In short: The BT Cloud Voice app is BT's desktop and mobile app for Windows, macOS, iOS and Android. It lets users make and take calls on their BT business number, send instant messages and join meetings. It comes with the Connect and Collaborate licences, and an administrator sets it up for each user in the Business Portal.
What is the BT Cloud Voice app?
The BT Cloud Voice app is the software client that comes with BT Cloud Voice. Install it on a Windows PC, a Mac, an iPhone, an iPad or an Android phone and it becomes another way to use your BT Cloud Voice line, alongside or instead of a desk phone.
Because the app connects to the same hosted system as your handsets, the calls you make show your business number, and the call routing you have set up in BT Cloud Voice (hunt groups, queues, the auto attendant and diverts) still applies. Your customers keep dialling the number they know, and your people answer wherever they are.
BT describes it as one secure app for calling, meetings and messaging, built into BT Cloud Voice, so internal chat and video calls can happen in the same place as business calls. The messaging, meeting and collaboration features each person sees depend on their licence.
What the app does, and which licence includes it
The app is available with the Connect and Collaborate user feature packs. It is not part of the Basic pack, which is designed for shared and general-purpose phones.
| Feature pack | BT Cloud Voice app | Meeting features |
|---|---|---|
| Basic | Not included | Three-way calling on the handset |
| Connect | Included, desktop and mobile | Voice and video conferencing |
| Collaborate | Included, desktop and mobile | Everything in Connect, plus meeting scheduling with call-in audio and personal meeting rooms |
A Premium add-on can be attached to Collaborate licences for people who need more advanced meetings.
In everyday use, the app covers:
- Calling on your BT business number, with audio and video calls
- Instant messaging with colleagues, one to one or in group spaces
- Meetings, with screen sharing, file sharing and a shared virtual whiteboard
Because packs can be mixed, a common pattern is Basic for shared phones in a warehouse or on a reception desk, and Connect or Collaborate for the people who need the app.
Supported devices and what you need
BT supports the app on:
- Desktop: Windows PCs and Macs (Intel or Apple silicon)
- Mobile and tablet: iPhone, iPad and Android
- Browsers: Chrome, Firefox, Safari or Edge on one of the last two major releases
BT publishes minimum operating system versions for each platform in its set-up guidance, so check every device against BT's current list before rolling the app out. Devices that no longer receive operating system updates can fall below those minimums.
Users also need a reliable internet connection (office broadband, home broadband, Wi-Fi or mobile data) and, for desktop calling, a headset for clear audio. See internet connection requirements and call quality if calls on the app break up.
Emergency calls. BT notes that the ability to make 999 and 112 calls depends on the network and power, and that you might not be able to make them through an app on a mobile device during a power or network failure. On first sign-in, the app asks each user to accept an emergency dialling notice. Make sure staff know to use a mobile network or another line in an emergency.
BT Cloud Voice app download and sign-in
Setting up the app is a two-part job: an administrator creates the app login in the BT Cloud Voice Business Portal, then the user downloads the app and signs in.
For administrators
- Sign in to the BT Cloud Voice Business Portal. Your portal username and domain are in BT's welcome email; see BT Cloud Voice login if you need help.
- Open Users, choose the person, then select Applications.
- On the application login credentials tab, copy the app username and use Change password to create a password for the app.
- Select Activate for each device type the person will use, such as desktop or mobile, and confirm the username and password when asked.
- Enter the email address the user will sign in with (this is different from the app username) and submit.
- The user receives a verification email and clicks the link in it to activate the app.
The same Users > Applications screen is where an administrator later views login details, resets the app password or changes the sign-in email address. Email changes can take a few minutes to apply.
For users
- Install the app on your computer, phone or tablet, using the download details your administrator gives you from BT's set-up guide.
- Open the app and enter your email address, then your BT Cloud Voice app username and password.
- Accept the terms and the emergency dialling notice.
