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8x8 Support

8x8 Web Dialer: Google Chrome always asks to open URL:votel when a phone number is clicked

Symptom

Every time a phone number highlighted by the 8x8 Web Dialer Chrome plugin is clicked, Chrome prompts the user to Open URL:votel instead of immediately sending the dial request to 8x8 Work for Desktop.

Chrome also no longer offers the option to "Always open these types of links in the associated app" to prevent this message from popping.

However, once the Open URL:votel button is clicked, the outbound call is initiated through 8x8 Work for Desktop.

Note that this issue affects all external application protocols when invoked from Chrome, including Open URL:tel.

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Applies To

  • 8x8 Web Dialer for Chrome
  • Chrome version 77 and higher

Cause

This issue is caused by a deliberate design change made by Google, which affects all applications that are launched in Chrome using this method.

Previously Google stated that: "This is intended. The 'Always open these types of links in the associated app' checkbox is missing because the devs discussed that it wasn't right as there is no option to undo such a choice."

Reference to this wide-ranging issue can be found in Google's community Chrome Help forum, here.

Resolution

Currently there is no easy workaround for this issue, since the desired functionality was deliberately removed from Chrome by Google.

Web Dialer users will need to continue clicking on Open URL:votel or Open URL:tel if using 8x8 Web Dialer to initiate phone calls, at least until Google chooses to re-enable this feature in some way.