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How to use facebook messenger video chat on laptop


How to Use Facebook Messenger on Your Desktop - Blog

Chances are if you've heard of Facebook, you’ve heard of Messenger. But, if the latter isn’t true, you’ll learn the best of the basics for using the application in this article.

In short, Messenger is the instant messaging extension of Facebook. The app was released in 2011 and has since rivaled the features and functionality of most other similar apps. 

The Facebook Messenger app is designed to go well beyond standard text messaging by offering features like HD video calling, voice messaging, and group chat.

Don’t have a Facebook account, you say? No worries.

Aside from its numerous cool features (which we’ll discuss here shortly), what makes Messenger uber-awesome is that you do not need a Facebook account to access or use it. Rather, Messenger is a standalone app that anyone can use. There are many ways to access Facebook Messenger, whether you have Facebook or not or whether you prefer desktop or mobile.

Now for the ins and outs of Facebook’s nifty little messaging app.

How to Set Up Messenger Without Facebook (5 Steps)

Setting up Messenger without Facebook is simple. However, the sign-up process must be completed using the Messenger mobile app. The first step is to download the Messenger app on your mobile device.

To create a Facebook Messenger account:

  1. Open the Messenger app on your mobile device.
  2. Click Not on Facebook? at the bottom of the screen.
  3. Enter your mobile phone number and click Continue.
  4. Enter the code that Messenger sends to the phone number you entered.
  5. Messenger will attempt to read your phone contacts:

To allow the app to access your contacts, click Allow.

To restrict the app from accessing your contacts, click Deny.

How to Access Facebook Messenger from Your Desktop

Once you’ve completed the steps above, you’ll be able to access and use Messenger from your desktop without Facebook. Simply go to Messenger.com and sign in to use the app on your desktop.

Alternatively, an unofficial option would be to download a third-party app called Messenger for Desktop. Keep in mind that this is not an official Facebook app, but it will get the job done.

If you’re already using Facebook and just want to access Messenger from your desktop, the process is similar: go to Messenger.com and log in using your Facebook login credentials. 

How to Use Facebook Messenger on Your Desktop

Now for the fun part.

As we noted earlier, Messenger comes with a handful of really cool features.

Quick Note: For those without a Facebook account, you’ll be happy to know that these features are the same as the ones available to Facebook users—so you’re not missing out on anything (trust us, we double-checked).

Let’s take a quick look at each of the features and discuss how you can use them on your desktop.

Use Messenger for Voice and Video Calls

Yes, you read that correctly: Messenger offers both voice call and video call options.

So, depending on what kind of mood you’re in, you can place a standard audio call to your family and friends, or instead, opt for the face-to-face video call option. But perhaps best of all, these calls can be made to anyone in the world.

From Your Desktop

To use Messenger for voice and video calls on your desktop you need to:

  • Click on the phone icon in the top right corner to place a voice call
  • Click on the video camera icon in the top right corner to place a video call

Send Text Messages Using Messenger

Facebook introduced the option to send and received SMS text messages in 2016.

With this option, you can—as you may have already guessed—send and receive text messages.

Much like other texting platforms, your texts can include photos and videos.

From Your Desktop

To send a text message using Messenger, you need to:

Click on the settings icon in the upper left corner and click SMS

Enable Default SMS App

Quick Note: SMS messages are different than actual Messenger conversations. These are text messages that are sent and received using the Messenger app. On the other hand, Messenger conversations are just that: Messenger conversations with others who are using Messenger. The former (SMS) requires you to enter the contact’s phone number, the latter (Messenger convo) does not.

Another Note: SMS messages appear in purple. Messenger conversations are shown in blue.

And Lastly: SMS messages can be archived, unarchived, and deleted.

Take Pictures and Videos Using Messenger

Another feature of Messenger is the ability to take pictures and videos.

From Your Desktop

To take pictures and videos using Messenger, you need to:

  1. Open the conversation that you want to add the video or picture
  2. Click on the camera icon
  • Click the shutter button to take a picture
  • Hold the shutter button to take a video

Search and Send Stickers, GIFs, and Emoticons

If you like to express your emotions through picture characters and other cute media, consider yourself in luck. Messenger comes chocked full of stickers, GIFs, and emojis for just about any feeling, emotion, or reaction.

