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Knowledge Base document #6

Setting up and using the FRITZ!Box answering machine

You can use up to five integrated answering machines in your FRITZ!Box. The answering machines can be turned on and off separately and configured individually.

Example: An answering machine in the office should record messages around the clock. However, callers should hear a different message during office hours than outside of business hours. For this you configure two answering machines: Answering machine 1 with the message for office hours, and answering machine 2 with a message for all other times. Schedules ensure that the two answering machines are never enabled at the same time.

Requirements / Restrictions

  • Audio files for your own greetings may be a maximum of 60 seconds long. You can use the audio formats WAV (8000 Hz, 16 bit, mono recommended) and MP3 (constant bit rate, 128 kbit/s, 44.1 kHz, stereo).

Note:All instructions on configuration and settings given in this guide refer to the latest FRITZ!OS for the FRITZ!Box.

1 Setting up an answering machine

  1. Click on 'Telephony' in the FRITZ!Box user interface.
  2. Click on 'Telephony Devices' in the 'Telephony' menu.
  3. Click on the 'Configure New Device' button.
  4. Under 'Integrated in the FRITZ!Box', select 'Answering machine' and click on 'Next'.
  5. Specify the mode, greeting delay, and recording length.
    • If you want to receive messages from callers, enable the operating mode 'Record messages'. The greeting delay specifies how long the phone will ring before the answering machine accepts a call.
  6. Enter a name for the answering machine and click on 'Next'.
  7. Select one or multiple phone numbers. If you do not select any numbers, the answering machine reacts to all calls.
    • If the answering machine should only respond to anonymous callers, do not select any phone numbers and set up a call diversion for anonymous calls.

      Note:You can configure a phone number for several answering machines that are enabled at different times (for example answering machine 1 for office hours, and answering machine 2 for all other times). In the answering machine settings, use the schedule to specify when which answering machine is enabled.

  8. Click on 'Next' and then on 'Apply' to save the settings.

2 Configuring your own greetings

If you want to configure your own greetings, you can upload the audio files with the greetings to the FRITZ!Box or use the text-to-voice function.

Note:You can also record your own greetings with the voice menu.

Uploading an audio file for your own greeting

  1. Click on 'Telephony' in the FRITZ!Box user interface.
  2. Click on 'Answering Machine' in the 'Telephony' menu.
  3. Select the answering machine you want to configure.
  4. Click on the 'Settings' button.
  5. Click on the 'Change greeting' button under 'Settings for Recording and Greeting' for the greeting you want to change.
  6. Enable the 'Own greeting' option.
  7. Click on the 'Browse...' or 'Choose File' button and select the desired audio file.
  8. Click on 'Apply' to save the settings.

Configuring a greeting with text-to-voice

You can also enter your greeting text in the FRITZ!Box user interface. The text-to-voice function converts the text to an audio file.

  1. Click on 'Telephony' in the FRITZ!Box user interface.
  2. Click on 'Answering Machine' in the 'Telephony' menu.
  3. Select the answering machine you want to configure.
  4. Click on the 'Settings' button.
  5. Under 'Settings for Recording and Greeting', there are greetings for the 'Recording Messages' mode and a greeting for the 'Greeting Only' mode.
    • Click on the 'Change greeting' button next to the desired greeting message.
  6. Enable 'Own greeting' and 'Text-to-voice'.
  7. Select the female or male voice.
  8. Enter a text for the greeting.

    Note:The audio file is created in the language that is set in the FRITZ!Box user interface. If you enter text in a different language, pronunciation errors may occur.

  9. Click on 'Apply' to save the settings.

Your text is converted into an audio file and used for the greeting. In the entry field for the greeting text, the text preconfigured in the FRITZ!Box appears again. You can listen to the new greeting by calling the answering machine.

3 Configuring a schedule and additional functions

Enabling the schedule

  1. Click on 'Telephony' in the FRITZ!Box user interface.
  2. Click on 'Answering Machine' in the 'Telephony' menu.
  3. Select the answering machine you want to configure.
  4. Click on the 'Settings' button.
  5. Enable the 'Time control' operating mode.
  6. Specify when the answering machine should record messages, only play a greeting, or be turned off. Click below the schedule on 'Enter Period' and enter the desired time period. You can also use the mouse to mark the times in the schedule on a PC or laptop.

