Attended vs Blind Transfer on a Softphone

Tom Reed · Updated 9 November 2026

A blind transfer sends the caller straight to another extension without speaking to the colleague first. An attended (warm) transfer puts the caller on hold while you check the colleague can take the call, then hands it over. Use blind for quick routing and attended when the caller needs context or a confirmed answer.

This guide is for receptionists, sales and support staff who take calls on a business softphone, and for the IT admins who train them. It is a practical walk-through of a VoIP call transfer on the SessionTalk desktop and mobile softphones, in generic steps, so the same habits work on whichever app your team uses. Whether your team says blind call transfer or attended call transfer, the ideas below are the same.

What is the difference between attended and blind transfer?

With a blind transfer, you choose where the call goes and send it on. You do not speak to the colleague first, so the caller rings their extension directly. It is also called a cold transfer, because nobody introduces the call. It is the fastest way to move a caller on.

With an attended transfer, also called a warm transfer or a consultative transfer, you keep the caller on hold while you ring the colleague on a second call. You tell them who is calling and why, and only then complete the handover. It takes a little longer, but the caller does not have to repeat themselves.

The wider idea is the same on any phone system. If you want the concept first, warm vs blind transfer on a phone system explains it from the PBX side. This post is the step-by-step in the softphone app. For a team that moves between desks, laptops and phones, the business softphone apps for desktop and mobile work with SIP-based PBXs, so the same transfer habits carry across.

Table: attended vs blind transfer

How do you do a blind transfer on a softphone?

A blind transfer is the same few steps on any softphone. You do not need to know where every button sits to follow the idea:

1. During the call, choose the transfer option in the call controls.
2. Enter the extension or pick the colleague from your contacts.
3. Complete the transfer.

The caller then rings the colleague directly, and your call ends as soon as the handover is made. You do not wait to see whether the colleague answers, so a blind transfer suits a contact you know is free. If the colleague does not pick up, the PBX's unanswered-call rules decide where the caller goes next, for example to voicemail where that has been set up on the PBX.

That last point is worth remembering. On a blind transfer, the softphone has handed the caller over, so what happens next is decided by how your PBX handles unanswered calls, not by you.

How do you do an attended transfer on a softphone?

An attended transfer uses two calls at once, so it is the one to practise before you need it:

1. Put the caller on hold.
2. Call the colleague on a second line.
3. Tell the colleague who is calling and why.
4. Complete the transfer, so the held caller is connected to the colleague.

If the colleague cannot take the call, end the consult call and go back to the caller. Offer another option, such as a different person, a message or a callback. That is the big advantage of an attended transfer: the caller never gets stranded, because you are still on the line until the handover is confirmed.

The SessionTalk desktop softphone with 6 lines, attended and blind transfer for Windows and Mac handles both types, and it is built for the multi-call handling an attended transfer needs. Managing holds, transfers and forwarding takes just a few clicks, so the second line is rarely a barrier in practice.

When should you use each type of transfer?

Pick the transfer type by what the caller needs, not by habit. Four common situations show the difference:

• Busy reception. Blind transfer works when the caller asks for a named colleague and you know they are free. It keeps the queue of waiting callers short.
• Sales handoff. Attended transfer fits a new lead being passed to a salesperson, because the colleague can pick up with the name and the interest already in hand.
• Support escalation. Attended transfer fits a caller who has already explained a fault. The next person hears the summary from you, so the caller does not repeat it.
• After hours or unstaffed desks. Blind transfer sends the caller on to wherever the PBX is set to route unanswered calls, so use it only if those rules are set up the way you expect.

If you are unsure, an attended transfer is the safer default for anything that matters, and a blind transfer is the quicker default for anything that does not.

How do multiple lines and BLF help with transfers?

Attended transfers depend on handling two calls at once. The SessionTalk desktop softphone supports 6 concurrent calls, with hold and swap between them, so you can keep the caller on one line while you speak to the colleague on another. Merge, swap and split controls give you a clean way to move between calls without losing either one.

Busy Lamp Field (BLF) helps before you transfer at all. Real-time monitoring of your team shows who is idle, ringing or on a call, so you can choose between a blind transfer to a free colleague and an attended transfer to someone who may be tied up. For the setup and what it shows, see busy lamp field on a softphone.

Sometimes the colleague wants the caller to stay on the line. In that case, do not complete the transfer. Merge the calls into a conference instead, so all three of you can talk, as described in merging, swapping and splitting softphone conference calls.

Checklist before you transfer a call

• Ask the caller's name and reason so you can brief the colleague
• Check BLF to see whether the colleague is free or already on a call
• Choose blind for simple routing, attended for anything that needs context
• Tell the caller you're transferring them and to whom
• For attended: put the caller on hold before you dial the colleague
• If the colleague can't take it, return to the caller instead of leaving them on hold
• Need all three on the line? Merge into a conference instead of transferring
• Note the outcome in your CRM or helpdesk if your team logs handoffs

Pair it with a hosted PBX

Pair it with a hosted PBX so ring groups, voicemail and unanswered-call rules are set in one place for every transfer: SessionPBX hosted PBX. A blind transfer relies on those unanswered-call rules, so it helps to have them decided centrally. Our guide to call routing for small business shows how to plan them.

FAQ

Is a warm transfer the same as an attended transfer?

Yes. Both mean you speak to the colleague before handing the call over. You put the caller on hold, tell the colleague who is calling and why, and then complete the transfer. A consultative transfer is another name for the same thing, so staff may hear all three terms.

What is a cold transfer?

A cold transfer is another name for a blind transfer. The call goes straight through without an introduction, and you do not speak to the colleague first. It is quick, but the caller may have to repeat their reason, so keep it for simple routing.

Can I do attended and blind transfers from a desktop softphone?

Yes. The SessionTalk desktop softphone for Windows and Mac supports attended and blind transfers, with 6 concurrent lines. It delivers the same SIP calling, attended and blind transfer, BLF and multi-party conferencing as a physical SIP deskphone, so staff keep the habits they already have.

What happens if the person I transfer to doesn't answer?

With an attended transfer, you simply go back to the caller, because you are still on the consult call and can offer another option. With a blind transfer, the PBX's unanswered-call rules decide where the call goes, for example voicemail where that is set up on the PBX.

Can I turn a transfer into a three-way call?

Yes. Instead of completing the transfer, merge the calls into a conference so the caller, the colleague and you can all talk. This is useful when the colleague wants you to stay on the line to explain the background, or when the caller needs both of you.