Instagram Video Calls: From Initiating To Adding Effects; Everything You Need To Know

Over the last few years, Instagram has evolved from a photo and video-sharing app to a communication app that allows users to talk on a voice/video call. Here’s how you can make and manage video calls on the platform.

Here’s How To Initiate A Video Call On Instagram

1. Open Instagram and tap on the messages button at the top right corner of the feed.
2. Tap on an existing chat or start a new conversation with another Instagram user.
3. In the chat, hit the video camera icon in the top right corner to start a video call.
4. This should notify the other user, provided they are online. Once they accept the incoming call, the video begins.

Instagram’s official support page also mentions that anyone you’ve accepted a message from, except for verified accounts, can video call with you. However, if you want to prevent someone from calling you, Instagram recommends blocking them. 

How To Manage Video Calls On Instagram

During a video call, users can add more people, switch cameras, and browse through Instagram as well. 

To add more people, one should tap on the icon with two people and then hit Invite next to People. The person you’ve selected will receive a notification about the video call, accepting which they can enter. 

To switch cameras, users can tap the two-arrow icon at the bottom or tap their video twice. By default, video calls begin with the front camera. When users feel like switching to the rear camera, they can tap on the icon or the screen twice. 

It is also possible to browse Instagram while having video calls. All you need to do is tap on the downward-facing arrow and make the call appear in a small frame on the screen. On the rest of the screen, users can browse through Instagram.

If you wish to share your video calls’ invitation with someone, tap Invite, then tap the Share link to share a link with others. Last but not least, you can end a video call by tapping the phone icon at the top right. 

How To Add Effects And Filters During A Video Call

To add filters during video calls, users should tap the smiley face icon to view the available effects or the triangular icon to view the available filters. Then, users can select a particular effect or filter to apply it on the video call. 

You can also use Avatars (if you’ve created one before) for video calls, touch up your face to soften the textures, or add backgrounds during video calls by selecting the respective options.

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