How to Make a Video Call on Your iPhone
By Joe ·
Video calling lets you see the person you’re speaking to on your phone screen, in real time. It’s one of the best ways to stay in touch with family and friends who don’t live nearby. Many people who were nervous about it at first now use it every week.
This guide covers two apps: FaceTime (Apple’s built-in video calling app) and WhatsApp (which works on any phone, including Android). You only need one of them to get started.
What You Need
Before you begin, a quick note on what’s required:
- A Wi-Fi or mobile data connection (a strong signal helps)
- The other person needs the same app on their phone or tablet
- For FaceTime: both of you need an iPhone, iPad, or Mac
- For WhatsApp: either of you can have any smartphone
If you’re not sure which app the other person has, ask them. Most people have both.
FaceTime
FaceTime comes already installed on every iPhone. You don’t need to download anything.
To start a FaceTime video call:
- Open the FaceTime app. It has a green background with a white camera on it.
- Tap the green + button in the top right corner.
- Type the name of the person you want to call. Their name will appear as you type if they’re in your contacts.
- Tap their name to select it.
- Tap Video to start a video call.
Your phone will ring them. Their end will ring just like a normal phone call. When they answer, you’ll be able to see each other.
If you’d prefer to call someone you’ve spoken to before, you can find them in the list on the FaceTime home screen and tap Video next to their name.
WhatsApp Video Call
WhatsApp is a free app that works on iPhones and Android phones. If the person you want to call uses Android, WhatsApp is a good choice.
To start a WhatsApp video call:
- Open the WhatsApp app. It has a green background with a white telephone on it.
- Tap the Calls button at the bottom of the screen. It looks like a phone handset.
- Tap the + button in the top right corner.
- Type the name of the person you want to call and tap their name.
- Tap the video camera icon to start a video call.
As with FaceTime, their phone will ring and you’ll be connected when they answer.
You can also start a video call from a conversation. Open the chat with the person, then tap the video camera icon at the top right of the screen.
Tips for a Good Video Call
Lighting matters. Make sure there’s a light source in front of you, not behind you. Sitting near a window works well. If the light is behind you, you’ll appear as a dark shape on their screen.
Hold the phone steady. Prop it up against something if you can, or rest your elbow on the table. A shaky picture can be tiring to watch.
Muting yourself. If there’s background noise at your end, you can tap the screen during a call and then tap the microphone icon to mute yourself. Tap it again to unmute. This is handy if there’s noise you can’t control.
Look at the camera. The camera is the small lens at the top of your phone. Looking at it (rather than at the person’s face on screen) means you’ll appear to be making eye contact with them.
It’s OK to Hang Up
One thing that puts people off video calling is the worry that they’ll do something wrong and get stuck. The good news is that you can always hang up. If the call freezes, the sound drops out, or you just feel flustered, tap the red button to end the call and try again. The other person will understand.
Calls sometimes disconnect for no particular reason. It happens to everyone. Just call back.
If you’d like to practise video calling with someone patient at the other end, that’s something we can arrange in one of our one-to-one sessions across Hebden Bridge and the Calder Valley. Get in touch and we’ll sort something out.