[[File:External lift control panel.jpg|upright|thumb|An external control panel]]
Elevators are typically controlled from the outside by up and down buttons at each stop. When pressed at a certain floor, the elevator arrives to pick up more passengers. If the particular elevator is currently serving traffic in a certain direction, it will only answer hall calls in the same direction unless there are no more calls beyond that floor.

In a group of two or more elevators, the call buttons may be linked to a central dispatch computer, such that they illuminate and cancel together. This is done to ensure that only one car is called at one time.

Key switches may be installed on the ground floor so that the elevator can be remotely switched on or off from the outside.

In [[sky lobby]] elevator systems, one would select the intended destination floor (in lieu of pressing "up") and be notified which elevator is to serve that request.

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विशेष अनुचालन स्थिती/पद्धती Special operating modes
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