diff --git a/code/game/machinery/hologram.dm b/code/game/machinery/hologram.dm
index e5d1d70d4a4..59e1a926d84 100644
--- a/code/game/machinery/hologram.dm
+++ b/code/game/machinery/hologram.dm
@@ -35,6 +35,28 @@ Possible to do for anyone motivated enough:
 
 GLOBAL_LIST_EMPTY(holopads)
 
+/**
+ * A stationary holopad for projecting hologram and making and receiving holocalls.
+ * 
+ * Holopads are floor-plane machines similar, in appearance and interactive function, to quantum pads. They can be
+ * used by crew members to make and answer holocalls, or by the AI to project holograms autonomously.
+ * 
+ * Holopads are machines which can project a hologram up to `holo_range` tiles away. They do this in one of two modes:
+ * holocalls, and AI holograms. Holocalls require a user to stand on a holopad, use its menu to select a remote holopad,
+ * and make a call. Holocalls must be answered by the receiving holopad, or they will fail. Holopads can be configured
+ * globally to auto-accept instead of failing, with the debug static variable `force_answer_call`. They can also be
+ * individually configured to auto-accept calls immediately by setting their public mode option (`public_mode`),
+ * which can be done in-game by using a screwdriver and then a multitool on a holopad. Holocalls will automatically end
+ * if power goes out, the caller moves off the calling holopad, the caller projects outside the receiving holopad's
+ * range, the caller is killed or incapacitated, the caller ghosts or disconnects, or the caller is QDELETED. AI
+ * holograms require the AI to focus on the originating holopad and click on it; no answer is required. If the AI moves
+ * out of a holopad's range and into the range of another, it will attempt to transfer its hologram to the next holopad.
+ * Otherwise, AI holograms will stop projecting if power goes out for the originating holopad, the AI clicks on its
+ * origin holopad, or, like holocalls, if the AI is killed, incapacitated, disconnected, QDELETED, or ghosts.
+ * Holopads relay speech from the caller made with the :h radio key, and relay all speech on the answering end to the
+ * caller or AI.
+ */
+
 /obj/machinery/hologram/holopad
 	name = "holopad"
 	desc = "It's a floor-mounted device for projecting holographic images."
@@ -47,17 +69,29 @@ GLOBAL_LIST_EMPTY(holopads)
 	max_integrity = 300
 	armor = list(melee = 50, bullet = 20, laser = 20, energy = 20, bomb = 0, rad = 0, fire = 50, acid = 0)
 
-	var/list/masters = list()//List of living mobs that use the holopad
-	var/list/holorays = list()//Holoray-mob link.
-	var/last_request = 0 //to prevent request spam. ~Carn
-	var/holo_range = 5 // Change to change how far the AI can move away from the holopad before deactivating.
+	/// List of living mobs currently using the holopad
+	var/list/masters = list()
+	/// Holoray-mob link.
+	var/list/holorays = list()
+	/// Last request time, to prevent request spam. ~Carn
+	var/last_request = 0 
+	/// The range, in tiles, that a holopad can project a hologram.
+	var/holo_range = 5
 	var/temp = ""
-	var/list/holo_calls	//array of /datum/holocalls
-	var/datum/holocall/outgoing_call	//do not modify the datums only check and call the public procs
-	var/static/force_answer_call = FALSE	//Calls will be automatically answered after a couple rings, here for debugging
+	/// A list of holocalls associated with this holopad.
+	var/list/holo_calls
+	/// The outgoing holocall currently being processed by this holopad.
+	var/datum/holocall/outgoing_call
+	/// Universal debug toggle for whether holopads will automatically answer calls after a few rings.
+	var/static/force_answer_call = FALSE
+	/// Toggle for auto-answering calls immediately, set via multitool.
+	var/public_mode = FALSE
+	/// The ray effect emanating from this holopad to the produced hologram.
 	var/obj/effect/overlay/holoray/ray
+	/// Whether or not this holopad is currently ringing, from being called by another pad.
 	var/ringing = FALSE
-	var/dialling_input = FALSE //The user is currently selecting where to send their call
+	/// Whether or not the user is currently selecting where to send their call.
+	var/dialling_input = FALSE
 
 /obj/machinery/hologram/holopad/Initialize(mapload)
 	. = ..()
@@ -120,6 +154,13 @@ GLOBAL_LIST_EMPTY(holopads)
 		return
 	return ..()
 
+/obj/machinery/hologram/holopad/multitool_act(mob/living/user, obj/item/I)
+	. = TRUE
+	if(!I.use_tool(src, user, 0, volume = I.tool_volume))
+		return
+	public_mode = !public_mode
+	to_chat(user, "<span class='notice'>You [public_mode ? "enable" : "disable"] the holopad's public mode setting.</span>")
+
 /obj/machinery/hologram/holopad/screwdriver_act(mob/user, obj/item/I)
 	. = TRUE
 	default_deconstruction_screwdriver(user, "holopad_open", "holopad0", I)
@@ -143,6 +184,11 @@ GLOBAL_LIST_EMPTY(holopads)
 	user.set_machine(src)
 	interact(user)
 
+/obj/machinery/hologram/holopad/examine(mob/user)
+	. = ..()
+	. += "<span class='notice'>Its maintenance panel can be <b>screwed [panel_open ? "closed" : "open"]</b>.</span>"
+	. += "<span class='notice'>Its public mode indicator reads <b>[public_mode ? "on" : "off"]</b>. It can be <b>turned [public_mode ? "off" : "on"]</b> by using a multitool while the maintenance panel is open.</span>"
+
 /obj/machinery/hologram/holopad/AltClick(mob/living/carbon/human/user)
 	if(..())
 		return
@@ -300,7 +346,7 @@ GLOBAL_LIST_EMPTY(holopads)
 			continue
 
 		if(HC.connected_holopad != src)
-			if(force_answer_call && world.time > (HC.call_start_time + (HOLOPAD_MAX_DIAL_TIME / 2)))
+			if((force_answer_call && world.time > (HC.call_start_time + (HOLOPAD_MAX_DIAL_TIME / 2))) || public_mode)
 				HC.Answer(src)
 				break
 			if(outgoing_call)