Facebook introduced Community Chat in 2022 as a way for Facebook Groups to have real-time conversations. Community Chat allows Group members to text, audio call, and video call each other in real-time without having to leave the Facebook app. Here is a guide on how to use Facebook’s Community Chat feature.
What is Facebook Community Chat?
Facebook Community Chat is a real-time messaging feature for Facebook Groups. It allows Group members to message each other in real-time with text, audio, or video chats. This provides a way for people to have conversations and connect with their communities in a more intimate and real-time way.
With Community Chat, Group members can:
- Start a text conversation with other members
- Make an audio or video call with up to 50 members at once
- Share photos, videos, and other media
- See who is currently active and available for chatting
- Create private subgroups for smaller conversations
The feature creates a space for real-time connection between people who share common interests and are part of the same Facebook Groups. It facilitates more intimate conversations and relationships within community members.
Who can use Community Chat?
Community Chat is available for Facebook Groups that meet the following criteria:
- The Group has more than 30 members
- The Group is public or private, but not “secret”
- The Group allows members to invite others
If a Group meets these requirements, admins can enable Community Chat for their members. All members of the eligible Groups can then participate in real-time messaging and calls.
How to enable Community Chat as a Group admin
If your Facebook Group meets the eligibility criteria, follow these steps as a Group admin to turn on Community Chat:
- Go to your Group page
- Click on the “Manage Group” button
- Select “Group Settings” from the menu
- Toggle “Community Chat” to the on position
Once enabled, all members of your Group will be able to start messaging each other in real-time. As the admin, you have control over the feature and can turn it off anytime.
How members can access Community Chat
After an admin enables Community Chat, members can start real-time conversations in two ways:
-
From the Group feed:
- Go to your Group feed
- Click on a member’s profile picture or “Message” button
- This will open up a messaging window with that member
- Start typing or switch to a voice/video call
-
From Community Chat section:
- Go to your Group page
- Click “Community Chat” on the left sidebar
- View active members and start a chat
- Or create a private subgroup here
The Community Chat section shows you who is actively online and available for real-time messaging. This allows you to easily connect with members who are ready to chat.
How to chat with text, audio, and video
When in a messaging window with another member, you can seamlessly switch between text, audio, and video chat:
- Text chat: Simply type a message in the message box and hit enter to send. View and reply to messages here.
- Audio call: Click the phone icon in the upper right to make a voice call. Members have to accept the call invite to connect.
- Video call: Click the video camera icon to switch to a live video call. Again, members have to accept the call invite first.
The great thing about Community Chat is that the text, audio, and video options are all built into the same messaging window for easy switching between modes.
How to start a subgroup in Community Chat
You can create a private subgroup within your Group’s Community Chat for smaller group conversations:
- Go to your Group’s Community Chat section
- Click the “+” icon to start a new chat
- Select the members you want to add from the list
- Name the subgroup and click “Create”
- This will start a private chat with the members you selected
Subgroups allow you to break off into smaller discussions on specific topics. You control who is part of each subgroup chat.
Other Community Chat features
Here are some other useful features in Facebook’s new Community Chat:
- Send reactions during calls: React with thumbs up, hearts, laughter, etc during audio/video calls.
- Masks and effects: Use fun AR masks and effects during video calls.
- Selfie stickers: Take selfies together with other members using AR to layer your faces.
- Photo sharing: Easily share photos from your camera roll in chats.
- Admin controls: Admins can mute or remove members from subgroup chats.
Community Chat guidelines
When using Community Chat, keep in mind Facebook’s rules and policies including:
- Don’t spam or message members repeatedly without permission
- Don’t share private or unwanted information about others
- Don’t harass, bully, or threaten violence against others
- Don’t use hate speech or make discriminatory comments
- Messages can be reported to group admins and Facebook
Violating Facebook’s rules in Community Chat may lead to you being muted, removed from the group, or banned from Facebook entirely.
Conclusion
Facebook’s Community Chat provides an easy way for group members to communicate in real-time. With text, audio, and video options built right into Facebook Groups, you can deepen connections and have meaningful conversations with your communities.
Enable Community Chat in your eligible groups as an admin. Then start chatting with text, voice, or video calls on desktop and mobile. Create private subgroups, use fun effects on video calls, and share media seamlessly. Just be sure to follow Facebook’s guidelines as you connect.