How to Get FaceTime on Windows

You can join a FaceTime video chat on Windows, but you can't create one

By
Brad Stephenson
Brad Stephenson - Lifewire Writer
Brad Stephenson
Freelance Contributor
  • Western Sydney University
Brad Stephenson is a freelance tech and geek culture writer with 12+ years' experience. He writes about Windows 10, Xbox One, and cryptocurrency.
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Updated on June 14, 2022
Reviewed by
Jon Fisher
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Reviewed by Jon Fisher
  • Wichita Technical Institute
Jonathan Fisher is a CompTIA certified technologist with more than 6 years' experience writing for publications like TechNorms and Help Desk Geek.
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What to Know

  • From a Mac or iOS device, launch FaceTime and select Create Link. Tap Copy.
  • Paste the link into an email or text, and send it to the person you want to include in the FaceTime call.
  • The PC recipient opens the link and joins the call; they must have Google Chrome or Microsoft Edge installed.

This article covers everything you need to know about using FaceTime on a Windows computer.

The following process only works with iPod touch and iPhones running at least iOS 15, iPads running iPadOS 15, and Macs updated to macOS Monterey.

A woman sitting on a train using Apple FaceTime video chat on her Microsoft Surface Pro Windows laptop.

Microsoft

How Do You FaceTime on a Computer Running Windows?

To participate in a FaceTime video chat on a computer running Windows, you’ll need to receive an invite link to a chat from someone using the FaceTime app on an iPhone, iPod touch, iPad, or Mac. You can send this link to yourself to switch devices, or you can request a link from another participant so you can join. You'll also need Chrome or Edge on your Windows PC.

  1. Open the FaceTime app on an iPhone, iPod touch, iPad, or Mac computer.

    Your Apple device will need to be running at least iOS 15, iPadOS 15, or macOS Monterey.

  2. Select Create Link.

    If you don’t have the Create Link option, you may need to update your FaceTime app or operating system to the latest version.

  3. Tap Copy to copy the FaceTime web address to your device’s clipboard and then paste it into an email or message to send to a contact or yourself. Alternatively, you can also tap one of the suggested chat apps to send the link as a DM.

    If you want to send the link to yourself, post it in a private chat in an app you can also access on your Windows computer such as Facebook Messenger, Telegram, Twitter, or WhatsApp.

    FaceTime app on iPhone with Create Link, Copy, and Join My FaceTime highlighted

  4. On your Windows computer, locate the FaceTime link and open it in either the Microsoft Edge or Google Chrome web browser.

    Preview concept image of FaceTime running on a Windows laptop in a web browser.

    Apple

  5. You will now be added to the FaceTime chat within the web browser on your Windows computer.

    If you were just adding your Windows computer to the chat, you can now close the FaceTime app on your Apple device.

Do I Need to Install FaceTime on My Windows Computer?

There is no FaceTime app for Windows computers, nor do you need one. On Windows, FaceTime can be run completely from within a web browser by clicking a chat invite link sent to you from someone participating with an Apple device.

You cannot start a FaceTime chat on a Windows computer. You’re only able to join an existing one created on an Apple device, and you'll need Chrome or Edge installed on your Windows PC.

Is FaceTime for PC Safe?

Apple does promise end-to-end encryption for its FaceTime communications which increases your conversation’s privacy significantly.

You can increase your security by making sure you have the latest version of Windows running on your computer and your browser is up-to-date. It’s also a good idea to only click FaceTime invite links you’re expecting. Email scammers may try to trick you into clicking malicious links by claiming they’re for a FaceTime chat when in reality, they’re for a fake website.

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