In a text, FT almost always means FaceTime, Apple's video calling service. 'Can you FT later?' means 'Can we have a video call later?' Wiktionary lists FT as an abbreviation of FaceTime. On music, ft means featuring, so 'Song ft. Artist' names a guest performer.
FT is one of those two-letter abbreviations that changes job depending on where you see it. In a chat with a friend it's a video call. On a playlist it's a guest singer. On a sports results page it's the end of a match. The good news is that context nearly always tells you which one you're looking at.
FT in messages: FaceTime
When FT turns up in a text, a DM or a group chat, it's short for FaceTime. Wiktionary records FT as an abbreviation of FaceTime under its telecommunications sense, and that's the meaning most people are searching for.
Merriam-Webster goes a step further and treats FaceTime as a verb: to use the FaceTime service to make calls with video. It even lists the forms FaceTimed and FaceTiming, plus the lower-case variants Facetimed and Facetiming. So when someone types 'ft me', they're using the abbreviation of a verb, which is why it reads so naturally.
- 'Can u ft tonight?' means 'Can you video call tonight?'
- 'Ft me when you're home' means 'Call me on FaceTime when you get in.'
- 'We ft'd for two hours lol' means 'We were on a video call for ages.'
- 'Can't ft, I look a mess' means 'Text only please, no camera today.'
You'll also see people use FT loosely for any video call, even when one of them is on Android and can't use FaceTime at all. If that's you, my guide on how to FaceTime on Android explains what works.
FT in music: featuring
On song titles, ft or ft. stands for featuring. Wiktionary's entry for lower-case ft lists it as an abbreviation of featuring, used to introduce a guest performer on a musical recording. You'll see it on streaming apps, YouTube titles and charts, as in 'Song Name ft. Guest Artist'. It's sometimes written feat. instead, and both mean the same thing.
If someone in a chat writes 'that song ft Taylor', they're telling you who guests on the track, not asking you to video call Taylor.
Other things FT can stand for
Dictionary.com and Wiktionary list a long run of other meanings. Most of them belong to a particular setting, so you won't mix them up with a text.
| Where you see it | What FT usually means | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Texts and DMs | FaceTime | Wiktionary |
| Song titles | Featuring | Wiktionary |
| Measurements (ft) | Foot or feet, as in 6 ft | Dictionary.com, Wiktionary |
| Football and other sports | Full time, the end of the match | Wiktionary |
| Basketball | Free throw | Wiktionary |
| Job adverts | Full-time, sometimes written F/T | Dictionary.com |
| News | The Financial Times newspaper | Wiktionary, Dictionary.com |
| Poker tournaments | Final table | Wiktionary |
| Maths and physics | Fourier transform | Dictionary.com |
| Place names (Ft.) | Fort | Dictionary.com |
There's also a Hungarian one: Dictionary.com notes that Ft. is the abbreviation of the forint, Hungary's currency. And in Portuguese and Spanish internet slang, Wiktionary says ft is short for foto, a photo, which can confuse things if your chat is bilingual.
How to tell which FT someone means
A quick rule of thumb works almost every time.
- Is it in a personal message about plans? It's FaceTime.
- Is it next to an artist's name or a song title? It's featuring.
- Is it after a number, like 5 ft 7? It's feet.
- Is it on a football score? It's full time.
- Is it in a job listing? It's full-time.
If you still can't tell, just ask. 'FT as in FaceTime?' is a perfectly normal reply and nobody will think less of you for it.
Where FaceTime meets face time
Merriam-Webster also has a separate noun, face time, which is older than the app. Its first known use is 1978, meaning the amount of time someone spends appearing on television. Later senses cover time spent face to face with someone and time spent at your workplace, especially beyond normal hours. So 'getting face time with the boss' was a phrase long before anyone could FaceTime their boss.
That's a handy distinction if you write for work. 'Face time' with a space is an in-person meeting. 'FaceTime' as one word is the Apple call. FT in a text is almost always the second one.
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How to answer when someone asks to FT
A request to FT is really a request for your face as well as your voice, so it's fine to say what suits you. A few easy replies:
- 'Yes, give me five minutes' if you're happy to jump on.
- 'Can we do a voice call instead?' if you'd rather not be on camera.
- 'Can't right now, how about 7?' to move it to a better time.
- 'Text is easier for me today' if you just want to keep chatting by message.
None of these are rude. Video calls take more energy than texting, and most people understand if you'd rather not switch the camera on. If you're the one asking, it's kind to check first with a quick 'ok to FT?' rather than calling out of the blue, especially with someone you don't know well.
Texting abbreviations are easy to mix up, so check what DM means on Instagram too.
Should you use FT in your own messages?
With friends and family, yes, it's completely normal. In a work message I'd write 'video call' or name the tool you're using, because not everyone uses Apple devices and FT can look a bit casual. If you're arranging a call with someone on WhatsApp instead, you might want to read whether you can FaceTime on WhatsApp before you promise one. And if you need to keep a copy of a call, here's how to record FaceTime with the other person's permission.
Frequently asked questions
What does FT mean in a text?
It usually means FaceTime, as in 'Can you FT later?' meaning 'Can we video call later?'
What does ft mean in a song title?
It means featuring. It introduces a guest performer, as in 'Song ft. Artist'.
What does FT mean in football?
Full time, the end of the match, as listed by Wiktionary.
Is FT the same as face time?
Not quite. Face time is an older noun for time spent with someone in person; FaceTime is Apple's video calling service.
What does ft mean after a number?
Foot or feet, as in 6 ft, according to Dictionary.com and Wiktionary.
Can I say FT if I'm on Android?
People do use FT loosely for any video call, but FaceTime itself is an Apple service.
