The macOS Monterey 12 operating system has been out for a few months now and you may not have discovered all the new features yet. For example, in the new operating system you can send FaceTime links to easily add friends, family or colleagues to a video call. As a Mac user, you do not necessarily need a separate tool such as Google Meets or Zoom to make video calls. How do the FaceTime links work?
Working from home has become the norm since the corona crisis and various companies are responding to this by offering tools that make it easier to stay in touch with colleagues from home. Apple’s FaceTime has been around for a while, but a lot has been done to the service over the past year and a half to make the tool more accessible to everyone. Indeed, for everyone: so also for Windows– and Android users.
By sending FaceTime links, you can invite not only other iPhone or Mac users to a video call, but also users who are on another device.
Create link
To invite someone for a FaceTime call in macOS 12, you must have the latest version of the operating system. Then open the FaceTime app and choose the option Create link, at the top of the screen. Optionally you can give the link a name, for example December 28 meeting. You can then choose an option for sending the link, for example via email or the Messages app.
You can always find the link in the FaceTime app under Next one. Click on the link and tap on the top right Participate to start the video meeting. Your contacts can click the same link to join the meeting. The link will open for them directly in the FaceTime app or in the browser if they are not on an Apple device.
FaceTime links can only be opened in the Chrome or Edge browser. It is not yet possible to create FaceTime links on an Android device or Windows PC. The person who starts a video call must therefore have an Apple device.
Authorize
In order to participate in the meeting, you still need to admit your contacts. FaceTime then gives the notification [Naam] want to join conversation, after which you press the green check mark to admit that person. If you don’t see the notification, you will see at the top of the screen 1 person waiting. Tap that and then still press the green check mark to let the person join the conversation. In this menu you can optionally add contacts to the video meeting.
After the conversation, you can remove the link again by pressing the green i icon in the FaceTime app and then choosing Remove link.