From Your Desktop

To search and send stickers, GIFs, and emojis on your desktop, you need to:

  1. Click on the smiley face (☺) icon directly under the icon field
  2. Type something (e.g., food) into the Search icons field to filter stickers, GIFs, and emojis

Send Money via Facebook Messenger

Owe a friend a few dollars? Messenger can handle that too.

Sending money is super simple with Messenger and can be used with the click of one button. Literally.

From Your Desktop

To send money via Messenger on your desktop you need to:

  • Click on the Send Money button, at which time you can select your recipient, input the amount you want to send, and add an optional memo to accompany the payment.

 

Start a Group Chat in Messenger

Sometimes the conversation is better when all of your friends are involved.

If that’s the case, you’ll want to take advantage of Messenger’s group chat option.

From Your Desktop

To start a group chat in Messenger, you need to:

  1. Click the pencil-on-paper icon
  2. Select or type the name of each person you want to add to the group chat
  3. Proceed by typing your message
  4. When finished, click Send

Log Out of Messenger

All good things must come to an end, right?

Well, in this case, when you’re ready to logout of Facebook Messenger for the day, you can do so quickly and easily.  

From Your Desktop

To log out of Messenger on your desktop, you need to:

  • Click on the settings icon in the upper left corner and click Log Out

 

Other Awesome Features

A few more awesome features of Facebook Messenger that deserve our attention include:

  • Requesting an Uber or Lyft ride (using your existing account)
  • Sharing your location with others (available on the mobile app only)
  • Creating reminders (available on mobile app only)
  • Sharing your custom scan code with others for instant adding
  • Recording voice messages

Messenger also lets you know when your messages are seen by the recipient and allows you to play games inside the app—eliminating the need to visit another website.

You’d be hard-pressed to find a better multi-feature messaging app than Messenger, if we may say so ourselves.

And what’s the best way to add Messenger to your daily mix without it disrupting your productivity? With Shift, of course!

That’s right, your Shift Advanced account integrates with Messenger.

And the end result is quite beautiful. No more logging in and out of Messenger, or switching between multiple tabs. Add it to your Shift Advanced account and call it a day.

How to video call on Facebook Messenger

Why you can trust Pocket-lint

(Pocket-lint) - Facebook allows you to use its Messenger platform to make one-on-one video calls and group video calls with up to 50 people through Messenger Rooms, which is like a virtual hangout, where friends can just drop in just to say hi.

Here's everything you need to know about making video calls on Messenger.

Getting started with Facebook Messenger

Facebook Messenger is one of the most widely used messaging services, with more than 700 million people making calls on it every day. It's free and offers several communications features including video calling, and it's available around the globe, across a range of devices.

You can install the Messenger app on your iPhone or Android phone from the Apple App Store or Google Play, respectively. There's also a Messenger app for MacOS and Windows desktops.

You can also access Messenger from Facebook on the web or from the dedicated Messenger web app. Installing or using the latest version of Messenger ensures you will have access to the latest features.

  • Go here to grab the latest version of the Messenger app

If you should ever deactivate your Facebook account, you can still use Messenger. In fact, you can share photos, videos, start group chats, and more - all without a Facebook account. Eventually, Facebook said it hopes to integrate all its messaging platforms, including WhatsAapp and Instagram, so that users will be able to start a conversation and access it across from any of Facebook's services.

The first phase of this effort comes in the form of Messenger Rooms, a video-calling feature introduced in 2020, which we discuss in detail below.

How to video chat with someone or a group on Messenger

You can video chat with just one person or with a group of people using Messenger. 

Messenger mobile app for iOS and Android

From the chats area, open a conversation with the person or group you want to video chat, and then click the video call icon.

Note: If you're not connected to Wi-Fi when placing a video call with your mobile device, the feature will use your existing data plan.

You can download the Messanger mobile app for iOS from here, and for Android from here.

Facebook.com or Messenger.com

From the chats area, open a conversation with the person or group you want to video chat, and then click the video call icon.

Note: Calling on messenger.com or facebook.com is only available using the browsers Chrome, Microsoft Edge and Opera.

Messenger desktop app for Mac and Windows

From the chats area, open a conversation with the person or group you want to video chat, and then click the video call icon (see above).

You can download the Messenger desktop app for Mac here, and for Windows here.

Facebook Portal devices

Portal calls can be received on Portal devices, the Messenger app on mobile phones or tablets, messenger.com or facebook.com, or on WhatsApp on mobile phones. But you can't use Portal to call Messenger connections that don't have Facebook accounts - confusing we know.

