uses for outbound calls.

External participants depend on the user's outbound calling rights and the PBX outbound rules.

Manage the Conference

After the conference starts, the host is taken directly to the conference management panel. The panel shows each participant and their current connection state.

Control Individual Participants

Use the controls beside a participant to:

  • Mute or unmute the participant.
  • Remove the participant from the conference.
  • Redial when a participant has disconnected or did not answer.

Add More Participants

Select Add participants at the bottom of the panel. Choose another 3CX user or contact, or add an external telephone number.

End the Conference

Select the trash icon at the top of the panel to end the conference for everyone. To remove only one person, use the participant's individual remove control instead.

Troubleshooting

  • Start Conference is unavailable: Select at least one participant.
  • An internal participant does not connect: Confirm that the extension is registered and available.
  • An external participant cannot be added: Check the number format, the user's outbound rights and the PBX outbound rules.
  • A participant disconnects: Use the redial control when it is available.
  • The Conference button is missing: Confirm that the Web Client and PBX are running a build that includes the Update 10 conference workflow, then refresh the Web Client.
  • The host has no audio: Confirm the selected calling device and its microphone or handset.

See Also

Last Updated

This document was last updated on 26 August 2026

https://www.3cx.com/docs/ad-hoc-audio-conference/