How to Create Facebook’s Messenger Rooms

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Facebook Messenger Rooms

Last updated on June 20th, 2020

Image Credits: TechCrunch.

Facebook’s new group video chat feature Messenger Rooms is now available which allows up to 50 people to video chat at a time. There’s no limit to how long you can talk, and you don’t even need a Facebook account to join a room.

Facebook Messenger Rooms privacy protections include the ability to control who sees your room and can lock or unlock it. If it’s unlocked, anyone with the link can join and share the room with others.

To create a room from your phone, make sure you have the latest version of the Facebook and Messenger mobile apps downloaded from the App Store or the Google Play Store. 

How to create a Room using the mobile Facebook app

  1. Open the app and tap on the home button.

  2. Tap on the “Room” button, located below create a post at the top of your News Feed.

  3. You will be given three options: “Room activity,” “Who is invited?” and “Start Time.”

  4. After setting your preferences for the room, tap “Create Room” (on an iPhone) or “Next” (on an Android phone).

  5. You’ll get a screen with options to invite people, share, edit, or end your room, and to copy the link. Click “Join Room” when you’re ready to start chatting.

  6. You’ll then be taken to the Messenger app. The controls for the room are the same but with one difference: if you tap the X in the top right corner to exit the room and no one else is in the room, the room will still remain open and Facebook will notify you when someone joins. Tap “Leave” in the pop-up box to continue. To end the call, go back to the Facebook app and click the “End Room” button. If you don’t see the “End Room” button, tap the square showing your room (tap anywhere outside of the “Join” button) and then click on “End Room.”

How to create a Room using the mobile Messenger app

  1. Open the Messenger app.

  2. Tap the People tab at the bottom right of the screen.

  3. Tap Create a Room and select the people who you want to join.

  4. To share a room with people who don’t have a Facebook account, you can share the link with them. You can also share the room in your News Feed, Groups, and Events.

  5. You can join a room from your phone or computer with the link you have without downloading anything.

How to create a Room using Facebook on your desktop

  1. At the top of your News Feed, you’ll see a section called “Rooms.”  You can click either “Create” in the top right corner of that bar or click on the bubble with your profile picture and a plus sign to start your room. There is also a Create Room Option underneath the Create post. 
    A window will pop up, giving you a few options.

  2. The first “Room activity” lets you designate a purpose for the room.

  3. Click on “Who is invited?” to adjust who can join the room. You’ll get two options. The first, “Friends,” automatically lets anyone in your Facebook friends list see your room at the top of their News Feed and join if they wish. The second, “Invite Specific Friends,” lets you select specific friends who can see and join your room.

  4. The third option in the “Create Your Room” window is “Start time,” which allows you to schedule the room for later.

  5. Once you’re done setting your preferences, click “Create Room” at the bottom of the “Create Your Room” window.

  6. You’ll get a pop-up window with the option to invite people, share, edit, or end the room. There will also be a link you can send to others to let them join the room. Click “Join” at the bottom to enter your room.

  7. You’ll then be taken to another window. Click the “Join as” button to enter the room. Your friends won’t be able to join the room until you do.

  8. Messenger Rooms does not have a chat function. If you hover over the participants’ tiles, you should see a bar with their name in it. Click the three dots next to their name to see the drop-down options, including the ability to remove people. If a participant joined using their Facebook account, you’ll also see the option to view their profile or to send them a message. The messaging option will open up Messenger in a separate tab or window.

  9. If you click on the “See call participants” icon at the bottom of the screen, you’ll find some additional options. You can prevent others from joining the call by toggling on “Lock Room” (if you toggle this on, you’ll then have to click “Lock” in another pop-up window). At the bottom of the window, you’ll be provided with the link you can use to invite additional people to the room.
  10. To end the room, click the “Settings” option at the top of this window, and select “End Room.” You’ll be taken to an additional window asking you to confirm that you want to end the room; click “End Room” in the bottom right corner of that window.

There is also a shortcut you can use to set up a room.

  • Click “Messenger” in the sidebar on the left.

  • Click on the button in the top left corner which looks like a camera with a plus sign in it.

  • You’ll be taken straight to the screen which lets you join the room.