How to Make a FaceTime Video Call on iPhone

FaceTime is the free video calling app on every iPhone — here's how to call family and friends face-to-face using your phone.

In this guide (4 steps):

1.Open FaceTime and start a call
2.Make sure your camera is pointed at your face
3.Control your call with the on-screen buttons
4.Add more family members to the call

Open FaceTime and start a call

~35s

Find the FaceTime app on your iPhone — it has a green background with a white video camera icon. Tap it to open. Tap the plus (+) button in the top right corner. Type in the name of someone in your contacts, or their phone number or Apple ID (their email address). When their name appears, tap it, then tap "Video" to start a video call. Their phone will ring and when they answer, you'll see their face on your screen.

Quick Tip

You can also start a FaceTime call directly from the Contacts app or Messages: find the person, tap their name, and look for the FaceTime video icon.

Make sure your camera is pointed at your face

~35s

During a FaceTime call, your phone uses the front camera — the one on the same side as your screen that you use for selfies. Hold the phone at eye level in front of your face, roughly at arm's length. Looking slightly down at the phone is fine. Make sure there's good light in front of you (facing a window works well) rather than behind you, which makes you appear as a dark silhouette.

Quick Tip

If you rest your phone against a cup or book so you don't have to hold it, both you and the person you're calling will have a more comfortable, natural conversation.

Control your call with the on-screen buttons

~22s

During a call, tap the screen once to see the control buttons. The red phone button ends the call. The microphone button (with a line through it) mutes you so the other person can't hear you — tap it again to unmute. The camera button flips between your front and back cameras. If the buttons disappear, just tap the screen again to bring them back.

Add more family members to the call

~32s

During a FaceTime call, tap the screen to see the controls, then tap the person icon with a plus sign to add more people. Type in another contact's name and tap "Add." Great for holiday calls when family members are in different locations — everyone can see and talk to each other at the same time. FaceTime supports up to 32 people at once.

Quick Tip

If a FaceTime call is choppy, blurry, or keeps freezing, the most common fix is moving closer to your WiFi router. A weak WiFi signal is the number-one cause of poor video call quality.

You Did It!

You've completed: How to Make a FaceTime Video Call on iPhone

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FaceTime is a free video calling app that comes installed on every iPhone and iPad. It lets you see and talk to family and friends face-to-face over WiFi or phone data at no extra cost. All you need is an iPhone and a WiFi connection, and the person you're calling also needs an Apple device.

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