Dialpad on Citrix Virtual Apps

Dialpad can be used in Citrix Virtual Apps and Desktops (CVAD) environments with Browser Content Redirection (BCR). This lets Citrix offload supported web content from the Virtual Delivery Agent (VDA) to the local device, reducing server load and improving the in-session experience for web-based communications.

Who can use this

Users can run Dialpad in supported Citrix Virtual Apps and Desktops environments that have Browser Content Redirection configured by their IT team. Dialpad supports users on the Web App in virtual environments, but VDI environments require additional planning, and troubleshooting may still need to be reproduced outside the VDI environment.

Note

Only the browser viewport is redirected to the client device. Browser controls, such as the address bar and toolbar, still run in the VDA session.

With Browser Content Redirection, Citrix redirects the browser viewport to the local device and uses the client machine’s resources to render the page. This improves call quality and audio latency when using VDI, reduces server-side CPU and memory usage, and improves responsiveness for supported web content.

By default, Citrix uses client fetch and client render, where the client-side browser engine fetches the page directly. If that does not work for the environment, administrators can configure server fetch and client render so that content is fetched through the VDA instead.

Let’s dive into the details.

Audio latency and quality issues on VDI

VDI environments introduce an extra hop into the audio flow. Normally, when using Dialpad, audio flows from your device to our telephony infrastructure. When using a VDI environment, audio must flow from the device to the VDI infrastructure and then to our telephony infrastructure. This causes audio delay and quality issues.

Citrix BCR renders specific websites locally through the Citrix Workspace client. This can be enabled for specific websites, such as dialpad.com. This means the Dialpad web app will render locally on the VDI host machine rather than in the VDI environment, eliminating the additional VDI audio hop and achieving audio latency and quality similar to using Dialpad locally.

Note

Citrix BCR is a browser plugin; only the Dialpad web app is compatible with it. The Dialpad native app is not supported with Citrix BCR.

Requirements

To use Dialpad with Citrix Virtual Apps and Desktops, make sure you have:

• A supported Citrix Virtual Apps and Desktops deployment with Browser Content Redirection enabled.

• A supported browser on the VDA, either Google Chrome or Microsoft Edge, plus the Citrix Browser Redirection extension installed on that browser.

• A supported Citrix Workspace app on the client device.

• The Dialpad web client

Note

Not all virtual environments are supported and must be assessed on a case-by-case basis.

Client device requirements

These are the requirements for Citrix BCR:

Dialpad app support

Depending on how your environment is configured, use this Dialpad option in your Citrix environment:

• Dialpad web client

For general Dialpad platform requirements, review our Dialpad App Requirements article.

Key terms

Set up the client device

Ensure the local device has a supported version of the Citrix Workspace app installed.

If you plan to use Dialpad as a Progressive Web App, ensure the local environment meets Dialpad’s PWA requirements.

Set up BCR on the VDA

Complete the following setup on the Citrix side:

1. On the VDA, install and configure the Citrix Browser Redirection extension in Google Chrome or Microsoft Edge

2. In Citrix Web Studio, turn on Browser Content Redirection

3. Add the Dialpad URL or URLs you want redirected to the Browser content redirection ACL configuration:

   • https://dialpad.com/*

   • https://*.dialpad.com/*

   • https://meetings.dialpad.com/*

4. Add any authentication domains needed that can be used during sign-in to the Browser content redirection authentication sites policy, so redirection continues during login

5. Ensure the Browser Content Redirection Deny List does not contain any Dialpad URLs

6. If the client device can’t fetch web content directly, configure the Browser content redirection proxy so Citrix can use server fetch and client render instead

Note

For detailed steps about different configuration setups, see the Citrix documentation.

Validate the Citrix setup

After setup is complete, verify that Dialpad is using Citrix Browser Content Redirection.

1. Open the Dialpad web app in the supported browser, or open the supported Dialpad app option used in your environment

2. Sign in if needed

3. Select Hardware Settings

4. Ensure your microphone and speaker list local devices, not only remote or virtual audio devices

5. Place a test call and confirm audio (quality and latency), video, and screen sharing work in both directions

6. If you’re using the browser-based setup, check the Citrix extension icon status:

   • Green: redirection is active and connected

   • Gray: isn’t active on the current tab

   • Red: redirection is not working

Frequently asked questions

Why isn’t Browser Content Redirection working for Dialpad?

Check that Browser Content Redirection is enabled, that the Dialpad URL is on the ACL allow list, that the Citrix browser extension is installed in the VDA browser, and that the client device is using a supported Citrix Workspace app. Refer to Citrix documentation for more details.

Which browsers are supported on the VDA?

Citrix supports Google Chrome and Microsoft Edge for Browser Content Redirection.

What if the client device does not have direct internet access?

Citrix supports server-fetch and client-render modes for environments where the client cannot fetch content directly, such as in some thin-client deployments.

Does Dialpad fully support troubleshooting inside VDI environments?

Not always. Dialpad Support may need to reproduce an issue outside the VDI environment. If the issue cannot be reproduced there, customers may be asked to work with their virtualization vendor.

Are Remote Desktop Clients supported?

No. Dialpad does not support using its services via Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP).