---
id: talk-to-assistant
title: Talk to Assistant
description: Test your agent live from the browser, or place a real outbound test call.
---

Every agent can be tested in seconds — no phone plan or external tools required.
From the agent page you get two ways to try it:

- **Talk to Assistant** — a live voice call **in your browser** using your
  microphone.
- **Call now** — Chatley places a **real phone call** to a number you enter so
  you can test the agent on an actual line.

## Before you begin

- Sign in and open the workspace that contains your agent.
- Open the agent — the two buttons appear at the top of the agent page.
- For **Talk to Assistant**, allow **microphone access** when your browser asks.

---

## Option 1 — Talk to Assistant (browser call)

This is the fastest way to hear your agent.

1. Open your agent.
2. Click **Talk to Assistant**.
3. When prompted, **allow microphone access** in the browser.
4. Speak with the agent. While the call is live you can:
   - **Mute / unmute** your microphone.
   - Watch the **call duration** timer.
5. Click **End Call** when you're done.

:::tip
Talk to Assistant is available on every plan, including the free trial — it does
not use your outbound phone minutes.
:::

### Demo mode

If voice calling is running in **Demo Mode**, calls are simulated and you'll see
an amber *Demo Mode* badge. This is expected in environments where live voice is
not configured; the flow behaves the same but no real audio session is placed.

---

## Option 2 — Call now (real outbound test call)

Use this to test the agent on a real phone.

1. Open your agent and click **Call now**.
2. Enter the **phone number** you want Chatley to dial (in international format,
   e.g. `+1 555 123 4567`). The field validates the number as you type.
3. Click **Start Test Call**. Chatley dials the number and connects it to your
   agent.
4. Answer the call on that phone and talk to the agent.

### What you'll see

- **Ringing / Connecting** — the call is being placed.
- **Call started** — once the callee answers, a link to the **live monitor**
  appears. Open it to see the live transcript and to whisper or take over the
  call.
- **In queue** — if you're at your plan's concurrent-call limit, the test call
  waits in line and starts automatically when a slot frees up.

:::info[Plan requirements]
- **Free trial:** outbound calling is locked. Use **Talk to Assistant** instead,
  or upgrade to unlock outbound test calls.
- **Pro plan:** outbound test calls require **Elevate** or **Premium** (legacy
  grandfathered Pro accounts may still have outbound access).
:::

---

## Troubleshooting

| Problem | What to check |
| --- | --- |
| **"Voice Assistant Unavailable"** | Voice calling isn't available for this agent yet, or no agent is selected. Reopen the agent and try again. |
| No audio on Talk to Assistant | Confirm the browser has **microphone permission** and the correct input device is selected. |
| Call times out when starting | Check your internet connection and retry — the browser call has a short connect timeout. |
| **DNC Compliance Required** | The agent needs a Do-Not-Call attestation before outbound calls. Accept it on the agent settings page first. |
| **Call Blocked — DNC List** | The number is on your Do Not Call list. Remove it from the DNC list before calling. |
| Call now is disabled | Your plan doesn't include outbound calls. Use **Talk to Assistant** or upgrade your plan. |

## Next steps

- [Webhooks](./webhooks.md) — forward captured leads to your own systems.
- [Getting started](./getting-started.md) — the basics of workspaces and agents.