> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.astradial.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# IVR overview

> Interactive Voice Response menus let callers self-serve with DTMF keypad input — press 1 for sales, 2 for support, etc.

An **IVR (Interactive Voice Response)** is an automated menu that callers hear when they dial a phone number. They press a digit on their keypad to reach the right person or queue — no human receptionist required.

## When to use an IVR

Use an IVR when:

* You want to route calls by department (sales, support, billing) without a human operator.
* Call volume is high enough that a receptionist becomes a bottleneck.
* You need 24/7 call handling — IVRs don't sleep.
* You want to surface self-service options before connecting a caller to an agent.

## What an IVR can do

Each IVR has:

* A **greeting** — TTS-generated audio that plays when the call connects.
* Up to 10 **menu options** (digits 0-9) plus `*` and `#` — each routes to a destination.
* A **timeout** — how long to wait for input before repeating the greeting.
* **Max retries** — how many times to repeat before hanging up.
* Optional **direct extension dial** — callers can dial an extension directly from inside the IVR.

## Menu option destinations

Each digit can route to:

| Destination type | Example                            |
| ---------------- | ---------------------------------- |
| **Extension**    | Ring a specific person's SIP phone |
| **Queue**        | Put the caller in a call queue     |
| **IVR**          | Nest into another IVR menu         |
| **Voicemail**    | Send to voicemail                  |
| **Hangup**       | End the call with a message        |
| **Callback**     | Request a callback, end the call   |
| **AI Agent**     | Connect to an AI voice bot         |

## Example flow

```
Caller dials +91 80 6597 8001
  ↓
IVR "Main menu" plays greeting:
  "Welcome to Acme. Press 1 for sales, 2 for support, 3 for billing."
  ↓
Caller presses 2
  ↓
Call routes to queue 5002 (support)
  ↓
Next available support agent's SIP phone rings
```

## Lifecycle

1. **Create** the IVR with a name, extension, and settings.
2. **Record or generate** the greeting (TTS).
3. **Build the menu** — assign digits to destinations.
4. **Publish** the IVR to make it live on the dialplan.
5. **Route a phone number** (DID) to the IVR.

<Tip>
  Changes to an IVR take effect only after you click **Publish** — saving alone does not update the live dialplan.
</Tip>

## Related pages

* [Create an IVR](/ivr/create-ivr) — step-by-step guide to the visual builder.
* [IVR greetings and TTS](/ivr/greetings) — generate audio from text.
* [Menu routing](/ivr/menu-routing) — design the digit options.
* [Configure phone number routing](/phone-numbers/configure-routing) — point a DID at your IVR.
* [IVR API reference](/api-reference/ivrs) — programmatic access.