# Release an Extension from a Provisioned IP Phone or Gateway

When a staff member leaves the company or no longer needs the device tied to their extension, you can release (unbind) that extension from the hardware. An extension is the internal number and identity assigned to a user. Releasing it frees the extension so you can assign it to a different device, and it stops the old device from registering (announcing itself to the phone system so incoming calls can route to it).

The exact steps depend on the device type:

- An **IP phone** is a desk phone that connects to the phone system over your network (IP stands for Internet Protocol).
- A **gateway** is hardware that connects analog handsets or phone lines to the phone system through numbered ports, with one extension bound to each port.

Everything below is done in the PBX web portal. PBX (Private Branch Exchange) is the phone system platform that manages extensions, calls, and device provisioning.

:::caution
Releasing an extension stops that device from making or receiving calls on the extension, including emergency (911) calls. Before you release someone's only phone, confirm they have another working way to reach emergency services.
:::

## Release an extension from a provisioned phone

1. Remove the binding between the extension and the phone.
   1. Sign in to the PBX web portal and open **Extension and Trunk > Extension**, then open the extension you want to edit.
   2. Switch to the **Phone** tab.
   3. Select **Release From Phone**, then confirm with **Yes**.
   4. Click **Save**.

   The extension is now unbound from the phone.

2. Re-provision the phone so the extension is de-registered on the device. Open **Auto Provisioning > Phones** and click the refresh icon ![Re-provision the device](/images/pbx/refresh.png) next to the phone you are clearing.

   :::caution
   Releasing the extension in the portal updates the phone system, but the phone keeps its old settings until you re-provision it. Re-provisioning pushes the updated configuration down to the device so it drops the extension and stops registering. Do not skip this step, or the phone may keep trying to register the released extension.
   :::

## Release an extension from a provisioned gateway

1. Remove the binding between the extension and the gateway port.
   1. Sign in to the PBX web portal and open **Extension and Trunk > Extension**, then open the extension you want to edit.
   2. Switch to the **Phone** tab.
   3. Select **Release From Phone**, then confirm with **Yes**.
   4. Click **Save**.

   The extension is now unbound from the gateway.

2. Reboot the gateway to apply the change.

   :::caution
   Rebooting the gateway restarts every port on it, so any calls in progress on that gateway are dropped, not only this one extension. Reboot during a maintenance window or a quiet period when you can.
   :::

:::note
After the gateway restarts, the extension is automatically unregistered on its port.
:::

:::tip
Once the extension is released it is no longer bound to any device. You can bind it to a new phone or gateway port later from the same **Phone** tab.
:::