How to Use Instagram Video Chat

Instagram isn't just for sharing vacation photos and perfectly stylized selfies anymore. With Instagram's messaging features, video chat with up to six Instagram followers or Facebook friends on your iOS or Android device.

Need to include more people? Instagram also lets you create a Room, where you can share a link to a Messenger video chat with up to 50 friends who don't even need to have Instagram, Messenger, or Facebook. Here's how it works.

How to Start a Video Chat on Instagram

Make sure you're running the latest version of the Instagram app on your iPhone or Android device.

1. Open Instagram on your mobile device and tap the Messenger icon on the top right.

2. Tap the video camera icon.

3. Scroll through the list of Suggested friends or type a name under Invite to Video Chat.

4. If you scroll down, you'll see a list of suggested Facebook Friends with whom you can also video chat. They don't need an Instagram account for you to video chat with them.

   Your video chat can include a mix of Instagram followers and Facebook friends.

5. If you search for someone, Instagram will present options of people you follow on Instagram, your Instagram followers, Facebook friends, and people on Instagram who match your search name.

6. Tap a person to add them to your video chat (you can invite up to six people).

7. To remove someone from your video chat, tap the back button on your keyboard, then tap the X next to their name.

8. When you're ready, tap Start to begin your video chat.

   During your video chat, tap Effects to add fun filters and effects, tap Media to include a photo or video, or tap Add to add a person to your chat (if you're not already at six people).

9. Tap the X to end a video chat.

   Tap the Minimize button at the top left, which looks like a square within a square, to minimize the video chat and continue browsing Instagram.

10. After you start a video chat, access that chat group at any time by tapping the chat on your Messenger activity list

11. In the Name this group box, type a name for your video chat group.

12. To start another chat with this group, tap the video camera icon. You can also type a message, send a voice message, or send a photo at any time via the Message box

    Tap any existing Instagram conversation, then tap the video camera, to start a video chat.

How to Start a Messenger Chat Room in Instagram

If you want a larger group video chat, consider starting a Messenger Room. In a Messenger Room, you'll share a link to a video chat with up to 50 friends. Your participants don't even need to have Instagram, Messenger, or Facebook.

1. Open Instagram on your mobile device and tap the Messenger icon on the top right.

2. Tap Rooms.

3. Tap Create Room.

4. You'll see a message explaining that you'll be creating this Room under your Facebook profile. To continue, tap Create Room as [your name].

5. Tap Send next to any Instagram or Facebook friends you want to receive the link, or search for a friend, Tap Share Link to email or text the Room link to someone who isn't on Instagram or Facebook.

6. When you've sent the link to your participants, tap Join Room on Messenger. You'll be taken to your Messenger room where you'll await your video chat recipients.

If You Don't Want to Receive Instagram Video Chats

You may not want to participate in a video chat. While you can certainly not answer the call, if you don't want to receive any video chat invitations from someone, consider blocking the Instagram user.

If you'd rather not be contacted via Instagram video or direct messaging by someone on Facebook, limit Facebook interaction via Instagram settings. Here's how to stop Facebook friends from messaging you via Instagram.

1. From your account page, tap Menu (three lines).

2. Tap Settings.

3. Tap Privacy.

4. Tap Messages.

5. Tap Facebook Friends or People You've Chatted With on Messenger.

6. Tap Don't Receive Requests.