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How to group call in whatsapp


How to make group calls on WhatsApp

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You can make video and audio calls with up to seven other people

By Aliya Chaudhry

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Photo Illustration by Mateusz Slodkowski/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images

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The Verge Guide to staying connected

Being able to stay in touch while social distancing is really important, which is why we’ve come to rely on apps that help you make group calls. WhatsApp, which sends messages over the internet rather than SMS, has become a popular alternative to texting, but it also lets you make calls. On WhatsApp, you can do an audio-only or video group call with up to eight people. WhatsApp is a good alternative to Zoom for smaller groups as it uses end-to-end encryption (unlike Zoom).

WhatsApp is available for both iOS and Android, so you can easily chat with or call people even if you don’t all have the same kind of phone. While you can access WhatsApp from your browser or download the desktop version of the app, you can only make and answer calls on mobile. You will need to set up an account on the app (and if you’re smart, secure it properly) in order to use it.

One of the drawbacks of group calls on WhatsApp is that you can’t switch a group call between audio-only and video once you start the call. To switch, you’ll have to hang up and start the call again.

While the interface looks a little different on Android than it does on iOS, the basic steps for making group calls are the same. Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to make group calls on WhatsApp:

From the “Calls” section:

  • Go to “Calls” by clicking on the phone button at the bottom of the screen.
  • Tap the button with a phone and a plus sign in the top right corner of the screen.
  • Click on “New Group Call.”
  • This will open up a list of your contacts. You can search through them by typing in the names of the people you want to add into the search bar at the top. Add people to the call by clicking on the circles next to their names.
  • Tap the phone button to start an audio call or the video button to start a video call.

From a group chat:

  • Click “Chats” on the bottom of your screen and then select a group conversation to open it.
  • If your group chat has four people or fewer in total, you’ll see a video icon and phone icon (without a plus sign) in the top right corner. Tapping either of those buttons will start a call with everyone in the chat automatically.
  • If the group chat has more than four people, you’ll need to select who to add to the call. Click on the button that has a phone and a plus sign in the top right corner. The names of the members of the group chat will pop up. Select who to add to the call by tapping the circles next to their names.
  • Tap the video button to start a video call or the phone button to start an audio call.

You can also add more people to a one-on-one call. Here’s how:

  • Tap “Chats” toward the bottom right corner of your screen and then click on a conversation to open it.
  • Tap the phone button in the top right corner to start an audio call or the video button to start a video call.
  • After the person you called has picked up, click on the button with a person and a plus sign in the top right corner to add people to the call.
  • This will pull up a list of your contacts. To find someone quickly, type the name of who you want to add to the call into the search bar at the top, which will filter the list of contacts. Click on the name of the person you want to add.
  • You may also get a pop-up window asking if you want to add that person to a group call. Tap “Add” to let them join the call.

Update April 13th, 9:57AM ET: This article has been updated to include that WhatsApp is rolling out a feature that will let users place calls directly from group conversations.

Update April 29th, 5:17PM ET: This article has been updated to reflect WhatsApp has increased the limit on group calls from four to eight, and the instructions have been edited to incorporate WhatsApp’s previous update that lets users place calls directly from group conversations.

Vox Media has affiliate partnerships. These do not influence editorial content, though Vox Media may earn commissions for products purchased via affiliate links. For more information, see our ethics policy.

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How to make or join a WhatsApp group video call

By Maggie Tillman

Updated

Facebook-owned WhatsApp announced last May that it would soon offer group calling with both voice and video support. That feature is now live.

Facebook-owned messenger app Whatsapp, allows up to eight people to participate in a group video call.

This feature tells you everything you need to know about making group WhatsApp video calls, which are available on both iOS and Android, as well as the WhatsApp desktop.

  • WhatsApp tips and tricks

What is WhatsApp group calling?

WhatsApp has long supported voice and video calls and introduced group video chats in 2018. As we mentioned, you can make a group call with up to eight people simultaneously. Competitors like Google Duo offer up to 32.

Formerly, you needed to start a one-on-one voice or video call like normal on WhatsApp and then add multiple other participants to make it a group call. However, it's much easier nowadays.

How to make a WhatsApp group video call

It's worth noting that during any video call, you always have the option to turn off your video to revert to a voice call and/or mute your microphone.  

You need an existing WhatsApp group

To call a group, they need to be an existing WhatsApp group. To make a group, go to the Chats tab and tap 'New Group' at the top your chats. The group participants need to be in your contacts.

You can also tap the New Chat icon and then select New Group. 

Call the group

After you've created your group, or opened the group of people you want to video call, you'll need to tap the video icon in the top right corner. This will appear if you there are eight people or less in the group. Once you tap that, the group video call will begin.

If the group has more than eight people in it, you'll need to creat a room where you select up to seven other participants for the video call. In the group, tap on the call icon with the "+" in the top right corner and select your participants. If people in the group aren't in your contacts, they won't appear in this list. 

Once you have selected your participants, tap the blue video icon - you can also tap the phone icon if you just want voice.  

When participants receive a group video call, the incoming call screen shows the participants currently on the call. 