- Make a test call to a colleague and to a mobile to check audio in both directions.
The app login is separate from your Business Portal login. If you forget it, your username is shown on the My Account page in the portal, where you can also reset the password. Choosing Exit on the desktop, or swiping the app closed on a mobile, keeps you signed in; Sign out clears your saved details, so you enter them again next time.
Using the app with desk phones, Teams and diverts
The app works alongside the rest of BT Cloud Voice rather than replacing it:
- With a desk phone. Many people keep a handset at the office and use the app at home or on the move. Both are on the same number.
- With Microsoft Teams. If your organisation works in Teams, the BT Cloud Voice Microsoft Teams integration adds click to call through BT Cloud Voice inside Teams. Each user needs an active app service.
- With mobility features. Call Director keeps your BT line ID when you call from somewhere else, and call diverts send calls on when you are away from both the app and a desk phone.
- With voicemail. Messages can arrive in your inbox through voicemail to email, which is also part of Connect and Collaborate.
For contact-centre agents and receptionists, the app is usually paired with a headset and, where needed, the Receptionist console.
Rolling out the app with Forever Communications Limited
A good rollout is mostly planning. Forever Communications Limited, a BT Business Partner, helps you:
- Decide who needs Connect or Collaborate, and who can stay on Basic
- Create the app logins and sign-in email addresses for every user
- Agree a policy for personal mobiles, including what happens when someone leaves
- Check home and office connections, and recommend headsets
- Point users to BT's online Training Platform, or arrange on-site training
If you manage company mobiles, a mobile device management tool can push the app to phones and remove it when a device is retired. Contact us to plan your app rollout.
Why buy BT Cloud Voice from Forever Communications Limited
Forever Communications Limited is part of Forever Group and a BT Business Partner. We supply, set up and support BT Cloud Voice for UK businesses, schools, charities and public sector organisations, from a handful of users to multi-site teams.
- A named partner who plans your numbers, call flows, user feature packs and handsets with you
- Number porting managed for you, timed to avoid downtime
- Connectivity checked first, so call quality is right from day one, with BT business broadband and BTnet available if you need it
- Help with the digital switchover, including alarms, lifts, card terminals and other analogue lines
- Training and ongoing support for the apps, Microsoft Teams integration, moves, adds, changes and faults
BT Cloud Voice is a business service. We do not sell consumer or home phone products.
Want a BT Cloud Voice quote for your business?
Tell Forever Communications what you need and we will come back to you by email with options, not a hard sell.
Contact usFrequently asked questions
Is the BT Cloud Voice app free?
There is no separate app to buy. The BT Cloud Voice app comes with the Connect and Collaborate licences. Users on the Basic pack do not get the app. Ask us for a quote if you are moving users up from Basic.
Where do I download the BT Cloud Voice app?
An administrator first sets up your app login in the BT Cloud Voice Business Portal under Users > Applications. You then install the app on your computer, phone or tablet using the download details in BT's set-up guide, which your administrator or Forever Communications Limited can give you.
Can I use the BT Cloud Voice app on my own mobile?
Yes, on a supported iPhone, iPad or Android device. Calls you make in the app use your BT business number rather than your personal number. Agree a policy with your employer for personal devices first.
Why can't I sign in to the BT Cloud Voice app?
Check that you are using the app username and password, not your Business Portal login, and that you clicked the link in the verification email. Your username is on the My Account page in the portal, and an administrator can reset the password in Users > Applications.
Can I make 999 calls from the BT Cloud Voice app?
BT says 999 and 112 calls depend on your network and power, and may not work through an app on a mobile device during a power or network failure. Keep another way of making emergency calls available.
Does the BT Cloud Voice app work with Microsoft Teams?
Yes. The BT Cloud Voice Microsoft Teams integration lets users click to call through BT Cloud Voice from inside Teams. Each user needs the BT Cloud Voice app licence. See BT Cloud Voice with Microsoft Teams.