How to Activate Facebook With a Video Message

Facebook lets you video chat with friends.

Besides letting you share status updates or links to interesting websites with friends and family, the Facebook social networking service also includes a video chat option. As long as you and your Facebook friend both have a wecbam installed, the website allows you to establish a two-way chat session that lets you directly see your friends. Before activating the video chat session you need to go through the setup process, and install Facebook's video program.

Things You'll Need

• Built-in or external webcam

Instructions

1. Navigate to the Facebook webpage, and type your email address and password in the appropriate text boxes at the top of the screen. Click the blue "Log In" button.

2. Click the icon at the right side of the screen for the person you want to activate a video message with, and wait for a message box to appear at the bottom of the page. Depending on your Facebook settings, your friends list may instead appear at the lower-left side of the window.

3. Click the video message icon at the top of the message box. The video message icon is marked by an image of a video camera. Click the blue "Set Up" button to start the process of activating the voice chat feature.

4. Click "Save File" to download the Facebook video chat program. Navigate to the folder where the executable file was downloaded.

5. Double-click the file, and click the "Run" button. Click "Yes" to install the video chat program. The video chat will automatically be activated after the installation completes.

Tips & Warnings

• After going through the setup process there are two ways to initiate new video chats with friends. Either click the video message button in the message box, or access one of your friend's profiles, and click the "Call" button at the top-right end of the window.

• The video chat icon and the "Call" button will not appear on your Facebook profile if your computer doesn't have a built-in webcam or an external webcam attached to a USB port. External webcams are available through office supply stores or online via computer parts websites.

References

• Facebook: Video Calling Basics

Resources

• Facebook: Help Center