Group FaceTime, which lets you chat with up to 32 people at one time, is relatively easy to use, but it may not be immediately obvious how a call is initiated nor how all of the group chat options work, which is why we've taken an in-depth look at the new feature. To use Group ‌FaceTime‌, all participants must have iOS 12.1.4 or later installed.

Placing a Call

There are two ways to initiate a Group ‌FaceTime‌ call, using the ‌FaceTime‌ app or the Messages app.

FaceTime App

groupfacetimeapp

  1. Open up the ‌FaceTime‌ app
  2. Tap on the "+" button in the upper right hand corner.
  3. In the "To" field, type a name and tap it.
  4. Type another name.
  5. Continue typing in all of the names of the participants who you want to chat with.
  6. When ready to place the call, tap on either the audio or the video option and participants will receive a popup letting them know that you want to ‌FaceTime‌ with them.

Messages App

groupfacetimemessages

  1. Open up an existing multi-person conversation or create a new iMessage chat thread.
  2. At the top, where the names of the chat participants are listed, tap to bring up a menu bar.
  3. Choose the "‌FaceTime‌" option to transition from a text-based conversation to a video or audio call.

The Messages ‌FaceTime‌ interface works with just one person or with a group of people, and it's perhaps the easiest way to initiate a multi-person ‌FaceTime‌ call.

Receiving an Incoming Call Request

When a Group ‌FaceTime‌ chat is initiated either via ‌FaceTime‌ or through the Messages app, you will get a notification letting you know that a ‌FaceTime‌ call is initiating, which you can tap to join.

groupfacetimejoin

Joining an Existing Group FaceTime Call

When you're in a group chat in the Messages app and someone initiates a Group ‌FaceTime‌ conversation, any person in the chat can join the call at anytime.

groupfacetimejoin 1
In the Messages interface, there's a chat popup that lets you know a call is ongoing, with a "Join" button available and the number of people active in the conversation.

Joining a conversation is as simple as tapping that "Join" button, which automatically adds you to the call. There's no approval interface, so be aware that if you're in the middle of a conversation, anyone from a group Messages chat can interrupt and join in.

While in a Group ‌FaceTime‌ call, you'll also see a chat bubble that lets you know how long the call has been going on.

groupfacetimecalllength

Adding Another Person Through FaceTime

While in a ‌FaceTime‌ call, you can easily add another person to the chat.

addpersongroupfacetime

  1. In an active call, tap on the icon that features three dots.
  2. Tap on "Add Person."
  3. Choose a name from the list to send them a notification to join in.

Leaving a Group FaceTime Call

As with a standard ‌FaceTime‌ call, exiting a Group ‌FaceTime‌ chat is as simple as tapping the big red "X" button to end the chat.

groupfacetimeendcall

Focusing on Chat Members

All Group ‌FaceTime‌ calls are displayed with a tiled interface that highlights the person who last spoke. If you have a call with multiple people, you'll see tiles of various sizes focusing on main participants, with those who haven't spoken recently minimized in small tiles.

groupfacetimefocustap
You can double tap on any person's tile to make it the focal point in your ‌FaceTime‌ view, enlarging the tile to its biggest possible size. Tap again to go back to the standard tiled view.

groupfacetimeunfocusedmaintile

Applying Effects

In addition to multi-person ‌FaceTime‌ calls, iOS 12 adds a new ‌FaceTime‌ effects camera that you can use while chatting. While in a ‌FaceTime‌ call, tap on the star-shaped icon to the left of the end call button to access options that include Animoji and Memoji, filters, stickers, shapes, and text.

groupfacetimeeffects
Multiple effects can be applied at once, which are displayed to all chat participants. The people you're chatting with can also choose different effects to use, leading to chats filled with different Memoji and Animoji characters. Memoji and Animoji are limited to devices with the TrueDepth camera system.

Top Rated Comments

Babygotfont Avatar
87 months ago
Apple, 2003 called ... it wants it’s technology back
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
BruceEBonus Avatar
87 months ago
George Orwell would be proud.its like a premonition of what the future could be like if we let technology take over our natural interpersonal behaviour.

"Yeah. Well. That don't apply to me cos I don't ave any of them intra professional skills anyway. Whatever that is. And the funny pictures with mouths speaking is funny innit? Look. A talking cat. Cat talking. Funny"

Ah yes. I see your argument Yes It is a lot easier to use than going to the hassle of actual social interaction

Pass me that iPhone thing again and I'll ring a few people and tell them I'll not pop over but will show a not-very-accurate caricaturised representation of myself instead It'll be exactly the same experience. Won't it? Good. Thank you Apple
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Morgenland Avatar
87 months ago

George Orwell would be proud.its like a premonition of what the future could be like if we let technology take over our natural interpersonal behaviour.

"Yeah. Well. That don't apply to me cos I don't ave any of them intra professional skills anyway. Whatever that is. And the funny pictures with mouths speaking is funny innit? Look. A talking cat. Cat talking. Funny"

Ah yes. I see your argument Yes It is a lot easier to use than going to the hassle of actual social interaction

Pass me that iPhone thing again and I'll ring a few people and tell them I'll not pop over but will show a not-very-accurate caricaturised representation of myself instead It'll be exactly the same experience. Won't it? Good. Thank you Apple
I'm in London right now, meet me in an hour for a quick catch up?
Trying to make fun of him? I found BruceEBonus' contribution very good and mature.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
harriska2 Avatar
87 months ago
Need all callers have iOS 12, or can some get limited access to the group call?
I tried to add non ios 12 peeps and it was greyed out so I suspect, yes, everyone needs to be ios 12. I only upgraded my ipad 12.9 so don’t know if that is part of my limitation.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
ignatius345 Avatar
87 months ago
Experts call Flash inefficient, but it ran a video call fine iBook G4-era Macs, and Google Hangouts with its new web technology manages to use 200% CPU on my 2015 rMBP. FaceTime is much better but still a total CPU hog compared to the 2003 tech.
Yeah, and that video looked like crap, too. Video resolution and bandwidth have gone way up since then, and no surprise it costs more processing power to make that work. But nobody wants Flash back, thank you very much.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
charlituna Avatar
87 months ago
Well, great, and with Emojis too..

