How to Set Up & Use FaceTime for Mac

Want to FaceTime with friends, family, and co-workers from your Mac computer? It’s as easy as 1-2-3! This short guide explains how to to use FaceTime on a Mac to video chat with an iPhone 4 or later, iPad 2 or later, or another Mac user.

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Things you’ll need to use FaceTime on a Mac:

• Mac with macOS (any version) or Mac OS X Snow Leopard v10.6.6 or later
  • All callers must also have either an Apple iDevice (iPhone, iPad, or iPod) or a Mac using OS X 10.6.6 or later (or any version of macOS)
  • FaceTime Audio works with Apple Watch too!
• Stable and fast internet connection
• Apple ID
• FaceTime is included with OS X Lion or later
  • If you are a Mac OS X v10.6 user, download FaceTime from the Mac App Store

6 Steps To FaceTime Using a Mac

1. Launch the FaceTime App
   1. Download it from the Mac App Store if needed
2. Enter your Apple ID or create a new one
   1. For folks with two-step or two-factor authentication, enter your verification code
3. Verify your contact information in “You can be reached for FaceTime at:” including email addresses and phone numbers and select a phone number or email for “Start new calls from:”
4. Choose to make a Video or Audio Call
5. Enter the name, email address, or number for a contact in the search bar
6. Tap the camera or the telephone icon to start a call

Or use Siri to Make a FaceTime Call

• Tap the Siri icon in the top-right corner of your Mac’s menu bar 
• Ask Siri to ”FaceTime Audio XXX” or ”FaceTime XXX” and let Siri do the rest!

Change Settings During a FaceTime Call on Mac

Callers See FaceTime Notifications on Macs

If you want to make or receive a FaceTime call but can’t get to your iPad or iPhone use your Mac instead!

When someone facetimes you, a notification appears on your Mac to accept or decline the call. Folks with a Touchbar can use that to accept or decline an FT call as well.

Answer or Decline a FaceTime call on your Mac

If you don’t have time to answer the call, simply tap dismiss or reply with a message or set a callback reminder by tapping the arrow next to Decline.

You can also dismiss an alert notification without interacting with it. Just use your mouse, trackpad, or pointer to swipe the banner to the right to silence it.

Want to Change FaceTime Notifications on your Mac?

• Under the Apple Menu
• Go to System Preferences > Notifications > FaceTime
• Uncheck any settings you want disabled, such as play sound for notifications, badge app icon, and so forth. Or choose a different alert style 

Use Group FaceTime on your Mac 

Set Up A Unique FaceTime Ringtone

1. Open FaceTime
2. Go to FaceTime in the Menu bar and select Preferences 
3. Click the drop-down menu for ringtones
4. Tap on a ringtone to select it

Change Your Location in FaceTime

1. Open FaceTime > Preferences
2. Scroll down to Location
3. Click on the drop-down menu and select your current location

Don’t Want FaceTime Calls on Your Mac?

To stop receiving FaceTime calls on your Mac, open FaceTime, then choose FaceTime > Turn FaceTime Off from the menu bar.

Or while in the FaceTime App, use the keyboard shortcut Command (⌘) + K

SK( Managing Editor )

Obsessed with tech since the early arrival of A/UX on Apple, Sudz (SK) is responsible for the editorial direction of AppleToolBox. He is based out of Los Angeles, CA.

Sudz specializes in covering all things macOS, having reviewed dozens of OS X and macOS developments over the years.

In a former life, Sudz worked helping Fortune 100 companies with their technology and business transformation aspirations.