Facebook Launches New Group Video Chat

An excellent option for families at Christmas

Facebook released an update on Monday, one that it says is the most requested feature— video chat in groups.

As of Monday, Facebook users can group video chat in Messenger and it will be available to iOS, Android and desktops users of Messenger.

Here’s How it Works

You can see it up for six people at a time. However, up to 50 friends can join in and choose to just listen, join via voice, or be on camera. Once more than 6 people are on the call, just the dominant speaker is shown to all participants.

To get started, you’ll need the latest version of Messenger. All you have to do is jump into an existing group conversation, or create a new one. Then tap on the video icon on the upper right of the screen to enter the video chat and everyone in the group will be notified. Each person can join when they are ready with just one tap. For an extra nudge, you can also directly ring just a few people or the whole group.

Similar to Snapchat, you can even add a “mask” to your face. The popular teen app-Houseparty, is very similar to the Facebook Messenger Group Video Chat. Watch the demonstration below.