Anyway, to make a video call on a Portal, be sure to add your Facebook Messenger account when you initially set up the device, and then you can simply say to it: "Hey Portal, call [contact name]." Portal may ask you to confirm which contact you're trying to call.

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Facebook

How do Messenger Rooms work?

  • Messenger Rooms: The Zoom-like video calling feature explained

Facebook rolled out a video-calling feature called Messenger Rooms in 2020. It allows you and up to 49 others to join a group video call - which Facebook calls a "room". You can start a room from Messenger, Facebook, Instagram Direct, WhatsApp, or Portal, and you can open the call to all or lock it to stop uninvited people from joining. You can remove participants, too.

While in a Room, you can use Facebook's augmented reality filters and change out your background to a virtual one. Facebook includes 360-degree views of exotic locations for backgrounds, and there's beauty filters as well as filters designed to brighten a dark room. Keep in mind Zoom, a popular alternative, also lets you join large group video calls and use virtual backgrounds.

Create a Messenger Room

Here's how to create a Room from your phone:

  1. Open the Messenger mobile app.
  2. Tap the People tab at the bottom of the screen.
  3. Tap on the first person you want to create a Room with.
  4. Tap on the menu icon with four circles in the bottom left corner
  5. Tap on Create room.
  6. You can share the room in your News Feed, Groups, and Events.
  7. To share a room with people who don't have Facebook, you can send them a link.

Rooms are now available globally in the Messenger app. Messenger Rooms are eventually coming to all of Meta's messaging products, starting with Messenger and Facebook, and then Instagram Direct, WhatsApp, and Portal.

Best iPhone apps 2022: The ultimate guide By Maggie Tillman ·

These are the absolute best iPhone apps available right now, from productivity apps to apps for traveling, reading, listening to music, and more.

You can join a room from your phone or computer -- no need to download anything. Room calls are not end-to-end encrypted.

Check out our Messenger tips and tricks.

  • Facebook Messenger Kids: How does it work and where is it available?

Writing by Maggie Tillman. Editing by Adrian Willings.

Video calling (video chat) on Facebook and Facebook Messenger

Facebook provides free video calling via Messenger.

See also: Top 10: Video calling services

2020. Facebook launches desktop version of Messenger due to the growing number of video calls making video calls (Slack, Zoom, Microsoft Teams) has grown significantly. Facebook seized the moment to release a desktop version of its messenger (for Windows and Mac) with video calling capabilities. Facebook Messenger also has a web version, but of course, video calling in the desktop application works much better than in the browser. Otherwise, the functionality of the desktop client is no different from the mobile or web version. In theory, Messenger allows you to make free video calls with up to 50 people.

2016. Group video chat has been added to Facebook Messenger

Facebook Messenger has added the ability to make group video calls for 6 participants for free. More participants (up to 50) can connect to such a call, but only 6 can broadcast video, the rest can only talk. The group video feature is already working in the latest version of the app for iOS and Android. Note that Facebook is slowly luring users from purchased WhatsApp to native Messenger. Just a month ago, WhatsApp added one-on-one video calling, and immediately Messenger got a more attractive feature.

2015. Free video calls appeared in Facebook Messenger

As we have already noted, Facebook Messenger has become the main product for Facebook (the main social network). And its development is now given the most attention. Yesterday it introduced the function of free video calls. True, it is available so far only in 18 countries, among which there is no Russia (but they promise to add it in the coming months). In addition, for now, video calling only works in the mobile app for iPhone and Android (but not in the web version). It is not yet possible to call from the messenger to the social network Facebook. Recall that video communication in the social network Facebook is based on the web version of Skype.

2015. Facebook video chat now works in Chrome without a plugin

If you use the Google Chrome browser, you no longer need to install a plugin to make video calls via Facebook. It is enough to allow the browser to use your camera and microphone. Video communication is implemented on WebRTC technology, which is now supported in Chrome. As you know, Facebook video chat runs on the Skype engine, and recently Microsoft just launched the web version of Skype, but it still requires a browser plugin to be installed.

