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Residents Not Receiving Calls from the ButterflyMX Intercom

If residents aren't receiving calls or notifications when visitors use your ButterflyMX video intercom, this guide will help you identify and resolve the issue. Call delivery problems can occur at different stages of the process, so the solution depends on how residents are set up to receive calls.

Understanding Call Delivery Methods

ButterflyMX delivers intercom calls to residents through two methods:

• Mobile app (video or audio call) — A call is pushed to the ButterflyMX app on the resident's smartphone or tablet. Residents can choose to receive a video call (see and hear the visitor) or an audio call (hear the visitor only) based on their Contact Preference in the app.
• Phone call — ButterflyMX calls the resident's registered phone number from a region-specific ButterflyMX number. This works for cell phones, landlines, and VoIP lines. After answering, the resident must press 9 on their dial pad to grant the visitor access.

Troubleshooting steps vary depending on which method is configured for the resident.

Quick Diagnostics

Before diving into detailed troubleshooting, verify these basics:

• Confirm the resident is properly added to the system in the ButterflyMX OS
• Verify the resident has at least one call delivery method configured (app or phone number)
• Test whether the issue affects one resident, multiple residents, or all residents
• Confirm whether calls are being initiated at the intercom (touchscreen responds) but not delivered, or whether calls aren't initiating at all

Troubleshooting Mobile App Notifications

Resident Not Receiving App Notifications

If a resident has the ButterflyMX app installed but isn't receiving call notifications:

1. Verify the resident is properly added in the ButterflyMX OS:
   • Log into the ButterflyMX OS
   • Click Tenants from the left-hand menu
   • Search for the resident and confirm their profile is active and assigned to the correct unit
2. Check the resident's Contact Preference:
   • In the resident's profile in the ButterflyMX OS, check their Active Devices and Contact Preference
   • If their Contact Preference is set to Phone Call, they will not receive video calls or push notifications — this is expected behavior
   • Ask the resident to open the ButterflyMX app, go to Account > Calls, and switch their Contact Preference to Video Call or Notifications
3. Check whether Do Not Disturb is enabled in the ButterflyMX app:
   • Ask the resident to open the ButterflyMX app, tap Account, then Calls
   • If Do Not Disturb is toggled on, have them turn it off
   • When Do Not Disturb is enabled, the intercom will not send call notifications to any device on the account — visitors will see a "No Answer" message
4. Confirm the resident has enabled notifications in their phone settings:
   • iOS: Settings > Notifications > ButterflyMX > Allow Notifications (ON). Also confirm Lock Screen, Notification Center, and Banners are all individually enabled
   • Android: Settings > Apps > ButterflyMX > Notifications (ON)
5. Check for other iOS settings that can block notifications (iOS only):
   • Background App Refresh: Settings > General > Background App Refresh — confirm it's on for ButterflyMX
   • Low Power Mode: Settings > Battery — confirm Low Power Mode is off
   • Focus / Do Not Disturb: Settings > Focus — confirm no Focus mode is active, or that ButterflyMX is listed as an Allowed App
   • Notification Summary: Settings > Notifications > Scheduled Summary — confirm ButterflyMX is not included (this batches and delays notifications)
6. Check that the resident has a stable internet connection (Wi-Fi or cellular data)
7. Ask the resident to sign out and sign back into the ButterflyMX app — this refreshes the access token and can resolve notification delivery issues
8. If issues persist, have the resident uninstall and reinstall the app

Resident Not Added to the System

Having the app installed does not automatically connect a resident to their unit. They must be added in the ButterflyMX OS. To add a resident:

1. Log into the ButterflyMX OS
2. Click Tenants from the left-hand menu
3. Click Add Tenant in the top left
4. Enter the resident's email address, name, phone number, and unit
5. Click Save — the resident will receive a registration email to complete setup

Note: The resident's email address must be accurate - it's required for them to register and access the app.

