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Answering Machine Detection (AMD) helps outbound voice agents tell whether a live person, an IVR menu, or a voicemail answered the call—and decide what to do next.
AMD only applies to outbound calls. You can save AMD settings on an agent used for inbound traffic, but detection and voicemail actions run only when the call is outbound.

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When to use it

Use AMD when your agents place outbound calls and you need to:
  • Reach live people and skip or handle machines differently
  • Navigate IVR menus (press digits) before speaking to someone
  • End the call cleanly when voicemail answers, or leave a message after the beep
Skip AMD for inbound-only agents, or when every answered call should be treated as a normal conversation with no special voicemail handling.

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Configure AMD

Open the agent, go to settings → Outbound → Answering machine detection (AMD). When AMD is on, the agent can also press digits to navigate IVRs (for example “Press 1 for sales”). If the graph has no DTMF node, a send_dtmf tool is added automatically so the agent can navigate IVRs.

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Examples

End call on voicemail — Enable AMD, set When voicemail is detected to End call. If the callee’s mailbox answers, the call hangs up immediately. Useful for campaigns that should only talk to live people. Leave a message after the beep — Enable AMD, set When voicemail is detected to Play message, choose Message (or Prompt/Audio), write your script, and set Message delay to something like 1.5–2 seconds so playback starts after the beep. The call ends after the message finishes.
After a voicemail action completes (end call, or play message then hang up), the call ends.

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Voicemail message options

These options appear only when AMD is enabled and When voicemail is detected is Play message. Message plays a fixed script. Prompt generates a voicemail from instructions. Audio lets you record a live message. Message delay (0–5 seconds) applies to all three sources. Use it when voicemail systems announce and then beep before they start recording; too little delay can cut off the start of your message.

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What AMD can detect

Detection results also appear in the call transcript (for example Detected: Human or Detected: Machine · Voicemail).

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Tips

  • Set a non-zero Message delay when leaving voicemails; many mailboxes need a beat after the beep.
  • Remember AMD is outbound-only. Inbound calls ignore these settings even if they are saved on the agent.
  • Prefer a clear fixed Message when the script must be exact (compliance, legal, offer terms). Use Prompt when you want the wording adapted at call time. Use Audio when brand tone depends on a human-recorded clip.

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FAQs and troubleshooting

Someone answered “Hello?” but the agent still acted like a machine
Detection can take a moment at the start of the call. Check the transcript for AMD detection entries to see how the call was classified. The call ended as soon as voicemail picked up
That is expected if When voicemail is detected is End call, or if the result was Machine · Unavailable (mailbox full or not set up). Unavailable always ends the call—there is no message to leave. I chose Play message but the call hung up without speaking
An empty Message, empty Prompt, missing Audio recording, or a failed generation ends the call. Make sure the chosen source has content before you publish. My message starts mid-sentence on the recording
Increase Message delay so playback waits for the beep. Will AMD run on inbound calls?
No. Settings can be stored on the agent, but AMD only runs when the call is outbound. How do I confirm AMD ran on a call?
Open the call transcript. Detection results show as entries such as Detected: Human or Detected: Machine · Voicemail.