When you miss your friends, a group WhatsApp call will make you happy. While you’re working on a project with your colleagues, a quick WhatsApp video conference can help you solve the problem. However, if you are new to the app, you may not be sure how to use the WhatsApp video conferencing feature. This article will show you two ways to start a WhatsApp video conference call.
Adding Participants During a One-on-One Call
Not every video conference call starts individually. Sometimes you are on a video call with a friend and during the call you decide to add another friend to the conversation.
You don’t have to end the ongoing call for this to happen. You can call your second friend while talking to your first friend. Here are the full steps to follow:
- During the call, tap the Communication icon in the upper right corner of the screen.
- Scroll down to find the person you want to add to the call.
- Tap their name and then select “Add”.
- A screen will split into three parts while you wait for your friend to reply.
- If they don’t, you can select “Cancel” and the screen will return to its original state.
Note that the maximum number of contacts in a WhatsApp video call is four. Also, when someone answers your video call, you cannot leave the chat. They need to end the call.
If any of the participants want to turn off their video, they can tap the “close video” button on the screen. They will stay on call though.
Group Video Conference
You can also video conference with people in your WhatsApp groups. As the number of participants in a WhatsApp video call is limited to four, there is still no set group video call button. Instead, here’s what you should do:
- Launch WhatsApp on your mobile device and open the group chat.
- Tap the headset icon in the upper right corner of the screen.
- Select the contacts you want to call from the drop-down menu.
- Tap the video call icon.
However, when you receive a video call, you immediately see all the participants on the screen. And the person who added you is listed first.
One of the most important challenges of video conferencing is the power of internet connection. According to WhatsApp, video call quality depends on the weakest participant’s connection.
WhatsApp Desktop App and Website
WhatsApp also offers web version and desktop app. If you work in an office environment, either option is a great choice. This means you can put your phone aside and stay in touch with whoever you want.
But can you make video calls with WhatsApp web and desktop app? Unfortunately no, but WhatsApp may offer this feature in the future. WhatsApp is notorious for listening to the suggestions and requests of its users.
Staying Connected with WhatsApp Group Calls
Setting a cap on group video calls with four people might seem a bit limiting. But WhatsApp is not a video calling app; The focus is on text messaging. And realistically, adding too many people to a video call can be devastating, especially in a professional setting.
However, it is still unclear whether WhatsApp will upgrade its video conferencing capabilities in the future. You can always check for updates on Play Store and App Store and hope for the best.
How often do you use the WhatsApp video conferencing feature? Let us know in the comments section below.