2011. Web video chat: Google Hangouts vs Facebook Skype

The big battle between Google and Skype (Microsoft) for the video communications market continues on a new platform - social networks. Last week, Google opened (for beta testing) its social network Google+, one of the main features of which is the Hangouts group video chat. And yesterday, Facebook introduced a built-in video chat based on Skype. Both video chats work directly in the browser, which signals the transition of video communication applications to web technologies (although both products still require the installation of a small browser plug-in). ***

2011. Skype introduces video calling to Facebook

A few weeks ago, Skype introduced the ability to chat with your Facebook friends, like and comment on Facebook posts, directly from the Skype app. Today, Skype and Facebook introduced the ability to chat with video online - right on Facebook. This is the first step towards creating the Skype web interface, because Skype is not required for video calls. ***

19Facebook Messenger Tricks

Alla Rud 06/23/2020 186017 to read 12 minutes

Facebook is the most popular social network in the world, and the messaging app Facebook Messenger is also very popular among users. Almost everyone who uses Facebook uses Messenger to communicate with friends. However, most people are unaware of the great features that Facebook has added to the Messenger app. This review lists some of the best and most useful Facebook Messenger tips to help you get the most out of the app.

1. Blocking messages from a business account

If you previously interacted with a business page on Facebook Messenger, and now you are receiving promotional messages that annoy you, then there are solutions for this case.

Open a conversation and in the upper right corner, tap the blue tick icon, then tap Mute Messages . Now, if a business tries to send you a message, they'll get a message that the person can't be contacted on Messenger. Also, after blocking a contact, if you open More options, you can hide, delete, or unblock the conversation.

2. Hiding ads

Even though Facebook Messenger ads are not that annoying and appear as one of the conversations, if you want to hide these ads, there is an easy way to do so. On the Chats tab, swipe on the ad. Click on the menu that appears and select Hide Ads.

3. Search in conversation

Sometimes you want to find something that you or your friend has shared in a Facebook Messenger conversation. So, instead of scrolling through the whole conversation, you can use the Search in conversation option.

Open any conversation and tap your contact's profile picture. In the settings, click Search in Conversation and now in the search field, enter any keyword you want to search for. It will instantly return all results that match your keyword.

4. Messenger Room

An interesting feature of Facebook Messenger is the Messenger Room. This is video chat where you can chat with people through link sharing and anyone with a shared link can join even if they don't have a Facebook or Messenger account. To create a Messenger room, go to People and click Active. Press 9 here0079 "Create a room" and then click "Try".

Your device's camera will now be activated for the video call. However, at this point, you will see two options for adding members:

  • People with a link (anyone with a link can join the room).
  • Only people on Facebook (Only those with a Facebook account can join the room).

Once you've decided who can join your room, click "Share Link" to invite people to your video chat.

5. Enable dark theme

Dark Mode is the latest UI trend among apps and operating systems. Like many other apps, you can change the user interface of your Facebook Messenger to dark mode. Here is how you can activate it:

Click on your profile picture to go to your settings.

Tap "Dark Mode" > "On" to activate the dark mode user interface.

6. Using the desktop version (messenger.com)

Your browser has the Facebook Messenger mobile app, and your browser has a Messenger that you can access through Facebook. But did you know that there is a third way to access Messenger, that is, through messenger.com. Though messenger.com won't have all the features of the Facebook Messenger app, but it can be a good option when you can't access Messenger in any other way0010

7. Secret Chat Features

There are times when you want to chat secretly with one of your Facebook contacts. In such a case, Facebook Messenger allows you to start a secret conversation, which is encrypted. To start a secret conversation in the Messenger app:

Click the new message icon in the upper right corner. Tap "Secret" and then select the contact you want to have a secret conversation with. You can also change an existing conversation to a secret one by clicking on the person's name at the top and selecting Go to Secret Conversation.

What's interesting about secret conversations is that you can set a timer for each message by clicking on the timer icon in the text field and then selecting any time from 5 seconds to 1 day, after which the message will disappear as soon as it will be read by the recipient.

If you don't see this option in your Messenger app, you'll have to enable it in Settings. For this:

Click on the profile picture in the upper left corner.

Go to Secret Conversations and turn it on.

You can also delete secret conversations on the same page.

8. Show your location

Facebook Messenger allows you to share your current location with any of your Facebook friends so they can easily contact you. To share your location:

Open any conversation and tap the plus sign (+) in the bottom left corner.

Touch the Location icon (arrow icon on the right) and you will see a map with a pin displayed at the exact location.

Click Start Sharing Live Location and your friend will know where to find you.

