How To Enable Dial Pad In Microsoft Teams

The dial pad in Microsoft Teams enables users to make and receive PSTN (Public Switched Telephone Network) calls directly from the Teams client, replacing traditional desk phones with a software-based calling experience. If the dial pad is missing from your Teams interface, it typically indicates a licensing, configuration, or policy issue that needs to be resolved by your IT administrator. This guide walks through every step required to enable the dial pad and troubleshoot common issues.

Prerequisites for the Teams Dial Pad

The Teams dial pad requires a specific combination of licenses, PSTN connectivity, and policy configurations. All of the following must be in place for the dial pad to appear for a user.

• Microsoft Teams Phone System license — Either as a standalone add-on (Teams Phone Standard) or included with Microsoft 365 E5, A5, or G5 plans
• PSTN connectivity method — One of the following must be configured:
  • Microsoft Calling Plan — Microsoft provides the phone number and PSTN connectivity
  • Operator Connect — Your chosen telecom operator provides connectivity through the Teams admin center
  • Direct Routing — Your organization's Session Border Controller (SBC) connects your existing phone infrastructure to Teams
  • Teams Phone Mobile — Links a user's mobile SIM number with Teams for native mobile integration
• Phone number assignment — A phone number must be assigned to the user through the chosen PSTN method
• Enterprise Voice (EV) enabled — The user's Teams voice routing policy must have Enterprise Voice enabled
• Teams Only mode — The user must be in TeamsOnly coexistence mode (not Islands, SfBOnly, or SfBWithTeamsCollab)

Step-by-Step: Enabling the Dial Pad with Microsoft Calling Plan

The simplest path to enabling the dial pad is through Microsoft Calling Plans, where Microsoft serves as the PSTN provider.

1. In the Microsoft 365 admin center, assign the following licenses to the user:
   • Microsoft Teams Phone System (or Microsoft 365 E5 which includes it)
   • Microsoft Domestic Calling Plan or International Calling Plan
2. Navigate to the Teams Admin Center at admin.teams.microsoft.com
3. Go to Voice > Phone numbers
4. Acquire a phone number if you don't have one: click Add, select your country, choose "User (subscriber)" as the number type, and complete the order
5. Go to Users, find the user, and click their name to open their profile
6. Under the Account tab, scroll to Phone number and click Edit
7. Select the phone number type, choose a number from your inventory, and set the emergency location
8. Click Apply — the dial pad should appear in the user's Teams client within 15-60 minutes

Enabling the Dial Pad with Direct Routing

Direct Routing is the preferred PSTN connectivity method for enterprises that want to maintain their existing telecom relationships and SIP infrastructure.

1. Assign the Teams Phone System license to the user (no Calling Plan license needed)
2. Ensure your Session Border Controller (SBC) is configured and paired with Microsoft Teams via Direct Routing
3. Open Teams PowerShell and run the following commands to enable the user:

• The PhoneNumber must be in E.164 format (e.g., +14255551234)
• The VoiceRoutingPolicy defines which PSTN routes and SBC to use for outbound calls
• Verify with: Get-CsOnlineUser -Identity user@contoso.com | Select-Object LineUri, EnterpriseVoiceEnabled, TeamsUpgradeEffectiveMode

Troubleshooting a Missing Dial Pad

If the dial pad does not appear after configuration, systematically check each requirement using the following troubleshooting steps.

License Verification

• In Microsoft 365 admin center, verify the user has Teams Phone System (or included E5) and a Calling Plan (if not using Direct Routing) assigned
• License provisioning can take up to 24 hours after assignment
• Check in PowerShell: Get-CsOnlineUser -Identity user@contoso.com | Select-Object AssignedPlan

Phone Number Assignment

• Verify a phone number is assigned: check the user profile in Teams Admin Center under Account > Phone number
• For Direct Routing, verify with PowerShell: Get-CsOnlineUser -Identity user@contoso.com | Select-Object LineUri
• The LineUri should show the assigned number in E.164 format

Coexistence Mode

• The user must be in TeamsOnly mode for the dial pad to appear
• Check in Teams Admin Center under Users > [User] > Account > Teams upgrade
• PowerShell: Get-CsOnlineUser -Identity user@contoso.com | Select-Object TeamsUpgradeEffectiveMode
• If the user is not in TeamsOnly mode, upgrade them: Grant-CsTeamsUpgradePolicy -Identity user@contoso.com -PolicyName UpgradeToTeams

Calling Policy

• Verify the assigned calling policy allows PSTN calls: Teams Admin Center > Voice > Calling policies
• Ensure "Make private calls" is set to On in the user's calling policy
• Check for conflicting policies at the user, group, or global level

Enterprise Voice Configuration at Scale

For organizations enabling the dial pad for hundreds or thousands of users, PowerShell automation and bulk configuration are essential.

• Bulk license assignment — Use Azure AD group-based licensing to automatically assign Teams Phone System and Calling Plan licenses based on group membership
• CSV-based number assignment — Create a PowerShell script that reads a CSV file of users and phone numbers and assigns them in bulk using Set-CsPhoneNumberAssignment
• Policy packages — Create Teams policy packages that bundle calling policies, voicemail policies, and call park policies for consistent deployment across user groups
• Number porting — Port existing phone numbers from your current carrier in bulk through the Teams Admin Center or TNS service desk
• Emergency calling — Configure emergency addresses and dynamic emergency calling for E911 compliance across all locations

Why Choose EPC Group for Teams Phone Deployments

EPC Group has over 29 years of experience deploying enterprise telephony solutions across the Microsoft ecosystem. As a former Microsoft Gold Partner (2003–2022, the oldest in North America) and current Microsoft Solutions Partner, our Teams consultants have enabled Teams Phone System for Fortune 500 companies with thousands of users across healthcare, financial services, and government sectors. Our founder, Errin O'Connor, has authored four bestselling Microsoft Press books and leads a team that specializes in complex, multi-site Teams voice deployments including Direct Routing, SBC configuration, and compliance call recording.

• Teams Phone System architecture, licensing, and deployment planning
• Direct Routing SBC configuration and voice routing policy design
• Bulk phone number assignment and legacy PBX migration
• E911 emergency calling configuration for multi-site organizations
• Compliance call recording for regulated industries (HIPAA, FINRA, MiFID II)

Frequently Asked Questions