Use FaceTime
FaceTime is an Apple application that allows you to call, chat, and share your thoughts with any of your friends, as long as both you and the person you're calling have any of the many Apple products that support FaceTime. With the push of a button and wireless or 3G connection, you can see your friend in a video chat no matter how many miles apart you are. If you want to know how to get some much-needed face time with a friend in no time at all, just follow these steps.
Contents
Steps
Using FaceTime on an iPhone
- Click on the "Phone" icon on your homepage. This is the green button that looks like a phone on the bottom left of your homepage. Then, click on "Contacts." This will be the option in the middle of the bottom of the screen and it will allow you to browse your contacts.
- Find the friend you'd like to call using FaceTime. Scroll through the contacts list until you find the friend you'd like to call. Click on the friend's name to open his or her contact entry. Then, click on the "FaceTime" button. Alternately, you can just call your friend regularly and then select the "FaceTime" button in the middle of the call to connect.
- Wait for your friend to answer. Wait for your phones to connect over the Internet and for your friend to answer the call.
- Talk to your friend using FaceTime. Once both parties are in the call, you will be able to see your friend in the main screen and yourself in a smaller picture on the top right of the screen. There are three options on the bottom of the screen:
- Mute the call. Hit this button on the left so you that your friend can't hear you.
- End the call. Press the middle button to end the call.
- Switch the camera angle. Press the button on the right to switch the camera to be facing toward or away from you.
Using FaceTime on an iPad, iPod Touch, or Mac
- Press the FaceTime icon on your homepage. You'll be able to access this button once you press the home button and unlock your screen. The "FaceTime" icon will open up your contact book.
- Find the friend you'd like to call using FaceTime. Scroll through your Favorites or Contacts section to find the friend you'd like to call. Once you've found the friend, click on his or her name to access his or her contact entry. Then, click on the friend's phone number to begin the call.
- Wait for your friend to answer. Wait for your devices to connect over the Internet and for your friend to answer.
- Talk to your friend using FaceTime. Once both parties are in the call, you will be able to see your friend in the main screen and yourself in a smaller picture. There are three buttons at the bottom: mute the call (so you can hear your friend.)
Tips
- FaceTime works better when both parties have a reliable wireless connection. 3G will suffice for short FaceTime video chats, but the application may demand too much data to maintain a reliable 3G connection.
- It's helpful to stand your iPhone up against something (e.g., a shelf) if you want to sit and video chat someone, so you don't have to keep holding your phone an arm's length away from your face.
- If you are stuck without wireless and only have 3G or 4G, consider downloading the Tango Video Calls app. It works with smartphones and tablets, and claims to support a better connection over 3G and 4G than FaceTime.
- The screenshots for this article were taken with an iPhone 4, but the steps are very similar for other generations of the iPhone.
Warnings
- Using FaceTime on 3G or 4G may incur large data usage charges. Make sure you have ample remaining data in your monthly plan before you use FaceTime without a wireless connection.
