FaceTime is Apple's video and audio chatting platform that lets iPhone users communicate with one another through the standard FaceTime video protocol or using the FaceTime audio feature.

General Apps FaceTime
As a key ‌iPhone‌, iPad, and Mac feature, FaceTime is widely known, but if you're new to FaceTime, this guide will walk you through everything you need to know. Even established FaceTime users may learn a trick or two.

Setting Up FaceTime

If you have an ‌iPhone‌, FaceTime, much like iMessage, is activated automatically using your phone number, but you can also choose to use it with an email address instead. Getting FaceTime up and running happens automatically after your ‌iPhone‌ is activated with a SIM card, but if for some reason it's not working or it's been turned off, you can follow the steps in the how to below.

facetimesetupapple
When you use an ‌iPhone‌ with FaceTime, your other devices can also use your phone number to place FaceTime calls so long as you are signed into the same iCloud account on all of them.

If you don't have an ‌iPhone‌, FaceTime can be set up on an ‌iPad‌, iPod touch, or Mac through the FaceTime app using an email address.

There is no option to entirely remove a phone number from FaceTime, though if you have an ‌iPhone‌ with dual-SIM capabilities, you can choose between two different numbers. You can choose to use an email address with FaceTime instead of a phone number, and there are also options to change the email address that you're using.

FaceTime Video vs. FaceTime Audio

There are two ways to use FaceTime. You can use FaceTime video, which is the standard way to use FaceTime with a two-way video connection (or more, with Group FaceTime), or you can use FaceTime Audio, which, as the name suggests, is an audio-only option.

facetimeaudio
FaceTime video is great for when you want to see the person on the other end of the call, while FaceTime Audio is basically akin to a voice-based phone call. FaceTime Audio often offers better call quality than a regular phone call because it's a VoIP service similar to something like Skype.

Devices Compatible With FaceTime

FaceTime is an app that's available across Apple devices. FaceTime Video and FaceTime Audio work on the ‌iPhone‌, iPod touch, ‌iPad‌, and Mac.

You can answer and place FaceTime Audio calls on the HomePod and the Apple Watch, but video calls do not work on these devices.

Making a FaceTime Video Call

Making a FaceTime video call is as simple as opening up the FaceTime app on your ‌iPhone‌, ‌iPad‌, or Mac, tapping the "New FaceTime" button, choosing a contact, and tapping on the "FaceTime" option for video, or the little phone icon for audio.

facetimevideocall
FaceTime can also be initiated through the Contacts app by selecting a contact and choosing the FaceTime option, or through the Messages app by tapping on a person's name in an iMessage thread and then choosing the FaceTime option. You can also set up Favorites through the Contacts app and make a FaceTime call through the Phone app (‌iPhone‌) or through the Favorites widget in the Today section of the Notification Center (‌iPhone‌ and ‌iPad‌).

Note that you can choose from FaceTime Audio or Video in the FaceTime app, but initiating FaceTime through Contacts or Messages initiates a video call right away.

When you initiate a FaceTime call with someone, the front-facing camera on your Mac, ‌iPad‌, or ‌iPhone‌ will activate so that the person on the other end can see you. Unlike with a phone call, FaceTime calls often reach the other person near instantaneously.

Answering an incoming FaceTime video call will also activate the front-facing camera on your ‌iPhone‌, ‌iPad‌, or Mac because FaceTime is primarily a video chatting platform.

Making a FaceTime Audio Call

If you want to initiate a call with someone but want to use voice chat instead of video, you can use FaceTime Audio. Unlike a traditional phone call, FaceTime Audio can be placed on the ‌iPhone‌, ‌iPad‌, or Mac, and it uses either a WiFi or cellular connection.

FaceTime Audio can be preferable to a standard phone call because it's often higher quality because it uses a higher-quality codec that exceeds even HD voice services offered by carriers.

