Use Facebook Video Calling in Ubuntu & Linux Distros. How to start a Facebook video call in Linux Ubuntu. Facebook video chat now works in Ubuntu and other Linux distros and that too without any plugin or extra package download.
The best part is that you can still use Facebook video calling even if you don’t have a camera available. In such case you’ll be able to see and hear your friends, but they will only be able to hear you. Here is how to use Facebook video calling in Ubuntu.
To start a Facebook video call, login to your Facebook account and follow the instructions given below:
- Select a friend from your Chat List. It will open a chat window with a friend.
- Click on the camera icon at the top right corner of the chat window.
- Please note that if your friend isn’t currently able to receive a video call, the camera icon will be grayed out, and you’ll see a message saying “[Name] is currently unavailable for video calling.”
- If your friend is available for video chat, the video call session will open in a separate window.
- For the first time you must provide access to Facebook to your webcam and microphone.
- Click the ‘Allow’ button and click continue.
- When the Facebook rings the person you’re trying to contact via the facebook video call, they’ll get a video call alert message.
- As soon as they accept the call, you’ll be able to continue the Facebook video call – see and hear each other.
- For more control buttons, hover over the video call window. You can get buttons to turn off the webcam, mute the microphone, end the video call or continue chat in full-screen.
To end the Facebook video call, simply click the red ‘Phone’ icon in the toolbar overlay. You can also end the call by closing the window directly.
Note that you cannot make multiple video calls at once or make group calls. By default, you can only call one friend at a time.