Troubleshooting

My phone never rings

The visitor pressed the buzzer but nothing happened on your end. Most likely your building still has your old personal number on file — give them your FreshBuzzer number instead. Also check that you have added at least one forwarding number in Call Forwarding, otherwise we have nowhere to send the call.

Hearing "this buzzer has not been set up yet"?

FreshBuzzer received the call but found no forwarding numbers and no access codes on this unit. Log in and add a forwarding number under Call Forwarding, or set up an access code — that's all it takes.

This might also happen when you have only Auto Buzz set up and it's on a schedule that is currently not active.

Hearing "this number is not assigned to any unit"?

You have a FreshBuzzer number but it isn't linked to a unit yet, or the unit was deleted. Log in and make sure the number is assigned to an active unit.

Hearing "nobody is picking up"?

FreshBuzzer forwarded the call but no one answered. Check that your forwarding numbers are correct and that your phone wasn't on Do Not Disturb or silent at the time. If you use sequential forwarding, make sure every number in the list is reachable. Is it happening consistently, or was it just once? Intermittent missed calls are usually a carrier or phone issue.

An access code isn't working

The message your guest hears tells you exactly what went wrong:

• "I'm sorry. 1234 is not a valid access code."

  The code entered doesn't match any active code. Double-check the guest has the right digits.

• "I'm sorry, This access code is either expired or not active yet."

  The code exists but is outside its active window — either it hasn't started yet or it has already expired. Check the start and end dates.

• "I'm sorry, I didn't get that."

  No input was received at all. The intercom's keypad likely doesn't send tones (DTMF) — some buildings disable these on purpose. Try switching the access code to voice recognition, or use Auto Buzz or Party Mode instead.

After three failed attempts the system stops asking for a code and falls back to ringing your forwarding numbers.

The call connects but drops or sounds bad

All buzzer calls are capped at 5 minutes — if the call just cuts off cleanly, that's why. For poor audio quality, try a different forwarding number to rule out a carrier issue; otherwise it's usually the intercom hardware itself.

The buzzer doesn't open the door

The open key varies by building — 9 and 6 are the most common but yours might be different. Try others if you're unsure — your building manager can confirm which key should be used.

For Auto Buzz and Secure Access Codes check which key is configured under your unit settings. If it is the correct one and the door still doesn't unlock, the issue is likely with the intercom system not recognizing the dial tones. Send us a message we can try to tweak this for you.

Hearing "your account has been paused"?

A payment failed or your subscription lapsed. Log in and update your payment method under Account → Billing. Calls resume as soon as the subscription is active again.

Hearing "FreshBuzzer does not recognize this caller"?

FreshBuzzer learns the buzzer system's outgoing number on the first call. If your building later changes which number it dials from, the new one looks unrecognised and gets blocked as a safety measure. Visit your Call Routing page to review and unblock it.

If you are on a legacy shared number (prior to March 2024), calls are also silently rejected if the intercom dials from an anonymous or restricted number (some systems mask their caller ID), or from an international number outside Canada and the US — FreshBuzzer currently only accepts North American numbers.

Still stuck? Here's what to include when you contact us

The more of this you can share, the faster we can diagnose the problem.

• Consistent or intermittent? Does it happen every time, or only sometimes?
• When did it start? Did it work before and suddenly stop, or has it never worked?
• Date and time of the most recent failure, including your timezone.
• Your FreshBuzzer number — the one your building has on file.
• What the caller heard — the exact message on the intercom, or nothing at all.
• The buzzer's outgoing number — the number your intercom dials from, if you know it.