- Text Messaging with the Messages App
- Video Chatting and More with FaceTime
- Group Video Meetings with Zoom
This chapter is from the book
This chapter is from the book
This chapter is from the book
Video Chatting and More with FaceTime
Text messaging is nice, but sometimes you want a face-to-face conversation with someone. Maybe you’re snowbirding down south while your grandkids are still in school up north. Maybe your siblings or friends live in a different part of the country than you do. Maybe you or one of your family members is stuck at home and you just want to check in or keep in touch.
When a text message or phone call isn’t good enough, use Apple’s FaceTime app to video chat in real time with your friends and family. All you need is your iPad—and its built-in camera and microphone. Every call you make is free!
START A VIDEO CHAT
You can use FaceTime to video chat with anyone who has an iPad, iPhone, or Mac that includes a front-facing camera.
Tap the FaceTime icon to open the FaceTime app.
You see yourself, via your iPad’s front-facing FaceTime camera. Overlaid on the left side of the screen is a list of people with whom you’ve recently chatted. To chat again with one of the people listed, tap the Information (i) icon next to his or her name.
)
You now see the contact panel for that person. Tap the FaceTime video icon. Or…
)
To chat with someone new, tap the + icon.
)
Start typing a person’s name into the To: box.
As you type, matching contacts are displayed. Select the person you want from this list, or finish typing the person’s email address or phone number.
)
Tap the Video button, and FaceTime dials the other person.
)
If that person is available and answers, you see that person onscreen. A small thumbnail in the corner of the screen displays what the other person is seeing (you). Have a nice conversation!
Tap Mute to mute the sound. Tap the button again to resume normal conversation.
Tap the red End icon to end the chat.
)
ADD A PERSON TO A GROUP VIDEO CHAT
FaceTime also lets you create group video chats, so you can chat with several people at once.
From within a FaceTime video chat, drag the top of the control panel up to expand it.
Tap Add Person.
)
Enter the name or email address of the person you want to add.
)
Tap Add Person to FaceTime.
)
FaceTime splits the screen and dials the other person.
)
ANSWER A FACETIME REQUEST
Just as you can call others via FaceTime, they can call you. How do you answer an audio or video call? By pressing an icon and talking, of course!
When someone calls you via FaceTime, you see a FaceTime panel at the top of the screen. Tap Accept to accept the call. Or…
Tap Decline to reject the call.
)
MAKE AN AUDIO CALL
FaceTime also lets you participate in audio calls—like phone calls but from your iPad to other Apple devices. This is good if you just want to talk and don’t need to see the other person, if you’re not quite presentable enough to show yourself to the other person, or if you’re talking to someone who doesn’t have a front-facing camera in his or her device.
From within FaceTime, either tap a person’s name or tap + to start a new conversation with someone.
)
Tap the FaceTime Audio button. (If this contact has both a FaceTime account and phone number listed, you may see an option for Call or FaceTime Audio. Only select Call if you want to call the mobile or landline number.)
)
FaceTime dials the other person. If that person is available and answers, you see the FaceTime controls and a timer for the call. Start talking!
Tap the Mute icon to mute the sound. Tap the icon again to resume normal conversation.
Tap the FaceTime video icon to turn this audio call into a video call.
Tap the red End icon to end this call.