But, Apple still won’t allow us to conveniently create groups in Contacts without some convoluted process through iTunes and a desktop...
Yep.

Also no broadcast mode in this group chat with text commenting by viewers. Everyone else has done it on their systems and the whole “in a group messages chat and go to FaceTime with a click” shows there’s linking between the two.

Broadcast mode would be killer for schools. Even better would be a mode where more viewers could join and there could be limited but multiple speakers. Like say up to 4 speakers. Or even two on a phone but 4 on an iPad, Mac or Apple TV (with a special app for viewing such broadcasts). A teacher could link up two classes even across the planet, do an interview with some special guest etc.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Popular Stories

iPhone 17 Pro 34ths Perspective

iPhone 17 Pro Launching Later This Year With These 10 New Features

Sunday March 23, 2025 10:00 am PDT by
While the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max are not expected to launch until September, there are already plenty of rumors about the devices. Below, we recap key changes rumored for the iPhone 17 Pro models as of March 2025: Aluminum frame: iPhone 17 Pro models are rumored to have an aluminum frame, whereas the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro models have a titanium frame, and the iPhone ...
macbook pro blue green

When Will Apple Release the M5 MacBook Pro?

Wednesday March 26, 2025 4:53 pm PDT by
Apple regularly refreshes the MacBook Pro models, and a new version that uses M5 series chips is in the works. Apple just finished refreshing most of the Mac lineup with M4 chips, and now it's time for the M5. Rumors suggest that we could see the first M5 MacBook Pro models this fall. Design There have been no rumors of a design update for the M5 MacBook Pro models that are coming this...
Facebook Feature

Facebook's New iPhone App Feature Turns the Clock Back to 2007

Thursday March 27, 2025 1:59 pm PDT by
In the mid-to-late 2000s, Facebook was all about staying connected with friends and family. However, as the social media platform added new features and grew over time, that core experience began to get drowned out. That changes starting now, according to Meta, which today introduced a new feature that will "bring back the joy" of classic Facebook. Specifically, Meta has redesigned the...
iOS 18

iOS 18.4 Expected Next Week - Here Are the Release Notes

Friday March 28, 2025 2:01 pm PDT by
With the second release candidate of iOS 18.4 that Apple seeded out today, the company finally provided us with release notes that give a full rundown on what to expect. There's an Apple Vision Pro app, new Apple Intelligence features for notifications and additional language support, plus an Apple News Food feature for Apple News+ subscribers, and several updates that should improve the...
iOS 18 4 Ambient Music Control Center

How to Use iOS 18.4's New Ambient Music Feature in Control Center

Thursday March 27, 2025 7:45 am PDT by
The upcoming iOS 18.4 update for the iPhone adds an Ambient Music feature to Control Center. Below, we take a closer look at how it works. iOS 18.4 is currently in beta, so the Ambient Music feature is not widely available yet. The update will likely be released to the general public next week. To use the feature on iOS 18.4, open Control Center and tap on the plus sign in the top-left...
Foldable iPhone 2023 Feature 1

'iPhone Fold' to Feature Metallic Glass Hinge That Resists Deformation

Thursday March 27, 2025 4:21 am PDT by
Last week, we covered a report claiming that Apple's book-style foldable iPhone (or "iPhone Fold," as we are provisionally calling it here) will use liquid metal hinges to improve durability and help minimize screen creasing. Today, a Chinese leaker provided more details on the properties of this hinge material that help to clarify why Apple chose it for its first foldable device. According...
Foldable iPhone 2023 Feature Homescreen

Six Things to Know About Apple's Upcoming Foldable iPhone

Friday March 28, 2025 3:54 pm PDT by
We've been hearing rumors about a foldable iPhone for almost a decade now, but it looks like we might finally see the device come to fruition in 2026. We're going to be waiting many more months for the foldable iPhone, but so far we're hearing good things. Apple wants to make it creaseless. It's taken Apple multiple years to design a foldable iPhone that it's satisfied with because Apple ...
Magic Mouse Green

What to Expect From the Magic Mouse 3

Saturday March 29, 2025 10:15 am PDT by
Apple is reportedly working on a new Magic Mouse. Below, we recap what to expect. The two key rumors for the Magic Mouse 3 so far include a relocated charging port, along with a more ergonomic design. It was briefly rumored that the Magic Mouse 3 would also feature voice control, but that was misinterpreted information. Relocated Charging Port While the Magic Mouse switched from...
Apple Lumon Terminal Pro

Apple's Mac Site Features Fictional 'Lumon Terminal Pro'

Wednesday March 26, 2025 12:19 pm PDT by
Apple is going all out with promotions for the popular Severance Apple TV+ show today, and as of right now, you'll find a new "Lumon Terminal Pro" listed on Apple's Mac site. The Lumon Terminal Pro is designed to look similar to the machines that Severance employees like Mark S. and Helly R. use for macrodata refinement. The Terminal features a blue keyboard, a small display with wide...