Did you know you can make group Facetime video calls on your iPhone, iPad, or mac book? If you didn’t, now you know. Video calls are more appreciated than ever now that several countries around the world are on lockdown because of the coronavirus pandemic. This has made many ios users rely on Facetime to chat with individual friends and family during this tough time.
However, not many people are aware that you can actually make group Facetime video calls, which can accommodate up to 31 other participants. Now, quarantine never has to be lonely. There are a few caveats, of course, you’ll definitely need iOS 12.1.4 or iPadOS on either an iPhone 6s or later, iPad Pro or later, iPad Air 2 or later or iPad mini 4 or later.
Apart from that, it’s a thoroughly enjoyable and easy way to catch up with groups of friends at the same time. We will show you how to use Facetime for group video calls in a fast and easy way. Let us get into it right away.
How To Make Group Facetime Video Calls On Apple Devices
When it comes to initiating a group video chat on Facetime, it is done in a few easy steps. Irrespective of whether it is work or play, there are two main ways to initiate a group video chat on Facetime using the Facetime app, or via the Messages app.
The Facetime app is the best app to use if you are creating a new group video chat. However, we’ll recommend the Messages app if you’re looking to video chat with an existing group.
Using the Facetime App
Open the app and tap the Plus icon in the top-right of the app. Enter names, numbers, or email addresses of the people you’ll like to invite to a group Facetime call. You can add up to 32 people to a single group on Facetime, but we’ll imagine it’ll get pretty hectic at this point.
Tap Audio or Video, depending on if you want a video or audio chat – to initiate the group session and send invites to your friends to join.
Using Messages App
While the Facetime app is the go-to to initiate group for video chats, you can also use the Messages app. This makes the process much easier, as you can simply video chat all participants of an existing group chat without having to invite them individually. To do this, follow the steps below:
- Start by opening the Messages app then tap on your chosen group conversation.
- Then, tap the Contacts icon (the group of profile icons at the top of the chat).
- Tap the Facetime icon to begin your group video call.
- Now click on the camera icon. This automatically opens the Facetime app and attempts to place the Group Facetime call.
Group Facetime Video Call On Mac
Some people prefer to use their Macbook to make video calls, and that is completely fine. The larger the screen, the better the experience. To have a group video chat on your Macbook, just follow the steps below.
- Go to Messages, then open an existing conversation or create a new group.
- Finally, click on Details, just beside the names of the people in the group.
Joining a Group Facetime Call
Now that we have covered how to create a group video chat on Facetime, we will now explain how to join because, much like creating the call, there are a few ways to join.
Notifications: this is the easiest way to join a group FaceTime call. You can join by simply tapping the notification that you should receive once the group call is initiated.
Facetime app: to join a group call via the FaceTime app, simply open the app, then tap the green camera icon next to the active call in the list.
Messages app: if your video chat was initiated from a group conversation in the Messages app, all you need to do is simply open the conversation, then tap the green Join button in the message thread.
Adding Others to the Group Video Chat
During the video chat, if you realize you’ve forgotten to invite a particular friend or colleague, you can invite them without having to leave the call. Follow the steps below to do that.
- Tap the Plus icon in the top-right (displayed when you tap on-screen to display camera controls)
- Enter the name, number, or email address of the person you’d like to add.
- Tap Add Person to Facetime.
Here’s how to use Facetime on Android as the iPhone.
Conclusion
Now that you know how to start a group video call on Facetime, there is nothing stopping you from having a group conversation with friends and family during this pandemic period. All you need to do is follow the simple steps explained above, and you’ll feel much closer to friends and family.