Until recently, if you wanted to use FaceTime, you had to have an Apple device. There was no way around it as FaceTime was an enclosed garden and no one else could get in. But recently, perhaps in an attempt to steal some users from Zoom and Google Meet, Apple has started giving Android and Windows users a little peek into the land of FaceTime. There is no built-in FaceTime app for Android and Windows yet, and only an Apple user can start the call. But that’s a start.
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To use FaceTime on Android and Windows, you need an iOS or Mac user running the latest operating system to start the call. Android and Windows users are not currently able to start FaceTime calls themselves. The iOS or Mac user generates a unique encrypted browser link that the Android or Windows user enters into their browser’s URL bar. They are so connected.
How to FaceTime on Android or Windows
To start a FaceTime call on Android or Windows, you need an iOS or Mac user to make the call. FaceTime calls are currently not initiated by the Android or Windows user. For the purposes of this article, we’ll be using a Mac, but the iOS method is pretty much the same.
First, click Create link in the upper left corner.
The link is automatically copied to your clipboard. But a small menu also appears to give you sharing options. Go ahead and share the link with the Android or Windows user. They need to open a browser and insert the link in the URL bar.
A new section will appear in your sidebar called Coming with the link to the FaceTime call. Click on it to enter the waiting room.
The sidebar shows you at the top how many people have joined the call. You may need to manually approve the person’s request to participate – this is likely to stop street crashers.
When the sidebar says someone is waiting in the waiting room, click Connect at the bottom and the call starts.
When the call is completed, right-click on the call in the sidebar and delete it. This cancels the link and prevents anyone from reusing it.
Read more: How to share your screen on FaceTime
Frequently asked questions
There is currently no Android version of FaceTime. The only way to accept a FaceTime call is through an Internet browser link with an Apple device user.