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How to make a Group FaceTime call

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How to make a Group FaceTime call

Last updated on June 20th, 2020

Image Credits: Apple.

You can have up to 32 people on a FaceTime call, so it’s a good video-chatting option if you don’t want to download another app to have a group video call — as long as you and your friends all have Apple devices. 

To use FaceTime, you need to be running iOS 12.1.4 or later on an iPhone 6S or more recent model or an iPod touch (seventh generation). If you’re using an iPad, it should be an iPad Pro, iPad Air 2, iPad (fifth generation), iPad mini 4. or a more recent model of any of those devices, running iPadOS.

Here’s how to make group FaceTime calls on your iPhone, iPad, and Mac.

How to make a group FaceTime call using FaceTime on iPhone and iPad

  1. Open FaceTime on your iPhone or iPad.

  2. Tap the Add button button in the upper-right corner.

  3. Type the names or numbers of the people you want to call in the entry field at the top. You can also tap the Add Contact button to open Contacts and add people from there. You can enter up to 30 additional contacts.

  4. Tap Video  to make a video call or tap Audio  to make a FaceTime audio call. 

How to make a group FaceTime call using FaceTime on Macbook

  1. Open the FaceTime app on your Mac.

  2. Type the names, phone numbers, or email addresses of the people you want to talk to into the search bar.

  3. Click the video or audio icon, depending on what kind of call you want to make.

  4. You’ll have to press the video or audio button in the bottom-left of the screen to start the call.

  5. This will send the notification to the people you want to talk to. They’ll have to click on that notification, which will take them to another screen, where they can press another button to join.

  6. If the people you’ve contacted aren’t responding, you can give them a nudge. Click on the button showing a window with a sidebar in the bottom-left corner. This will show you who has been invited to be a part of the call. Press “Ring” to automatically open up the call screen on their phone. They can join the call from there.

How to make a group FaceTime call using Messages on iPhone and iPad

  1. Open FaceTime on your iPhone or iPad.

  2. In the Messages conversation, tap the profile pictures, or the My Account button, at the top of the conversation.

  3. Tap FaceTime to start the call. 

Add another person to a call

Any participant can add another person at any time during a Group FaceTime call.

  1. During a FaceTime call, tap the screen to open the controls, swipe up from the top of the controls, then tap Add Person.

  2. Type the name, Apple ID, or phone number of the person you want to add in the entry field at the top. Or tap the Add button to add someone from Contacts.

  3. Tap Add Person to FaceTime.

How to make a group FaceTime call using Messages on Mac

You can also start a Group FaceTime call from the Messages app on your Mac:

  1. Open a conversation or group chat.

  2. Click on “Details”.

  3. Click the video icon to start a video call or the audio icon to start an audio call.

To add someone to a group FaceTime call on your Mac:

  1. Click the button that looks like a window with a sidebar in the lower-left corner of the screen to open the sidebar.

  2. Click the “Add Person” button.

  3. Type in the name, number, or email of the person you want to add.

  4. Click “Add”

To join a FaceTime call on your Mac, you can either click on the pop-up notification (assuming you got one) or open FaceTime. When you open up FaceTime, you should see a list of recent and active calls. If a call is active, it will have a green video button next to it. To join, click on that icon and then click the video button at the bottom-left of the screen.