A FaceTime Audio call is easiest to place in the FaceTime app by choosing a person to contact and then tapping the phone icon instead of the FaceTime option. The other option for FaceTime Audio is using Favorites set up in the Phone app or the Favorites Widget in the Notification Center.

You can also activate FaceTime Audio in Messages by tapping on a contact and then choosing the "Audio" option, or in the Contacts app by tapping on the phone icon under the FaceTime heading. FaceTime Audio is the only version of FaceTime that works on the Apple Watch.

FaceTime on Android and PCs

As of iOS 15, FaceTime can be used across different platforms. Apple created FaceTime links because there's a new option to join FaceTime calls on the web, which means PC and Android users can participate in FaceTime for the first time.

facetime android
An ‌iPhone‌, Mac, or ‌iPad‌ user needs to create a FaceTime link, but once created, anyone can tap it to join. To join from the web, Chrome or Edge browsers are required. FaceTime from the web works on-on-one or in Group FaceTime calls.

Apple changed how FaceTime works in iOS 15, so you can create something more akin to a Zoom link, but for FaceTime. You can make a FaceTime link that other people can tap to join your FaceTime call.

facetime create web link
Links let you schedule FaceTime calls in advance and then share the links with others so everyone can join the meeting or group chat at the appropriate time. FaceTime integrates directly with the Apple Calendar app.

To create a link, just open up the FaceTime app and then tap the "Create Link" option next to "New FaceTime." You can share the link in a text message, another messaging service, an email, or AirDrop it, and people can click it to join in.

Using FaceTime Over WiFi

FaceTime works best when using WiFi, because a video connection between two parties can be data heavy. You're going to get the clearest picture when using a high-speed WiFi or cellular connection.

FaceTime will use WiFi by default when connected to a WiFi network on ‌iPhone‌, ‌iPad‌, or Mac.

If your connection speeds aren't high enough, video will look pixelated and when connection speeds are very slow, the video feed will cut off entirely. FaceTime Audio requires less data than standard FaceTime, but with very poor connectivity, it can fail or sound distorted.

Using FaceTime Over LTE/5G

On devices with an LTE connection like an ‌iPhone‌ or ‌iPad‌ (or a Mac connected to a hotspot), FaceTime works over cellular as well.

Most cellular phone plans no longer have limited minutes, but FaceTime Audio and the standard FaceTime video do not use up cell phone minutes. It's worth noting that FaceTime does eat up data, and how much data it uses will vary by device, connection quality, and other factors.

You can see how much data you've used in a FaceTime call by opening up the FaceTime app and tapping on the "i" next to a person in your recent call list. More detailed instructions are below:

FaceTiming With Multiple People Using Group FaceTime

With Group FaceTime, you can video (or audio) chat with up to 32 people at one time.

Group FaceTime presents all of the participants in a tiled view, with the size of each person's tile varying based on the number of participants in the chat. The tile size for the person speaking at the moment will get larger to provide attention to that person, but you can also use Focus View to double tap on any participant that you want to see in the chat.

macosmojavegroupfacetime
New people can be added to an existing Group FaceTime chat at any time, so you can start up a chat with a group of friends and then add other people as time goes on. Group FaceTime calls send a ringless notification to participants that can be tapped to join.

You can also set up a Group FaceTime call through the Messages app by tapping on the FaceTime option in a group chat.

Group FaceTime calls can be answered on ‌iPhone‌, ‌iPad‌, Mac, Apple Watch, or ‌HomePod‌, but with the latter two options, users can only join chats with audio and no video.

Group FaceTime is available on all devices where FaceTime is available, but on older Apple devices, Group FaceTime is available in an audio-only capacity. This includes the ‌iPhone‌ 5s, ‌iPhone‌ 6 and ‌iPhone‌ 6 Plus, iPad mini 2, ‌iPad mini‌ 3, and iPad Air.

Automatic Prominence in Group FaceTime

Apple in iOS 13.5 added a feature for Group FaceTime that lets you toggle off Automatic Prominence, aka the feature that makes people's tiles change size depending on who happens to be speaking.

