If your business number runs through a VoIP or internet calling service like RingCentral, OpenPhone, Vonage, Dialpad, or Grasshopper, Clara works with it. These services can forward calls to any number, so you point yours at your Clara number, and Clara answers from there.
The menu names differ by provider, but the steps are the same everywhere.
Using Google Voice?
Google Voice has a couple of extra steps of its own. Follow the Google Voice guide instead.
You'll need your Clara number
Open Clara and go to Business → Phone Setup, then tap your Clara number to copy it.
Step 1: Forward your number to Clara
- Open your provider’s app or web dashboard
- Find Call Forwarding, Call Handling, or Forwarding Rules
- Set calls to forward to your Clara NumberIn the Clara app, go to Business → Phone Setup and tap your number to copy it
- Choose forward all calls so every call reaches Clara, or set after-hours or overflow rules if you’d rather your team answers first
- Save
Step 2: Check two things providers get wrong
These two settings are the usual reason a forwarded call doesn’t reach Clara.
Turn off call screening
Some providers play “press 1 to accept” to whoever answers. Clara can’t press 1, so the call gets cut off. Find call screening (sometimes called “announce” or “confirm”) and switch it off.
If asked to verify, choose phone
If your provider has to verify the forwarding number, pick verify by phone call, not by text. A text can’t reach Clara.
Confirm it’s working
Call your number from another phone. If Clara answers, you’re all set. If it rings your own line instead, check that Clara is the active forwarding destination and any “ring my phones first” rule isn’t keeping calls with you.
If it’s not working
Callers hear ringing, then get cut off
Call screening is still on. The provider is waiting for someone to press 1, and Clara can’t. Find call screening (or “announce” / “confirm”) in your forwarding settings and switch it off (Step 2).
Calls still ring my own line
Your own number is probably still in the ring order. Set forwarding to send calls straight to Clara, or move Clara first so it answers before your line.
Turn call forwarding off
Forwarding for a VoIP number lives in your provider’s app or dashboard, never on your phone. iPhone and Android call forwarding settings, and carrier codes like *73, have no effect on it.
- Open your provider’s app or web dashboard
- Go back to where you set forwarding up: Call Forwarding, Call Handling or Forwarding Rules
- Delete the rule pointing at your Clara NumberIn the Clara app, go to Business → Phone Setup and tap your number to copy it , or switch that rule off
- Put your own number or team back in the ring order, so calls reach someone
- Save
Removing Clara isn't the same as answering yourself
Deleting the forwarding rule stops calls reaching Clara, but it doesn’t put your own phones back in the ring order. If nothing else is set to ring, callers land in your provider’s voicemail. Check your own number is switched on before you finish.
Confirm it worked
Call your number from another phone. Your own line should ring, instead of Clara answering. Give it a minute if nothing happens right away, since some providers take a moment to apply a rule change.
Optional: put back what you changed for Clara
Setting Clara up meant turning call screening off. If you want callers asked to announce themselves again, switch call screening (sometimes called “announce” or “confirm”) back on in the same forwarding settings.
Removing the rule doesn’t change anything inside Clara. Your Clara number keeps working, so anyone who calls it directly still gets Clara. If you’d rather leave forwarding in place and just stop Clara answering for a while, pause it instead.
On Google Voice? Its steps are different, and they’re in the Google Voice guide.
Still need help?
Reach us at [email protected] and someone from our team will help you out.