On facebook.com, click Messenger at the top right, open a conversation and click Start a video call in the chat window; or open someone's profile, click More options and choose Video call or Audio call. Facebook says video calling works in Google Chrome, Opera and Microsoft Edge, and that group calling isn't available in Mozilla Firefox.
This is the browser route. Facebook's Help treats calling on facebook.com and calling in the Messenger app as separate topics, and points Messenger app users to the Messenger Help Centre. If you want the app, video calling in Messenger covers it. Here I'm sticking to calls made from Facebook in a browser, which is how a lot of business owners end up calling a client, a supplier or a freelancer they already chat to on Facebook. Facebook also says the feature is being introduced gradually, so as of Nov 2026 it may not be on your account yet.
Starting a call from your desktop
Facebook's Help gives two ways in.
From a chat
- In the top right of your Facebook account, click Messenger.
- Open a conversation with the person or people you want to call.
- Click Start a video call in the top corner of the chat window.
From someone's profile
- Go to the Facebook profile of the person you want to call.
- Click More options.
- Click Video call or Audio call.
For a voice call, open the chat the same way and click Audio call in the top right of the chat window. Facebook notes you can turn a voice call into a video call mid-call by clicking Video call, and that you can call one person or a group. One thing it flags: you may not be able to call people who aren't connected to the internet.
Screen sharing works inside a video call too. Start the call, tap the screen-share icon and choose Share; Facebook says you can only share with people whose devices support screen sharing. Sharing your screen on Messenger goes into that in more depth.
The browser list Facebook gives
As of Nov 2026, Facebook's Help lists three browsers for video calling: Google Chrome, Opera and Microsoft Edge. It adds one note that explains a lot of failed calls: group calling isn't available for Mozilla Firefox.
So if a one-to-one call works and a group call won't start, check which browser you're in before anything else. Facebook's own advice when video calling gives trouble is to update or switch your browser.
You'll notice Safari isn't on that list, even though Facebook's camera troubleshooting article includes steps for allowing camera and microphone access in Safari. My reading: Facebook names three browsers for video calling, so if you're in any other one and calls misbehave, switching is the first thing to try.
Who's able to ring you
Facebook says three groups can call you on Facebook: your confirmed Facebook friends, your Messenger connections, and anyone you've shared a video call link with.
That last group is easy to forget. If you've sent a call link to a prospect or a supplier, they've got a way to call you. To stop someone calling, Facebook says you can block their messages or their Facebook account, and you can always ignore a call. If it's come to that, blocking someone on Facebook walks through it.
The IP address catch
This is the one privacy note I'd want every business owner to know. In audio or video calls between only two people, Facebook says your IP address is shared with the other person's device to set up a peer-to-peer connection. That direct connection is there to help improve the audio and video quality of the call.
The catch is in Facebook's own words: while this happens in the background, it may be possible for the other person to discover your IP address. For a call with a long-standing client that's unlikely to bother you. For a first call with a stranger who messaged you out of the blue, it's worth knowing before you click the camera icon.
The other note is easy to miss. If your screen locks during a call, Facebook says your video may continue to stream. Hang up before you lock your computer, not after.
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When the picture, sound or connection fails
Facebook's camera, microphone and speaker troubleshooting runs in a sensible order. As of Nov 2026, it suggests:
- Check camera and microphone permissions in your browser. Help has separate steps for Chrome, Safari, Firefox and Edge.
- Check your computer's settings to make sure the programme has permission to use your camera, microphone or speakers.
- If you use an external Bluetooth microphone or headset, make sure it's turned on.
- Close other programmes, such as other video-calling tools, that may already be using your camera or microphone.
- Make sure your microphone isn't on mute.
- Close your browser and restart your computer.
- Check your internet connection, and try reconnecting to Wi-Fi or a different network if it's slow.
- If you can't see or hear the other person, ask them to run through the same checks.
- Report a problem if none of that helps.
For a slow connection, a separate Facebook article suggests connecting directly to your router if you can, stopping other people sharing your network, closing apps that use the internet (especially anything playing music or video) and cancelling any file downloads.
| Problem | What Facebook says to check |
|---|---|
| No picture | Browser camera permission, your computer's camera permission, and other programmes already using the camera |
| No sound | Microphone permission, mute, and whether a Bluetooth headset or microphone is switched on |
| Choppy or dropping call | A direct connection to your router, fewer people on your network, no music or video apps running, no downloads |
| Group call won't start in Firefox | Group calling isn't available there; switch to Chrome, Opera or Edge |
| Someone you don't want ringing you | Block their messages or their Facebook account, or ignore the call |
If the calls that fail are in the Messenger app rather than the browser, the Messenger call fixes are the better fit.
Where I'd use it, and where I wouldn't
I'd use Facebook calling in the browser for quick one-to-one calls with people you already chat to on Facebook, in Chrome, Opera or Edge, with the camera and microphone permissions sorted before the call starts. I'd skip Firefox for anything with more than two people, because Facebook says group calling isn't there. And I'd skip two-person calls with people you don't know yet, given that Facebook says they may be able to discover your IP address. Whatever you do, hang up before you lock the screen.
Related guides live in the Facebook Help: 80 Guides to Pages, Groups, Ads, Stories and Fixes.
Frequently asked questions
Can you video call on Facebook without the Messenger app?
Yes. Facebook's Help describes calling from facebook.com: click Messenger at the top right, open a conversation and click Start a video call, or call from someone's profile through More options.
Why won't my Facebook group call start?
If you're using Mozilla Firefox, Facebook says group calling isn't available there. Its listed browsers for video calling are Google Chrome, Opera and Microsoft Edge.
Who can call me on Facebook?
Facebook says your confirmed Facebook friends, your Messenger connections and anyone you've shared a video call link with can call you.
Can someone see my IP address on a Facebook call?
In two-person audio or video calls, Facebook says your IP address is shared with the other person's device for a peer-to-peer connection, and it may be possible for them to discover it.
Can I switch a Facebook voice call to video?
Yes. Facebook says that once you've started a voice call, you can make it a video call by clicking Video call.
