Facebook is one of the most popular social media platforms, with over 2 billion monthly active users worldwide. It allows users to connect with friends, family, colleagues, brands, celebrities and more through features like News Feed, Messenger, Groups and Events. One of the core ways that people communicate on Facebook is through calling.
Facebook offers several options for making voice and video calls online through its platform. Here are some of the main ways you can call someone on Facebook:
Make a Voice or Video Call in Messenger
Facebook Messenger is the messaging platform integrated within Facebook. It allows you to chat one-on-one or in groups, and also make voice and video calls.
To make a call in Messenger:
- Open the Messenger app on your smartphone or tablet, or access Messenger in your desktop browser.
- Find the friend or contact you want to call in your messages or contacts list.
- Tap on their name to open your messaging thread.
- At the top of the thread, tap on the phone or video icon to place a voice or video call.
You’ll then be connected to your contact through the call. Messenger calls work between iOS and Android devices. You can also make group video calls with up to 50 people through Messenger.
Make a Voice or Video Call Through Facebook
In addition to Messenger, you can also make voice and video calls directly through the Facebook app and website.
On mobile:
- Open the Facebook app and go to your News Feed or profile page.
- Tap on the Phone or Video icons at the top.
- This will open your friends list – tap on the friend you want to call.
On desktop:
- Go to facebook.com and click on a friend’s profile or hover over their name in your timeline.
- Click on the Phone or Video icons that appear next to their name.
This will initiate a call through Facebook.
Facebook mobile calling works between iOS and Android. On desktop, you can only make audio calls, not video calls.
Use Facebook Portal Devices
Facebook Portal devices are the company’s line of smart displays designed specifically for video calling through Messenger and WhatsApp. Models include Portal, Portal Plus, Portal Mini and Portal Go.
If you have a Portal, you can initiate high quality video calls through the device itself. Tap on the person you want to call and you’ll be connected through Messenger or WhatsApp.
Portal also makes it easy to make group video calls with up to 50 people. You can remotely initiate a call to someone else’s Portal from your Messenger app as well.
Make a Call Through Workplace by Facebook
Workplace by Facebook is a separate communications platform designed for businesses and organizations. Like standard Facebook, it allows users to make audio and video calls.
To make a call on Workplace:
- Open the Workplace mobile app or access the desktop website.
- Go to your contacts or find the person you want to call.
- Tap the Phone or Video icon next to their name.
This will connect you to the contact through a Workplace call. You can also make group calls with up to 50 participants.
Use an External Calling App or Service
While Facebook offers built-in calling capabilities, you may prefer to use a separate calling or video conferencing service to connect with your Facebook friends and contacts.
Popular options include:
- WhatsApp – Owned by Facebook, WhatsApp has calling features similar to Messenger. However, it may be preferred by some users.
- FaceTime – For calls between Apple devices.
- Google Duo – Simple video calling between Android and iOS.
- Skype – Allows calling to phone numbers internationally.
- Zoom – Popular for group video calls and webinars.
The main advantage of external apps is supporting different platforms. You can also utilize features not available directly within Facebook, like calls to phone numbers.
To use an external app, simply coordinate with the person you want to talk to so you both have the same app installed. Then initiate a call through the app itself.
Use Click-to-Call on Facebook Pages
Businesses and organizations with a Facebook Page can enable click-to-call functionality. This allows users viewing the Page on mobile to tap a button to directly call the business.
As a Page admin, enable click-to-call by:
- Going to Settings & Contact Info in your Page admin panel.
- Input your business phone number.
- Toggle “Click To Call” on.
A call button will now appear on your Page when viewed on mobile. Clicking it will prompt the user to place a call to the number through their own device.
Make a Call Through Facebook Ads
Facebook Ads also provides the ability to add a click-to-call button to ads and have calls routed through a call tracking number.
To enable call ads:
- Create a Facebook ad as usual.
- Under Additional Options, choose “Call” as the conversion event.
- Input your call tracking number.
- Run your ad targeting mobile users.
When a user taps the call button on your ad, it will route through your call tracking number so you can monitor performance and connect the call accordingly.
Use Third-Party Apps Linked to Facebook
Various third-party apps and services can integrate with your Facebook account to enable calling features.
For example:
- Dialpad – Cloud business phone system with Facebook integration.
- Aircall – Call center software synced with Facebook.
- CallHub – Call tracking and analytics connected to Facebook ads.
These types of apps can provide expanded functionality like call routing, tracking, recording and more. Research apps in your specific niche for other potential integrations.
Conclusion
Facebook offers a variety of built-in options for making voice and video calls through Messenger, the main Facebook app, Workplace and Portal devices. You can also utilize external calling apps, click-to-call on Pages, or integrate third-party apps and services.
Determine which calling method makes most sense for your needs and audience. Be sure the person you are trying to contact also has an enabled calling platform in order for the call to connect.
With billions of users, Facebook’s massive reach makes it a natural platform for integrating voice and video calling features conveniently within your connected social experience.
Facebook’s wide popularity and range of integrated messaging and calling capabilities make it an obvious choice for both personal and business connections. From Messenger exchanges with friends to quick Workplace team meetings to customer service calls through Pages, Facebook provides a way for authentic human conversations to occur on top of its social networking tools for keeping people close.
Whether calling individually or in large groups, Facebook merging together with traditional voice and video phone utilities demonstrates its ongoing evolution from a single website into a full communications ecosystem. Its accessibility across mobile and desktop makes it possible to initiate calls spontaneously while scrolling through your News Feed, coordinating plans in Groups, chatting with businesses, supporting causes or just keeping in touch.
The familiar Facebook interface lowers the barrier for adoption of calling for many users. Even those intimidated by specialized video conferencing software can casually make Messenger calls to relatives abroad or wish friends happy birthday face-to-face through quick video chats.
Businesses can benefit from easy outreach to customers right where they’re most active online by enabling click-to-call on Pages. The ability to measure call conversions and performance through ads manager integration makes phone contacts initiated via Facebook highly measurable and actionable.
As video calling increases in popularity and 5G networks expand capacity for high-quality video on mobile devices, expect Facebook’s prominence in day-to-day online voice and video interactions to continue growing. The company is sure to continue enhancing and building out integrated calling features to keep users engaged within its apps
Facebook’s dominance as the world’s most popular social media network gives it a leg up in expanding its position as a go-to communications tool. Its massive user base of diverse demographics across both developed and emerging markets makes it almost universally relevant.
Facebook will need to proactively address privacy concerns that come with increased use of voice and video connectivity through its platforms. Users will have to decide for themselves their comfort level for sharing conversations via Facebook’s services rather than solely through direct peer-to-peer technologies like standard phone networks.
Interoperability with other calling apps and networks may need to improve over time as well. But Facebook’s status and resources give it major momentum in the expanding integration of social networking with multimedia communications.
Facebook calling removes geographical boundaries and gives users more options to communicate visually on their own terms. It’s an always-available, easy way to foster more authentic human interaction online.