With Automatic Prominence turned off, people's tiles won't get bigger when they speak, and will instead be displayed in a grid view with equal sizes. There's also an option to enable Automatic Prominence when someone who uses sign language is detected so you can see what's being signed.

FaceTime Compact UI

As of iOS and iPadOS 14, an incoming FaceTime call no longer takes over the entire display of the ‌iPhone‌ or the ‌iPad‌, with the call instead showing up as a small banner.

ios14facetime
The banner is interactive and can be tapped to accept or decline a FaceTime call, with more information available in our guide to the iOS 14 interface.

Picture in Picture

With iOS 14, you can do other things on your ‌iPhone‌ while chatting with a FaceTime window open thanks to the new Picture in Picture mode that's available.

pictureinpicturefacetime
Swiping out of FaceTime will now open up a Picture in Picture window that can be resized, so you can use apps without having FaceTime paused. More info on Picture in Picture and how to use it can be found in our Picture in Picture guide.

Eye Contact

If you enable the "Eye Contact" feature in FaceTime's settings, it tweaks the FaceTime video to make it look like you're making eye contact with the person you're talking to while you're looking at the ‌iPhone‌ or ‌iPad‌'s screen.

Using Memoji and Animoji When in FaceTime

When using FaceTime for a video chat, you can choose to overlay an Animoji or Memoji character over your head, which is a fun way to chat with kids or to add a bit of whimsy to a conversation.

facetimememoji
You can choose any of the emoji-like Animoji characters or any of the Memoji that you've created for use in the Messages app. Animoji and Memoji use the TrueDepth camera system to track your head and mouth movements for a very realistic interactive experience.

Because TrueDepth is required, this feature is limited to devices that have a TrueDepth camera and it will not work on older devices. Animoji and Memoji also only work on the ‌iPhone‌ and the ‌iPad‌, with no Mac option available.

Adding a Memoji or Animoji to cover your face in ‌FaceTime‌ is as simple as tapping on your picture when you're on a FaceTime call, then tapping the star icon, aka the "Effects" icon. From there, tap on the "Memoji" icon (face in a square) on the left side.

Using Effects in FaceTime

Along with Animoji and Memoji, you can apply filters, stickers, animated shapes, Memoji and Animoji stickers, and text to your FaceTime video to spice it up.

There are a range of filters to choose from, ranging from those that simply tweak colors to those that add effects like watercolor, comic book, aged film, ink, and more.

As for stickers, there are some animated shapes available by default along with Memoji and Amimoji stickers that are emoji-like still versions of Animoji/Memoji, plus you can use any sticker pack purchased from the App Store or made available through an app you already have installed.

Capturing a Live Photo With FaceTime

When using FaceTime for a video call, you can capture a Live Photo of a moment during a chat. All you need to do to take a Live Photo is to tap on the display to bring up the camera button and then tap the camera button.

facetimeiphoneipad
Tapping on the camera button lets you know that you took a Live Photo, and it lets the person on the other end of the call know that you took a Live Photo. That prevents people from taking Live Photos of you during a chat without your knowledge.

To use this feature, the participants in the video call need to have ‌Live Photos‌ in FaceTime enabled, which can be found by opening up Settings, choosing FaceTime, and then toggling on FaceTime ‌Live Photos‌.

If you disable this by toggling it off, no one will be able to take FaceTime ‌Live Photos‌ when chatting with you.

Using SharePlay

SharePlay is a major FaceTime feature that was introduced in iOS 15, and it's basically a way for you to do more on FaceTime calls with your friends and family. You can watch TV together, listen to music, and share your screen. SharePlay is was introduced in iOS 15.1, iPadOS 15.1, tvOS 15.1, and macOS Monterey 12.1 after being delayed from the initial launch versions of the software.

facetime shareplay screenshots mythic quest
SharePlay makes the FaceTime experience a whole lot better because it can be used for screen sharing, watching movies and TV together, or listening to music with Apple Music. Third-party app developers can also build SharePlay into their apps, so there are a whole range of new FaceTime games and experiences.

