How to make a group call using FaceTime

How to make a group call using FaceTime?

O FaceTime is the most popular place for audio and video conferencing for the Mac and iOS platforms.

Before 2018, it was limited to just two people – but everything has changed, and now you can include up to 32 participants in your conversations. FaceTime.

Here is how to do it.

System Requirements

Group FaceTime video calls require iOS 12.1.4 or later, or iPadOS/iOS on an iPhone 6S or later, iPad Pro or later, iPad Air 2 or later, iPad Mini 4 or later, iPad (5th generation), or iPod Touch (7th generation).

Earlier Apple hardware models that support iOS 12.1.4 can participate in group calls via audio only.

For Mac, FaceTime audio or video calls require MacOS 10.7 or later, a working internet connection, and a built-in or connected microphone or camera.

Starting a Group FaceTime on iOS from FaceTime

You can use your contact list to find people for a group FaceTime call.

Contacts whose names appear in blue are running at least iOS 12.1 and have a FaceTime-compatible device.

Contact names that appear in gray do not have FaceTime-compatible hardware or software.

The audio and video buttons should be green, meaning you can start a group call with your chosen participants.

Step 1: Go to Definitions > Facetime and activate the Facetime to control.

Step 2: Launch FaceTime and tap the “+” button in the top right corner.

Step 3: Enter contact names, phone numbers, or email addresses, or open the Contacts app and add people from there.

Step 4: Touch Audio or Video to start your call.

Starting a Group FaceTime on iOS from Messages

You can also start a Group FaceTime directly from an existing group conversation in Messages.

Step 1: Launch Messages and start a group conversation or go to an existing group conversation.

Step 2: Tap Contacts circle at the top of the group conversation.

Step 3: Touch Facetime and start your call.

Adding a person to a group FaceTime call

When you add someone to a group FaceTime call, they can't be removed, but that new person can end their participation in the call by tapping the X. The call remains active if two or more participants are still talking.

Step 1: In the call, swipe up from the bottom of the screen.

Step 2: Touch Add person.

Step 3: Enter the contact's name, phone number, or email.

Step 4: Touch Add person to FaceTime.

Joining a Group FaceTime Call

When someone invites you to join a group FaceTime call, you receive a notification. Even if you decline at the beginning, you can tap to join the call at any time while it's in progress.

Step 1: To join a Messages call, tap the notification at the top of the screen or tap Join group conversation in Messages to connect immediately.

Step 2: To join a FaceTime app call, go to the active FaceTime call and tap Join.

What are group calls like?

All participants in a FaceTime call can see each other through individual thumbnail windows.

In iOS 15, the app added a grid view feature that is also useful for larger groups.

Otherwise, the current speaker's image is highlighted and moves to the top of the screen.

The app automatically resizes participants' images based on how much they talk, how long they talk, volume of speech, and physical movements.

Those just listening to the proceedings appear at the bottom of the screen. When the call ends, each person taps the “X” button to disconnect.

Starting a group FaceTime call on a Mac with FaceTime

Starting with MacOS 10.14.3, you can use Group FaceTime to chat with up to 32 people, just like on iOS.

FaceTime displays between four and nine video image blocks simultaneously, corresponding to the active speakers.

Step 1: First Launch the FaceTime app and use the search field to enter the email addresses or phone numbers of the people you want to include.

Step 2: Then If a person is already in your contacts, type their name or choose from the list and click To add.

Step 3: However Click Audio or Video for the call.

Step 4: However To join the call from the FaceTime app, click next to the active call and click to join.

Step 5: Meanwhile To join the call from a notification, click Join.

Step 6: Finally, to toggle settings during a call, move your mouse over the FaceTime window to show the on-screen controls.

Start a group FaceTime call on a Mac with Messages

Step 1: Firstly, you can start a FaceTime call through the Messages app or join an existing call in progress via notification.

Step 2: Then To join a call from the Messages app, click Join in group chat.

Step 3: To add a person to a Group FaceTime call, click to show the sidebar, then click to add a new person.

Adding special effects to a call

Participants in a group call can add stickers, text, Animoji, Memoji, and other effects during a call — if you have an iPhone X or later, an 11-inch iPad Pro (1st and 2nd generation), or 12-inch iPad Pro, 9 inches (3rd generation and later).

In fact, for devices without Face ID, other camera effects such as filters, text, and shapes are available for group FaceTime calls.

However You need iOS 13 or iPadOS to use Memoji stickers and emoji stickers.

Step 1: First Tap the screen and then tap the star icon in the icon panel.

Step 2: Then Tap the icon for the desired effect, such as an Animoji filter icon, tricolor circles, Aa text icon, or the red wavy shape icon.

Changing settings during a call

Regardless of what type of conference you're in, you can change the audio and video settings in the FaceTime app at any time.

First Tap Camera off to turn off the camera and tap again to turn it on again.

In Touch Spin to switch to the rear camera and tap again to switch to the front camera.

However Touch Mute to turn off the sound and tap again to turn the sound back on.

Finally Tap Speaker to toggle between mute and speaker.