Add group participants to an existing call

If you want to start by placing a one-on-one call, this bit is for you. Just open the chat with the contact you want to voice call, then tap Voice call (phone icon) or Video call (camera icon).

After placing a one-on-one voice or video call, you will see an add participant button in the top right corner in the form of a person icon in a circle with a "+". Tap it to add more contacts to the call.

Group video calling on WhatsApp desktop

We have a separate feature that tells you how to make a group video call on WhatsApp desktop. The feature currently isn't available for WhatsApp web. You can find all the information on making a group video call on WhatsApp desktop by clicking here.

As a summary, you'll need the below for it to work though: 

  • The latest version of the WhatsApp desktop app (available for Windows PC and Mac)
  • An audio and microphone output device
  • A camera for video calls
  • An active internet connection on your phone and computer. You phone needs to be online to establish the call, but the call won't go through your phone.
  • Grant permission to WhatsApp desktop to access your computer's microphone and camera.

How to join a WhatsApp group video call

In July 2021, WhatsApp finally introduced the ability to join a group call, even after it’s started. "Joinable calls reduce the burden of answering a group call as it starts, and brings the spontaneity and ease of in-person conversations to group calling on WhatsApp," the company explained in a blog post.

Now, if you miss a group call when the phone rings, you can still join whenever you want. You can also drop-off and re-join so long as the call is still ongoing. WhatsApp has also created a call info screen so you can see who is already on the call, and who has been invited but not yet joined. If you simply don't feel like joining a group call, you can always hit "Ignore". But you can still join later, if you change your mind, from the calls tab in WhatsApp.  

Join an incoming group video call

  1. You’ll receive a notification when someone invites you to join a group video call.
    • If you can’t join, tap Ignore.
    • To open the call info screen, tap Join.
    • From the call menu, you can preview the call participants and other invitees.
  2. Tap Join to join the call.
  3. While on the call, tap Open to open the call info screen.
  4. Tap Add participant to add more contacts to the call.
  5. Tap Ring to send a notification to people who’ve already been invited.

Join a missed group video call

  1. Open WhatsApp, then tap the Calls tab.
  2. If the call is ongoing, tap the call you’d like to join.
    • This will open the call info screen.
  3. From the call menu, tap Join.

For further details and step-by-step instructions, check out WhatsApp's FAQ page.

Is WhatsApp group calling secure?

Group calls are "always end-to-end encrypted," according to WhatsApp. They're also designed to "work reliably" in various network conditions, although we'd ensure you have a strong data signal when you're making group video calls.

  • How do I switch on WhatsApp dark mode? Our step by step guide

Instructions: how to organize a group call on WhatsApp

Continuation of the story from

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Anna Polyakova

Editor (RB) nine0003

Anna Polyakova

WhatsApp allows you to hold small video conferences for up to four people. This service compares favorably with FaceTime by its availability on both iOS and Android, and from Zoom by the presence of end-to-end encryption. How to set up a group call on WhatsApp.

Anna Polyakova

From the "Calls" section

  • Go to the "Calls" section and press the button with the handset and the plus sign.
  • Press New Group Call
  • This will open your contact list. You can find the people you need by entering their names in the search box at the top of the screen. To add a person to a call, click on their name.
  • Then press the camera button to start a video call or the handset button to start an audio call. During a WhatsApp group call, you cannot change a video call to an audio call and vice versa, so decide in advance which option is preferable for you. nine0026

From a group chat

  • Go to the "Chats" section and open the desired group chat.
  • Press the handset button with the plus sign.
  • This will open the list of chat participants. To add a person to a call, click on their name.
  • Then press the camera button to start a video call or the handset button to start an audio call.

WhatsApp is now releasing an update that will allow you to initiate calls directly from group chats of up to four people. Right in the conversation, buttons will appear to start a video or audio call without intermediate steps. WhatsApp says that this feature is not yet available to all users. nine0003

From a one-on-one conversation

  • Go to the "Chats" section and open a chat with the right person.
  • Next, press the camera button to start a video call, or the handset button to start an audio call.
  • After starting a one-on-one conversation, you can add one or two more participants to it by clicking on the button with the silhouette of a person and a plus sign.
  • This action will open your contact list. You can find people using the search bar at the top of the screen. To add a person to a call, click on their name. nine0026
  • A pop-up window may then appear asking if you really want to add this person to the video conference. To confirm your decision, click Add.

Source.

Photo: The Verge

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How to make group calls and video calls with WhatsApp

There are two ways to make a group call or video call on WhatsApp, either by calling contacts, group members, or by calling an individual contact and adding other members later.

How to make group calls to contacts who are in the group

If we want to call different contacts that are in a group, we must first open WhatsApp and select the group of which we are a member:

Selecting a WhatsApp group

Next, press the handset icon in the upper right corner of the screen:

Button for making group calls

After that, select the contacts you want to call and press either the handset button or the camera button:

Select participants and call type nine0003

By clicking on the handset, we will see the following on the screen, since this is a voice call and we will not be able to see the participants:

Voice call to group members

By pressing the camera button, we will see the following on the screen until the participants agree to establish a connection:

Joining group video call participants

And the following if they answered:

Making a video call to group members

If we want to hang up, just touch the screen and press the red button that appears.

Learn more