How To Video Call From a Laptop

Modern laptops are purpose-built for video calls. I use mine for every work meeting on my schedule and even for video calls to friends and family. If you have a laptop manufactured within the last five or six years, it’s what I recommend.

Virtually every laptop you can buy comes with a high-quality webcam built in, visible at the top of the screen. Laptops also tend to have higher-quality software than tablets, bigger screens than phones, and better speakers and microphones than any other consumer-grade device.

I’ll walk you through the basics, whether you’re on Mac or Windows, and then give you tips for making your next video call a success.

Before we move on, read my guide to getting started with family video calls if this is all Greek to you.

Step one: Find a suitable laptop

As I mentioned above, almost all modern laptops come with high-quality cameras built-in. If your model was built any time in the last five years, it’s likely to have a camera with 1080p resolution.

If you have a MacBook, your camera software is tightly integrated with the rest of the system, with a controlled core multimedia framework called CoreMedia that works seamlessly across apps, including FaceTime, Teams, and more.

It gets a little spicier with non-Apple laptops, whether they’re running Windows, Linux, or another operating system. There are many different hardware manufacturers, and every camera needs its own drivers to work properly. From there, each laptop manufacturer has its own camera software, such as Dell’s Peripheral Manager and HP camera.

There’s no need to get too far into the weeds, though. Laptop cameras work well, and they’re more reliable than ever.

How do you know if your webcam is working?

If you’re on a MacBook, the quickest way to check your webcam is to open the FaceTime or Photo Booth app. You should see your own image immediately. A small green indicator light near your camera should light up.

On a Windows PC, open the Camera app from the Start menu to see if the webcam is working. It should show a live preview right away. If that doesn’t work, make sure nothing is covering your camera (such as a privacy shutter). If you can see the camera but it can’t see you, go to Device Manager and look under Cameras to see if a device is listed. If there’s no device listed, your driver isn’t installed or may be corrupted. If there is a device but you see an error flag, right-click the device and choose Properties for more info.

Step two: Choose a video calling app

Once you have a laptop with a working webcam, you need to choose an app for your video calls. The different apps don’t work with each other, so you and the person you’re calling need to be on the same one.

FaceTime is the built-in app on MacBooks, and it’s the video calling app I recommend most. It doesn’t work well on non-Apple devices, but you might be able to send an invite link for PC or Android users.

If you’re on a Windows PC, Microsoft Teams comes pre-installed as the default calling app. It works relatively well on Apple devices, and you can get a free subscription for calls.

If neither calling app is the right fit, check out our coverage on the best apps for family video calls and the best apps for private video calling.

Step three: Agree on a time, and get ready beforehand

Online etiquette is clear—it’s rude to video call out of the blue, unless it’s an emergency. Instead, arrange a time via text message or email. Agree on a calling app in the same message.

Give yourself at least 10 minutes before the call to prepare. Jump down for preparation tips.

When it’s time for the call, getting started depends on your calling app of choice. On FaceTime, tap the New button and type a new number or select a contact from your list.

On Microsoft Teams, click the Chat icon on the left sidebar, then select your contact. Next, click the video camera icon at the top of the chat window.

How to place mixed-device video calls

Video calls require you and the caller to be on the same app, but they don’t require you to be on the same kind of device. Smartphones can call laptops, tablets can call smartphones, etc.

It’s usually easy, but things can get tricky in certain situations. Below are a few of the most common—plus tips to get you on the call fast.

How to call an Android device from a laptop

The app you use matters more than the devices themselves. If you’re both on the same app—Teams, Zoom, Google Meet, WhatsApp—just open a chat with that person and hit the video call button.

How to call an Android or PC from FaceTime

If you need to call an Android device from a MacBook, FaceTime shouldn’t be your first choice. It is hypothetically possible to call an Android user on FaceTime by sending them an invite link, though. They’ll have to use their browser to accept the call.

Generate the link by following these steps:

• Open FaceTime.
• Click New.
• Click Create Link.

From there, choose a way to send the link. If you don’t want to use one of the messaging or email options from the list, you can copy the link to send another way. Here’s what the message will look like:

When your call recipient opens the link, you’ll get a notification to allow them to join. Click it and approve. From there, assuming their device works correctly, you can have a normal FaceTime call. They can reuse that link for future calls.

If you’re calling an iPhone from a MacBook, FaceTime is your smoothest option. It works seamlessly as long as the person you’re calling has an iPhone.

If you’re on a Windows laptop, you’ll need a shared app. Send the person a link through the app or just call them through whichever app you’re both on.

How to call a phone number from a laptop

This is the trickiest scenario, because you’re bridging the internet-calling world with the traditional phone network. A few ways to do it:

If you’re on a Mac, you can call any phone number directly from your laptop as long as your iPhone is nearby and on the same Wi-Fi network. Apple’s Continuity feature will route the call through your phone.

On Windows, Teams offers calling to phone numbers if your organization has a Teams Phone license, but it’s not available on the free version.

If you’re on a personal laptop, try Google Voice. You get a real phone number, and you can make and receive calls to any number right from your browser or the desktop app. Just be aware that you’ll need to sign into a Google account and provide a photo of a government-issued ID to place a call. The whole process takes about five minutes, as long as you have your ID handy

Helpful reminders for your next laptop video call

Whether you’re just getting started with video calling or you’re making call number 9,999, keep these tips in mind to make sure your next call is a success.

• Close other apps: Video calls use a lot of your laptop’s resources and your internet bandwidth. Plus, you don’t want your call interrupted by notifications from other apps. Most modern machines automatically keep everything else quiet during video calls, but to be safe, close out other apps before the call.
• Plug your laptop into an electrical outlet: Don’t risk running out of juice mid-call. If you can’t plug in while calling, make sure your laptop or MacBook is fully charged ahead of time.
• Be aware of background noise: We tend to tune out noises like fans, traffic, and pets in daily life, but they can make for a bad experience on the other end of the call. Some of the video calling software we mentioned above helps alleviate this problem, but it’s not perfect. If you can’t get away from a noisy environment, use headphones equipped with a mic for your call.
• Consider lighting: You want your caller to see you clearly—that’s the point of a video call vs. a voice call, after all. Check your camera before the call, and try to sit or stand so you’re facing a light source like a lamp or window.
• Check your Wi-Fi (or use an Ethernet cable): Video calls work over the internet, so it makes sense to check the strength of your connection before your call. You can keep it easy with a speed test on the laptop you plan to use. If your results are worse than 25Mbps for download speed and 5Mbps for upload speed, consider plugging directly into your router or gateway with an Ethernet cable.

My take: Your laptop is the best place to take a video call

Laptops were built for video calls, and they’re a great tool whether you’re on business calls or catching up with family and friends. Even with relatively inexpensive laptops, you benefit from high-quality cameras, solid mics, and built-in calling apps that are easy to learn.

Even better, you’ll be able to see your caller on a big screen, and it stands up on its own—you don’t have to buy a separate stand or worry about holding up a heavy tablet during the call.

As long as you have access to strong Wi-Fi, I predict laptop calling will become your preferred method for personal and professional video calls. It’s definitely mine.