Maintain contact with your loved ones during the confinement period by using one of these applications to call them on video.
Staying locked up at home away from family and friends is torture for some. Until you can find your loved ones and give them a hug, you’ll need to turn to the only alternative way you can see your friends and family: messaging apps.
While most people use it primarily for sending text messages, many have never had the audacity to try video calling. But under current conditions, this function will allow as many people as possible to maintain contact, especially with the most vulnerable.
Depending on what hardware you and your loved ones have, you might not even need to download an additional app. This is the case, for example, on Macs, iPhones and iPads that natively integrate FaceTime, the video calling app that works exclusively on Apple devices.
Read also: Coronavirus: all the right tools to make teleworking easier
Android smartphones and tablets, for their part, very often have Google Duo, the videoconferencing application from the Mountain View firm, which is also accessible on any computer from a web browser.
If the solutions are numerous, in some cases you will have to try them to make sure that they suit you or allow you to contact all the relatives with whom you want to be able to continue to exchange on a daily basis. Here are five applications that will allow you to video call your loved ones.
Facebook Messenger
If you have a Facebook account, you can video call your loved ones directly in Facebook Messenger instant messaging, from any computer (web browser), or from iOS and Android mobile applications.
All you need to do is create a new conversation or enter an existing one, and start the video call by clicking on the appropriate button. You can even call several people at the same time if you create a group conversation beforehand.
Go to Facebook Messenger (Free)
Download Facebook Messenger for Android (Free)
Download Facebook Messenger for iPhone / iPad (Free)
Available on iOS and Android, WhatsApp requires a phone number to work. If you’re not yet using the app, it might be time to take the plunge. The messaging application, bought by Facebook in 2014, allows you to send text messages, share photos, videos and files, but also make audio calls, and especially video.
Video calls start directly from a conversation, and you can even add new participants during a call, with WhatsApp allowing up to 4 people per video call.
- Download WhatsApp for Android (Free)
- Download WhatsApp for iPhone (Free)
Google Duo
If the app is increasingly preinstalled on recent Android smartphones, you may need to manually download it on older models. Like WhatsApp, Google Duo requires that you sign up using your phone number.
The application is available on both iOS and Android, but benefits from better integration on the latter, Google requires. A little extra for Android users, you can start a video call in Google Duo directly from the Google Messages application, if you use it.
Once your Google Duo phone number is registered, you can link your Gmail account to it in order to connect to the application on other devices to receive calls, in particular on the web version of the service, accessible from any Navigator.
Note that a feature called “Knock Knock” is enabled by default in Duo. It allows the people you call to see your video before you even pick it up. Do not forget to deactivate it in the settings if you do not want the other person to be able to see you before accepting the call.
- Go to Google Duo (Free)
- Download Google Duo for Android (Free)
- Download Google Duo for iPhone (Free)
Skype
The chat and audio and video call application acquired in 2011 by Microsoft is one of the oldest existing solutions. Skype is available on both computers and mobile platforms, and even has a web version accessible from any browser.
To work, the program requires that you create a Skype account or sign in using a Microsoft account if you have one.
In addition to the ability to send written messages and share files, Skype will allow you to call your loved ones in audio, but especially in video. The software supports group calls and allows up to 50 participants.
- Go on skype (Free)
- Download Skype for Windows (Free)
- Download Skype for macOS (Free)
- Download Skype for Linux (Free)
- Download Skype for Android (Free)
- Download Skype for iPhone (Free)
Viber
Powered by Rakuten, Viber allows you to send messages, and make audio or video calls for free and securely on all platforms. The application is indeed available on PC, macOS and Linux, but also on Android and iOS smartphones.
The app requires you to sign in using your phone number. Once connected, it automatically detects all the contacts in your directory registered and using the application.
- Download Viber for Windows (Free)
- Download Viber for macOS (Free)
- Download Viber for Android (Free)
- Download Viber for iPhone (Free)