For a full rundown on SharePlay and other features introduced in the iOS 15 update, we have a dedicated guide.

Blocking Unwanted FaceTime Calls

If you're getting unwanted FaceTime video and audio calls, there is an option to put a stop to them through the built-in blocking feature in the Contacts app. You can tap on the little "i" button next to name or number in the list of recent FaceTime calls in the FaceTime app or the Phone app to bring up a little contact card.

The contact card will have a "Block this Caller" option at the bottom, and if you tap it, that person will no longer be able to contact you.

Countries Where FaceTime is Available

FaceTime is available in almost all countries around the world, with the exception of the United Arab Emirates. To use FaceTime in Saudi Arabia, an ‌iPhone‌ or ‌iPad‌ must be running iOS 11.3 or later, and to use FaceTime in Pakistan, devices must run iOS 12.4 or later.

Devices purchased in certain Middle Eastern countries will also block FaceTime if a SIM card from a non Middle Eastern country is inserted. FaceTime Audio is not available in China. All iPhones and iPads sold in China are limited to the standard FaceTime with video feature.

Note that if you purchase an ‌iPhone‌ or ‌iPad‌ in China or the United Arab Emirates and then attempt to use it in another country, the FaceTime features listed above will be disabled. Purchasing an ‌iPhone‌ from China or the Middle East is not recommended unless you live in those places.

Guide Feedback

Have questions about FaceTime, know of something we left out, or want to offer feedback on this guide? Send us an email here.

Related Articles

maxresdefault

Testing FaceTime on Apple TV With Belkin's New MagSafe iPhone Mount

Wednesday March 6, 2024 10:34 am PST by
Belkin this week released a new iPhone Mount with MagSafe, which is designed to attach to a television for use with the Apple TV 4K. The MagSafe Mount lets you use your iPhone as a camera for your Apple TV on FaceTime calls. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. Apple actually showed off this mount when it introduced FaceTime on Apple TV, but it hasn't been available for ...
tvos 17

Apple Announces tvOS 17, Including FaceTime and New Control Center

Monday June 5, 2023 11:23 am PDT by
Apple today announced tvOS 17 which brings FaceTime to the Apple TV 4K for the first time, includes a new Control Center, and lets you use your iPhone to locate a misplaced Siri Remote. Control Center now displays system status, including the time and active profile, and expands with other helpful details based on a user's personal activity. Users will be able to launch the Apple TV...
FaceTime Apple TV

FaceTime Launching on Apple TV With iPhone and iPad Camera Support

Monday June 5, 2023 11:10 am PDT by
Apple today announced that FaceTime is launching on Apple TV as part of tvOS 17. The feature will take advantage of Apple's Continuity Camera feature, allowing for people to use a wirelessly connected iPhone or iPad camera to participate in a video call. Users will be able to start a FaceTime call directly from the new FaceTime app on Apple TV, or hand off a FaceTime call from an iPhone or...
facetime handoff

Handoff Lets You Swap FaceTime Calls Between Devices in iOS 16, iPadOS 16 and macOS Ventura

Tuesday June 7, 2022 3:02 pm PDT by
In iOS 16, iPadOS 16, and macOS Ventura, the FaceTime app finally supports Handoff, which means FaceTime calls can be swapped from one device to another. If you get a FaceTime call on your iPhone while you're out of the house, you can answer it on the go and then swap over to the larger screen of a Mac when you return home. Or you can answer a call on your Mac and transfer over to an iPhone...
european parliament

Leaked EU Document Could Spell Major Changes for App Store, Messages, FaceTime, Browsers, and Siri

