FaceTime has been around since 2013, and for much of its life, it has been the go-to for video calling on iPhone, iPad and Mac. However, the popularity of multi-platform alternatives including Zoom has forced Apple to lower its walled garden in iOS 15, finally allowing iPhone users to FaceTime those on Android and even Windows devices.
If you’re running the iOS 15 beta, here’s how to invite Android and Windows users to a FaceTime call.
How to invite Android and Windows 10 users to a FaceTime call
As mentioned, to invite Android and Windows 10 users to a FaceTime call you’ll need to be running the iOS 15 beta on an iPhone or iPad. You can either wait until later this year for the official release, or if you’re curious and want to give it a go early, take a look at how to get iOS 15 now.
Once you’ve got iOS 15 on your device, follow these steps to invite Android and Windows 10 friends to your FaceTime calls:
- Open the FaceTime app on your iOS 15 device.
- At the top of the screen, tap Create Link.
- Tap ‘Add Name’ and give your FaceTime link an identifiable name.
- Use the Share Sheet to share the link via Messages, Mail or any other installed app, or tap Copy to copy the link for sharing later.
- Tap the newly created FaceTime call in the new ‘Upcoming’ section on the FaceTime app to join the call.
Now all you need to do is wait for your friends to click the link and join the call from their devices. You don’t need to sit and wait in the call though; you’ll also get a notification once your friends join the call, at which point you’ll have to allow them to enter the call by tapping the green tick button that appears.
If you need to get the share link at a later date, simply tap the ‘i’ next to the scheduled FaceTime call and tap Share Link. It’s also where you can delete the link if it’s no longer needed.
How to join a FaceTime call on Android or Windows 10
Joining a FaceTime call on Android or Windows 10 is now surprisingly easy considering it hasn’t been possible up until this point. Once you’ve been sent a link, simply follow these steps:
- Tap to open the link in a browser on your Android or Windows 10 device.
- Enter your name.
- Tap Continue to join the FaceTime call.
Once you’ve joined the call and you’ve been accepted, you should be able to see everyone else currently in the call. From the bar at the top of the screen, you can mute your microphone, disable your camera, flip your camera or leave the call.
Certain features – like Memoji and the ability to take photos during calls – aren’t available when connecting to FaceTime calls via web or Android, but hey, it’s better than nothing right?
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