Group FaceTime is a great iOS feature and with the coronavirus pandemic, it’s likely to see a lot more use as many cities, states, and even countries put in place lockdowns around the world. Follow along for two ways to start Group FaceTime calls with up to 32 people.

Group FaceTime is a handy feature that lets multiple users connect via video chat (or just audio). However, it is important to keep in mind that not all Apple devices can take advantage of the functionality, with some older ones just able to support audio for group calls.

Apple notes that some older devices will only support audio for Group FaceTime calls. Here are the hardware requirements, via Apple:

To use Group FaceTime video calls, you need an iPhone 6s or later, iPad Pro or later, iPad Air 2, or iPad Mini 4 with iOS 12.1. Earlier models of iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch that support iOS 12.1 can join Group FaceTime calls as audio participants.

To use Group FaceTime you’ll also need to make sure FaceTime is turned on under Settings → FaceTime (toggle at the top).

Let’s look at two different ways to start a Group FaceTime call.

How to use Group FaceTime on iPhone and iPad

Open FaceTime and tap the + icon in the top right corner Add multiple people Tap Audio or Video to start the call

Here’s how the process looks:

Once you’ve started the call, you can tap the star icon for effects, mute, or flip the camera at the bottom of your screen while sliding up on the menu pane will bring up the full FaceTime options like adding more people, turning your camera off, and more.

Tap your screen to make the menu disappear.

How to start a Group FaceTime call from within an iMessage

Open the message you’d like to start a Group FaceTime call from Tap the contacts at the top Tap FaceTime

Visual walkthrough on this option:

To get more details on Group FaceTime, check out Apple’s support page here.

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