9. Sending a video message

Just like sending voice messages, you can use Facebook Messenger to send video messages to your contacts. To do this, in Facebook Messenger in your browser:

Open a conversation and click on the camera icon in the lower left corner.

Select Capture Video, record your video message and send it.

Similarly, to send a video message in the Facebook Messenger mobile app:

Open any conversation and tap the camera icon On the camera screen, press and hold the button in the center to create a video. As soon as you release this button, your video will start playing.

Now click Share to share it with your contact.

10. Audio / video calls or sending a voice message

Going beyond a text conversation, Facebook Messenger allows you to make voice and video calls with your contacts. Just open any conversation and tap the voice or video call icon in the top right corner. You can also send voice messages to your contacts by pressing the microphone icon at the bottom of and then pressing the red record button.

11. Group management

Most messaging apps let you create and manage group conversations, and Facebook Messenger is no exception. This feature is especially useful when you have to coordinate with several of your Facebook friends, and sometimes even non-friends.

You can create a group by doing the following:

Tap the new message icon in the top right corner and a list of suggested contacts will appear.

Select the ones you want to add to the group and click Done.

If the people you want to add to the group are not in the list of suggested contacts, you can find them in the search box above. You can even add people to your group who are not among your Facebook friends.

After creating a group, you can proceed to the group setting, from which you can change the color theme of the group, assign aliases to members, change the name of the group, and make other settings.

12. Disable group notifications

Facebook Messenger group conversations are very useful for communicating and coordinating with a group of friends at the same time. However, when group members start sharing messages that have nothing to do with you, then you don't see a choice but to turn off notifications. To disable group notifications:

On the Chat tab, swipe left on a group conversation.

Click on the bell icon and choose how long you want this group chat to be muted.

You will see a menu window with different time intervals - from 15 minutes to 24 hours and even 'until turn it back on' turn in which you can disable notifications.

If you don't want to just turn off notifications but not receive them at all, there is an option in the group settings to ignore messages.

After enabling this option, the group will be moved to the list of filtered messages and you will not receive any notifications. In addition, none of your group members will know that you have ignored group messages.

Note . The notification mute feature is not available on the Messenger mobile app.

13. Creating stories

You can use Facebook Messenger to create and share a story with your friends. Like Instagram and Snapchat, you can share a photo or video that your friends can view and it lasts for 24 hours. To create history :

Go to the "History" button in the upper left corner and click on the plus (+).

It will go to your photo album where you can select photos or videos or access your camera to take it right away.

You can publish your story to all people in your Facebook contacts or send it to selected people as a message. Just select the contacts you want to share your story with and click send.

Note . This option is only available in the Messenger mobile app.

14. View history anonymously

If you want to see your friends' history on Facebook Messenger anonymously, then this feature is for you. In the Messenger app, click "People" at the bottom, and then click "Stories" in the top right corner of . Here you will see all the stories your friends have shared in the last 24 hours. Even though the story will be shown as a thumbnail, it's still big enough for anyone to figure out what it's about.

However, one downside to this trick is that you can't see all the stories your friends have shared, and only the most recent one will be visible to you.

15. Adding aliases

Facebook Messenger allows you to change any of your contact names and give them a nickname of your choice. Here's how to do it:

Click on your contact's name and go to Edit Aliases.

Set a nickname for your friend.

Now click Save.

Setting aliases can also help you distinguish between your contacts if more than one of them has the same name.

Note . Only you and your friend will be able to see the nickname you have given them.

16. Games with friends

Facebook Messenger invites you to play games with any of your contacts that you are talking to.

Just open a conversation with one of your contacts and click the 9 icon0079 game console on the chat panel . This will open a menu window showing many different games.

You can simply click "Play" to send an invitation and start playing a game with your contact right in the conversation.

Note . This option is only available in Messenger in your browser, not in the Messenger mobile app.

17. Adding additional accounts

For those who have more than one account Facebook, Facebook Messenger allows you to add all additional accounts in the same application. To add more accounts to the Messenger app:

Click on your profile picture to go to your settings.

Click Change Account and then click Add in the top right corner. From here, you can add as many accounts to the Messenger app as you like.

You can also click "Create a New Account" at the bottom of the same page to create a new Facebook account directly from the Messenger app.

18. Checking messages from “not friends”

In Facebook Messenger, you only see messages from people who are already on your friends list.

Learn more