Friday April 22, 2022 9:22 am PDT by
A leaked version of the European Union's Digital Markets Act (DMA) indicates that Apple could be forced to make major changes to the App Store, Messages, FaceTime, third-party browsers, and Siri. According to a leaked working document intended to reflect the "final" version of the DMA, seen by MacRumors, the EU is planning to enact changes that seek to have a significant impact on the way...
General Apps FaceTime

Gurman: FaceTime for Apple AR/VR Headset Could Rely on Memojis and SharePlay

Sunday February 13, 2022 6:34 am PST by
Memojis and SharePlay could be central to the FaceTime experience on Apple's long-rumored mixed-reality headset, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. Gurman, who often reveals accurate insights into Apple's plans, has previously said that Apple's mixed-reality headset will focus on gaming, media consumption, and communication. The headset itself is rumored to run "rOS" or "realityOS,"...
General Apps FaceTime

You Can Join FaceTime Calls on an Xbox but Not an Apple TV

Monday January 10, 2022 5:57 am PST by
A Redditor has highlighted that it is possible to join FaceTime calls from their TV using an Xbox, a feature that is not possible on the Apple TV. In a post on Reddit, user u/JavonTEvans explained how they are able to make FaceTime calls on their TV using an Xbox. The simple setup involves using a Logitech C930 webcam connected to an Xbox Series S. To join a FaceTime call, they simply open...
ios 15 beta 2 screen sharing

SharePlay Enabled in Second Beta of iOS 15

Thursday June 24, 2021 2:51 pm PDT by
Apple today seeded the second betas of iOS 15 and iPadOS 15 to developers for testing, and one notable change is that SharePlay has now been enabled in FaceTime, allowing for two users on the latest beta to share their screens to view apps together and more. SharePlay allows users to share experiences while connecting with friends and family on FaceTime, such as watching an Apple TV+ show in ...
facetime talk while muted reminder

FaceTime on iOS 15 Alerts You If You Try to Talk While Muted

Thursday June 10, 2021 7:10 am PDT by
The next time you try talking on a FaceTime call on iOS 15 with your microphone muted, iOS will provide you a subtle reminder to unmute your microphone so others can hear you. The new reminder, first spotted by The Verge, is part of a wider assortment of changes and new features coming to FaceTime with the release of iOS 15, iPadOS 15, and macOS Monterey later this fall. Heightened by the...
facetime new features

iOS 15 Brings FaceTime to PC and Android Users With New Option to Join on the Web

Monday June 7, 2021 2:32 pm PDT by
With the iOS 15, iPadOS 15, and macOS Monterey updates, Apple is expanding the reach of FaceTime by allowing anyone, even those without Apple devices, to join a FaceTime call. In iOS 15 and its sister updates, you can create a link to a FaceTime conversation that can be shared anywhere. Using this link, friends and family members who do not have an Apple device can log into a FaceTime call...
facetime ios15

Apple Unveils New FaceTime Features Like Spatial Audio, SharePlay, Voice Isolation, and More

Monday June 7, 2021 10:19 am PDT by
Apple at WWDC has announced several new upcoming FaceTime features for Apple devices, like spatial audio, voice isolation, wide spectrum, FaceTime Links, SharePlay, and more. Adding spatial audio will make it feel like you're sitting in the same room as the person you're speaking to, and in group calls, friends will sound spread out in the room. Voice isolation is a machine learning...
ipad pro center stage

iPad Pro 'Center Stage' Camera Feature Will Support Third-Party Apps

Wednesday April 21, 2021 1:16 am PDT by
Apple's newly announced M1 iPad Pro models boast a new video calling feature called Center Stage, which uses machine learning to automatically pan and zoom the front-facing camera to keep you center in the frame as you move around. Apple envisages Center Stage being used for video calls that involve things like whiteboarding with coworkers or attending a virtual family gathering. Presumably ...
homepod facetime feature 3

Apple Adds FaceTime Framework to Apple TV/HomePod Amid Speaker With Screen Rumors