    Note:If you want to mark longer periods of time, hold the left mouse button down and move the mouse to the left, to the right, upward or downward.

  7. Click on 'Apply' to save the settings.

Receiving messages by email

  1. Click on 'Telephony' in the FRITZ!Box user interface.
  2. Click on 'Answering Machine' in the 'Telephony' menu.
  3. Select the answering machine you want to configure.
  4. Click on the 'Settings' button.
  5. Click on 'Additional Settings'.
  6. Enable the 'Send messages via email' option in the 'Messages' section.
  7. If you want, enable the option 'Delete messages after they are sent from the answering machine'.
  8. Enter the email address to which new messages should be sent. If you want to enter multiple email addresses, separate the email addresses using commas and no spaces.

    Important:To have messages sent, you must enter your email account information in the FRITZ!Box user interface under 'System > Push Service'. If you do not want to use the FRITZ!Box push service, you can disable the push service again after entering your account information.

  9. Click on 'Apply' to save the settings.

Saving messages on a USB storage device

  1. Click on 'Telephony' in the FRITZ!Box user interface.
  2. Click on 'Answering Machine' in the 'Telephony' menu.
  3. Select the answering machine you want to configure.
  4. Click on the 'Settings' button.
  5. Click on 'Additional Settings'.
  6. Enable the option 'Use USB storage medium to increase recording capacity' in the 'Messages' section.
  7. Click on 'Apply' to save the settings.

Enabling remote playback

  1. Click on 'Telephony' in the FRITZ!Box user interface.
  2. Click on 'Answering Machine' in the 'Telephony' menu.
  3. Select the answering machine you want to configure.
  4. Click on the 'Settings' button.
  5. Click on 'Additional Settings'.
  6. Enable the option 'Remote playback enabled'.
  7. Enter a four-digit PIN. The numbers 0-9 are allowed.

    Important:'0000' cannot be used for the PIN. This PIN disables remote playback.

  8. Click on 'Apply' to save the settings.

4 Saving answering machine messages

If you configured email forwarding for the answering machine, the messages are automatically forwarded to you by email. You can also save the messages later:

  1. Click on 'Telephony' in the FRITZ!Box user interface.
  2. Click on 'Answering Machine' in the 'Telephony' menu.
  3. Right-click on the play icon for the message you want to save and select 'Save destination to' or 'Save link to' from the context menu. The exact name of the option depends on the browser being used.

5 Using the answering machine (e.g. switching it on and off, playing back messages)

You can easily operate the FRITZ!Box's integrated answering machines using the voice menu. If you registered a FRITZ!Fon with your FRITZ!Box, you can also use the phone's menu to operate the answering machines.

Operating via voice menu

You can use the voice menu to change all of the answering machine settings.

Operating via FRITZ!Fon

  1. Press the 'Menu' key on the phone.
  2. Select 'Answering Machine' and then press “OK”.
  3. If you want to listen to new messages, press 'OK'. You will then hear the messages from all of the answering machines that react to the numbers that your phone also reacts to.
  4. If you want to change the settings of an answering machine, press the right select key 'Options' and then 'Settings'. Select an answering machine and press 'OK'. You can change the settings for all of the answering machines that react to numbers that the phone also reacts to.

Listening in on the FRITZ!Fon while a message is being recorded

You can use the microphone on the FRITZ!Fon to listen in while messages are being recorded on the answering machine. If you use several FRITZ!Boxes in the home network, answering machines and the FRITZ!Fon must be configured in the same FRITZ!Box.

  1. Click on 'Telephony' in the FRITZ!Box user interface.
  2. Click on 'Telephony Devices' in the 'Telephony' menu.
  3. Click on the (Edit) button for the respective FRITZ!Fon.
  4. Click on the 'Telephony Device Features' tab.
  5. Enable the 'Listen in on the answering machine' option.
  6. Click on 'Apply' to save the settings.

6 Operating the answering machine from another line

Listening to new messages

  1. Call a number that you assigned to the answering machine.
  2. Press the star key * during the greeting.
  3. Enter the four-digit PIN and follow the instructions given by the voice menu.

Switching the answering machine on

  1. Call a number that you assigned to the answering machine.
  2. Let it ring until you are asked to enter the PIN.
  3. Enter the four-digit PIN and press the 3 key.



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