Apple has chosen to make its FaceTime software available on a lot more devices now that we’re all spending more time on video conversations. With the release of iOS 15, iPadOS 15, and macOS Monterey this year, you may now join FaceTime calls from a web browser, allowing people on Android and Windows to participate.
“Join” is the important word here. Apple hasn’t gone so far as to allow users to initiate FaceTime conversations from non-Apple devices or view a contact list. There isn’t a FaceTime app for Android or anything like that; instead, there’s a simple web interface that you can use from any device that can run a browser.
Other enhancements to the FaceTime app will be noticeable with your upgraded iOS, iPadOS, and macOS software: A Zoom-style grid interface, as well as backdrop blur for your calls, are now available. The ability to join calls from any device is the most major feature, and it’s simple to accomplish.
As previously said, you’ll need an iPhone, iPad, or Mac to initiate a FaceTime call—you won’t be able to initiate a video chat from Android or Windows just yet. Instead of inputting a phone number or email address to begin communication, open FaceTime on your Apple device and select the Create Link option instead.
After then, you’re given a number of alternatives for sharing this link (tap Add name to give it a proper name.) You may, for example, copy it to the clipboard or transmit it to another app like Messages or Mail. If you don’t share it right away, it will remain on the FaceTime app’s front screen, where you may share it later if you choose.
Anyone who receives this link will be able to join your FaceTime call—no passwords or logins are necessary, but you do have the ability to approve requests to join the call as they come in. Each link you establish remains active until you delete it by pressing the information button next to it and selecting Delete Link.
By hitting the link you’ve established and selecting Join, you may join the call. You’ll get a pop-up notice asking if you want to admit more participants once they click on the URL you posted. If someone clicks the link before you’ve actually made the call, they’ll be taken to a holding page (and you’ll get an alert that they’re attempting to join).
If you’re joining a FaceTime conversation from a device that isn’t an Apple device, the procedure is simple: When you click on the FaceTime link you were provided, the FaceTime interface should open in your default web browser.
All you have to do is enter a name to identify yourself on the call using a web browser: It’s not necessary to log in with your Apple ID, or even to have one. It’s never been easier to join a video conversation, which is why you should keep the URLs to your FaceTime chats safe.
You may need to allow your browser to access your device’s microphone and webcam before seeing a sample of your video stream. Click Join when you’re finished. If the person who provided you the link lets you in, you’ll be connected, and everything will operate as it would on a regular FaceTime chat from there.