Monday March 22, 2021 12:15 pm PDT by
Bloomberg's Mark Gurman today revealed that Apple has been developing new speakers that are equipped with "screens and cameras," suggesting we could see a future HomePod-like device that has a built-in display and camera feature for FaceTiming and other functions. Ahead of these rumors, MacRumors contributor Steve Moser was combing through the tvOS 14.5 beta code and found that Apple has...
applegroupfacetimevideo

Growing Number of Users Receiving Spam Group FaceTime Calls

Tuesday March 16, 2021 2:55 am PDT by
As reported by Ars Technica, a significant number of Apple device users are being bombarded with spam group FaceTime calls during late hours of the night from people they've never met. The spammers, or "pranksters," utilize the fact that Apple doesn't provide a setting to accept FaceTime calls only from people within a user's address book. Apple does allow users to block individual numbers,...
macbook air facetime camera

Apple Saw Record Number of FaceTime Calls On Christmas

Wednesday January 27, 2021 1:41 pm PST by
As people stayed away from travel and celebrated the holidays from their homes this December, Apple saw the highest volume of FaceTime calls ever on Christmas. Apple CEO Tim Cook shared the tidbit during today's earnings call covering the first fiscal quarter of 2021, but he did not give specific numbers on how many FaceTime calls were placed. Online video communication services like...
iphone8guide b

iOS 14.2 Quietly Added FaceTime 1080p Support to iPhone 8 and Later Models

Wednesday December 2, 2020 2:21 am PST by
Back in early November, Apple released iOS 14.2 and announced with it a slew of new features for iPhones, but one thing it didn't mention was the apparent addition of support for 1080p FaceTime calls on iPhone 8 and later devices. The little-known fact was discovered by MacMagazine, which found that Apple quietly updated the specs pages for devices like iPhone XR shortly after the release of ...
facetime e1486093308787

Apple to Pay $18 Million to Settle California Lawsuit Claiming Apple 'Broke' FaceTime on Older iPhones to Save Costs

Wednesday April 29, 2020 3:15 am PDT by
Apple has agreed to pay $18 million to settle a California class-action lawsuit that accused it of intentionally breaking FaceTime in iOS 6 to force users to upgrade to iOS 7. According to the lawsuit, originally filed in 2017, Apple forced users to upgrade so it could avoid payments on a data deal with Akamai. Apple used two connection methods when it launched ‌FaceTime‌ in 2010: a...
facetime e1486093308787

Florida Court Dismisses Lawsuit Claiming Apple 'Broke' FaceTime on Older iPhones to Save Costs

Wednesday April 15, 2020 1:51 am PDT by
A court in Florida has dismissed a consumer lawsuit alleging that Apple intentionally "broke" FaceTime on older iPhones as a cost-saving measure (via Bloomberg Law). In 2017, a similar class-action lawsuit was brought against Apple in California that claimed Apple broke FaceTime in iOS 6 to force users to upgrade to iOS 7. According to the lawsuit, Apple forced users to upgrade so it could...
cbsallrise

CBS Drama 'All Rise' Will Use FaceTime and Zoom to Film New Episode Amid Social Distancing

Monday April 6, 2020 2:32 pm PDT by
Many television shows and movies have paused filming at the current time as people practice social distancing, which has delayed new movies and television content. One CBS drama series, "All Rise," has a unique solution, though, and plans to film in actors' homes. "All Rise" will use programs like FaceTime, WebEX, and Zoom, along with "other available social media and online technology,"...
facetimeiphoneipad

iOS 13.4 and macOS 10.15.4 Prevent FaceTime Calls From Working With Some Older iPhones and iPads Amid Pandemic

Wednesday April 1, 2020 6:09 am PDT by
Newer devices running Apple's recently released iOS 13.4 and macOS 10.15.4 software updates are currently unable to make FaceTime audio and video calls with older devices running iOS 9.3.5 or iOS 9.3.6, according to numerous users across the Apple Support Communities, MacRumors Forums, Reddit, and Twitter. Apple normally recommends that users who cannot make or receive FaceTime calls update...