SIP app guide
How to set up Linphone with any SIP account
Android, iPhone, Windows, macOS and Linux, checked against Linphone 6.2. Most guides online still show the old 4.x and 5.x screens, and almost none mention the one setting that makes a first login fail.
In 30 seconds
Tap Use a third party SIP account, then I understand. Enter Username, Password and Domain from your provider. Change Transport, because Linphone starts on TLS and most providers want UDP or TCP. Tap Login, check it says Connected, and dial with the +.
The three screens
What you will tap, in order
Login
Third party SIP account
Some features require a Linphone account, such as group messaging, video conferences… These features are hidden when you register with a third party SIP account.
I prefer to create a Linphone account
Third party SIP account
Username *
your username
Password *
••••••••••
Domain *
the server
Display name
optional
Transport
TLS → change it
Advanced settings ›
Drawn illustrations with the app's real labels. Linphone is made by Belledonne Communications; we are not affiliated with them.
Step by step
Set it up on your device
Linphone 6.2.8Android 9 or newer
- 1Install Linphone by Belledonne Communications from Google Play. F-Droid also has it, but its build runs a few versions behind.
- 2Open it and allow notifications and the microphone when asked.
- 3Tap Use a third party SIP account, then I understand.
- 4Enter Username, Password and Domain from your provider. Display name is optional.
- 5Open Transport and pick what your provider uses. It starts on TLS.
- 6Tap Login. Open the menu behind your avatar and check the account says Connected.
For incoming calls, turn on Settings, Advanced settings, Keep app alive using Service. The steps are further down.
Field names
Your provider calls it this, Linphone calls it that
Username, SIP user, extension
Username
The account name, without the @ part.
Password, secret
Password
Case-sensitive. Paste it rather than typing it.
Server, host, domain, registrar, realm
Domain
The server name only, such as sip.example.com, without sip: in front.
Auth ID, authentication user
Authentication ID (if different)
Only if your provider gives one that differs from the username. Under Advanced settings.
Proxy, outbound proxy
Outbound SIP Proxy URI
Only if your provider lists one. Under Advanced settings; filling it switches the proxy on.
Transport, protocol (UDP, TCP, TLS)
Transport
Pick exactly what the provider says. Linphone starts on TLS.
Incoming calls
Why it might not ring, platform by platform
Android Rings
Works, after one setting. Keep the app alive in the background and stop the battery saver from closing it.
iPhone App open only
Rings only while Linphone is open or was used very recently. iOS has no keep-alive option for third-party accounts.
Windows, macOS, Linux Rings
Works while the app runs. Closing the window does not quit it. Turn on start at login if you want it after a reboot.
Make Android ring with the app closed
- 1In Linphone, open Settings, then Advanced settings.
- 2Turn on Keep app alive using Service. A small notification stays in the bar; that is what keeps it listening.
- 3Leave Start when device boots on.
- 4Tap Linphone Android settings, open Battery, and choose Unrestricted or Don't optimise.
Samsung, Xiaomi, Huawei and OnePlus phones are the most aggressive at closing background apps. Don't kill my app lists the extra switch for each brand.
Worth knowing
Settings that make calls better
Expire (in seconds)
How often Linphone checks in with the server. Third-party accounts start at 3,600. On mobile data, 120 to 600 keeps calls reaching you.
STUN and ICE
On by default, using Linphone's own STUN server. They help audio find its way through home routers. Leave them on unless your provider says otherwise.
Media encryption
SRTP is offered but not forced. If your provider supports it, calls are encrypted between you and the server. If calls fail, make sure Media encryption mandatory is off.
Audio codecs
Keep G.711 (PCMU and PCMA) switched on for calls to phone numbers; it is what phone networks speak. Opus sounds better for app-to-app calls.
Echo canceller
Under Calls. Turn on the software echo canceller and run the calibration once if people hear themselves.
Use only Wi-Fi networks
Under Network. Handy if your mobile data is metered, but it means no calls on the move.
Troubleshooting
Every common Linphone error, and the fix
Status says Error right after Login
Transport does not match the provider
Set Transport to the provider's choice, usually UDP or TCP, and log in again.
Wrong username or password
Typo, or the provider uses a separate auth ID
Paste the login again. Fill Authentication ID (if different) when the provider gives one.
Registration fails with 404
Username and domain do not belong together
Check the username has no @ part and the domain is spelled exactly.
408 timeout or no response
The app cannot reach the server
Check the domain, switch Transport, or try another network. Some public Wi-Fi blocks SIP.
You hear them, they cannot hear you
NAT or a router feature called SIP ALG
Turn SIP ALG off in the router, keep STUN and ICE on, or switch to TCP or TLS.
Your correspondent does not hear you! (Android)
The microphone lost its permission or service
Tap the notification, then allow the microphone for Linphone.
Calls drop after a while on mobile data
The network forgets the connection between registrations
Lower Expire (in seconds) in the account settings to 120 to 600.
No incoming calls when the app is closed
Third-party accounts get no push notifications
Android: keep the app alive (below). iPhone: keep Linphone open. Desktop: leave it running.
Echo during calls
The phone has no hardware echo cancelling
Settings, Calls: turn on the software echo canceller and run Calibrate echo canceller, or use a headset.
Need a SIP account?
A login that calls phones in any country
Linphone is only the phone. To ring a mobile or a landline you need a SIP account from a provider. Ours comes with any calling minutes you buy, paid in crypto with no ID or email, and it works in Linphone exactly as above: your order page shows the username, password, server and transport to use.
One login calls every country you have minutes for, carries 10 calls at once, and can ring for incoming calls when you add a number. See the SIP account page for rates and details, or start with calls to the USA or calls to the UK.
Linphone does
- The app on your phone or computer
- Your contacts, call history, audio settings
Your SIP provider does
- Connecting calls to real phone numbers
- Your number, caller ID and per-minute rates
Linphone alone cannot call a phone number.
Linphone questions, answered
Is Linphone free?+
Yes. Linphone is free and open source under the GPLv3 licence, made by Belledonne Communications in France, on Android, iPhone, Windows, macOS and Linux. You still need a SIP account from a provider to call phone numbers.
Can Linphone call normal phone numbers?+
Yes, with a SIP account from a provider that connects to the phone network. Linphone's own free accounts only reach other SIP addresses, so they cannot ring a mobile or a landline.
Why does Linphone say Error after I log in?+
Most often the Transport. Linphone 6 sets it to TLS for third-party accounts, and many providers expect UDP or TCP. Change Transport to what your provider lists and log in again.
Why do I not get incoming calls when Linphone is closed?+
Linphone only sends push notifications for its own accounts, not for third-party ones. On Android, turn on Keep app alive using Service and exempt Linphone from battery optimisation. On iPhone, calls ring only while the app is open.
What goes in the Domain field?+
The server address your provider gave you, such as sip.example.com, with no sip: in front and no username. If the provider gives a separate proxy, it goes in Outbound SIP Proxy URI under Advanced settings.
Can I add two SIP accounts to Linphone?+
Yes. Tap your avatar, choose Add an account, and pick the third-party SIP account option again.
Is Linphone safe to use?+
It is open source, so its code is public, and it supports SRTP encryption for call audio when your provider does too. Encryption between Linphone users needs Linphone's own accounts; a third-party account is as private as its provider.
Does Linphone work on Windows 11?+
Yes. Download the 64-bit Windows installer from linphone.org. Version 6.x replaces 5.x when you install it, and closing the window keeps it running so calls still come in.