Troubleshooting Phone Call Delivery

Resident's Phone Not Ringing When the Intercom Is Used

If a resident is set up to receive phone calls but their phone isn't ringing:

1. Verify the phone number is correctly configured:
   • Log into the ButterflyMX OS
   • Click Tenants from the left-hand menu
   • Click on the resident's name to open their profile
   • Confirm their registered phone number includes the correct area code and is accurate
2. Remind the resident that ButterflyMX calls from a region-specific number:
   • Calls arrive from a ButterflyMX number specific to the property's region — not the building's number
   • Residents may be dismissing these calls as spam
   • Recommend they save the number as a contact labeled "ButterflyMX" — a full list of ButterflyMX phone numbers by region is available here
3. Confirm the resident knows to press 9:
   • After answering a phone call from the intercom, the resident must press 9 on their dial pad to grant the visitor access
   • This is a common point of confusion — residents may answer the call but not know the next step
4. Confirm the phone is functioning:
   • Test by calling the resident's registered number from another phone
   • If the number is a cell phone, confirm the resident has service and their ringer is on

Calls Ring But Disconnect Immediately

If a resident's phone rings briefly but disconnects before they can answer:

• Confirm the resident is pressing 9 on their dial pad — not pressing any other key or tapping a button in their phone's call screen
• Check whether a voicemail or call screening service is picking up before the resident can answer
• Contact ButterflyMX support if the issue persists after confirming the above

Troubleshooting Call Initiation Issues

Touchscreen Doesn't Respond When a Name Is Tapped

If the intercom directory displays correctly but calls don't initiate when a resident's name is selected:

1. Verify the resident has at least one call delivery method configured:
   • Check the resident's profile in the ButterflyMX OS (Tenants)
   • Confirm either a phone number is entered or the resident has registered via the mobile app
2. Test the intercom's touchscreen responsiveness:
   • Try selecting different residents in the directory
   • If the touchscreen is unresponsive across multiple selections, restart the intercom
3. Check for intercom connectivity issues:
   • Verify the intercom has an active internet connection — the intercom requires internet connectivity for both app-based and phone-based calls

Troubleshooting: No Residents Receiving Calls

If the issue affects all or most residents:

1. Check the ButterflyMX Status Page for any ongoing service issues:
   • Visit status.butterflymx.com
   • Subscribe to updates for real-time notifications
2. Verify the intercom's internet connection:
   • Confirm the intercom is online and showing a network connection
   • Test the network at the intercom's location
3. Restart the intercom:
   • Power cycle the device by disconnecting and reconnecting power
   • Wait 2–3 minutes for the intercom to fully reboot

Advanced Troubleshooting

Checking Call Logs in the ButterflyMX OS

Call logs can help identify where the delivery failure is occurring:

1. Log into the ButterflyMX OS
2. Click Calls from the left-hand menu
3. Review recent call attempts for the affected resident(s)
4. Look for patterns:
   • Are calls being logged but marked as unanswered?
   • Are calls not appearing in the log at all?
   • Do successful calls to other residents appear?

Testing Call Delivery

To systematically test call delivery:

1. Have a test visitor approach the intercom
2. Select the affected resident's name from the directory and tap Call
3. Observe what happens:
   • Does the touchscreen respond to the tap?
   • Does the intercom display a "Calling..." status?
   • Does the call appear in the ButterflyMX OS Calls log?
   • Does the resident's phone ring or app receive a notification?
4. Document the results and share with ButterflyMX support if needed

When to Contact Support

Contact ButterflyMX support if:

• You've verified all configuration settings and the issue persists
• The issue affects multiple residents or all residents
• Calls appear in the log but residents confirm they're not receiving them
• You suspect a hardware or connectivity issue with the intercom

When contacting support, have ready:

• Property name and address
• Affected resident name(s) and unit number(s)
• Call delivery method configured (app or phone call)
• Screenshots of the resident's configuration in the ButterflyMX OS
• Results from your troubleshooting steps