11. Video Chatting and Texting
In this chapter, you learn how to communicate with friends and family using the Messages and FaceTime apps.
Text Messaging with the Messages App
Video Chatting and More with FaceTime
You’ve learned how to communicate with friends, family, and businesses with email. But email is slow (relatively) and not at all like having a conversation in real time.
For that, we turn to text messaging and video chatting. Text messaging, using the iPad’s Messages app, is great for sending short thoughts and notes. Video chatting, using the FaceTime app, is better when you want one-on-one, face-to-face conversation.
Text Messaging with the Messages App
Let’s start with text messaging, like you do on your phone. On your iPad, you use the Messages app to send text messages over Wi-Fi via Apple’s iMessage service. Your messages can include photos, videos, and other files you attach to the basic text.
Send and Receive Text Messages
The Messages app lets you send text messages to any of your friends and family who have an iPad, iPhone, or Mac computer. It’s as easy as tapping out a message on the onscreen keyboard and then tapping the Send button.
Tap the Messages icon to open the Messages app.
Previous conversations are listed in the left column. Tap a conversation to send another message to this person.
Tap the Compose icon to start a new conversation.
Tap in the To field and use the onscreen keyboard to begin entering the name, email address, or phone number of the person with whom you want to talk.
As you type, the Messages app displays a list of matching people from your contacts list. Tap the name of the person you want to text with or finish entering the contact information for this person.
Group Messages
To send a message to a group of people, enter multiple names into the To box. Everyone listed here will receive and be able to respond to your message—and all subsequent responses.
Type your message into the iMessage box.
Tap the blue Send icon.
Emoji
To include an emoji character in your text, tap the Emoji (smiley face) button on the onscreen keyboard and make a selection from there.
Your message appears on the right side of the message pane.
Messages from the other person appear on the left. Continue typing to continue the conversation.
Send an Audio Message
Instead of sending a plain text message, you can record and send a short audio message. Just tap the Record button and start talking!
In the iMessage box, press and hold the record icon.
Begin talking. While you talk, continue to hold your finger on the icon. You see the waveform of your voice in the iMessage box.
When you’re done talking, lift your finger from the screen.
Tap the Play button to hear what you recorded.
Tap the Send button to send the recording to the other person.
Send a Photo
Just as with phone-based MMS (multimedia messaging), you can send photos to people you’re messaging in the Messages app. You can send photos stored in your iPad’s photo library or take a new photo (like a selfie) and send it.
To send a photo stored on your iPad, tap the Photos icon below the iMessage box. (You might need to tap the Apps icon to display icons for Photos and other apps.)
Navigate to and tap the photo you want to send.
Tap the Send icon to send the photo(s) to the person with whom you’re texting.
To take and send a new photo, tap the Camera icon. This displays the camera screen.
Make sure that Photo is selected.
If necessary, tap the Flip icon to switch from the rear camera to the front camera.
Aim your iPad and then tap the big round icon to take the picture.
You see the picture you just took. If you don’t like it, tap Retake.
If you do like the photo, tap the Send icon, and the picture is sent to the person with whom you’re texting.
Send a Video Message
Just as you can send photos and short audio messages, you can also record and send short video messages, using your iPad’s front-facing FaceTime camera.
From within the Messages app, tap the Camera icon next to the iMessage box to display the camera screen.
Tap Video.
If necessary, tap the Flip icon to switch to the front-facing camera.
Look into the camera and tap the red Record button. Start talking!
When you’re done talking, tap the Record button again to stop the recording.
You now see the video you recorded. Tap the Play button to play the video if you want.
If you like the video you recorded, tap the Send icon to send the message to the recipient.
Video Chatting and More with FaceTime
Text messaging is nice, but sometimes you want a face-to-face conversation with someone. Maybe you’re snowbirding down south while your grandkids are still in school up north. Maybe your siblings live in a different part of the country than you do. Maybe you or one of your family members is stuck at home and you just want to check in or keep in touch.
When a text message or phone call isn’t good enough, use Apple’s FaceTime app to video chat in real time with your friends and family. All you need is your iPad—and its built-in camera and microphone. Every call you make is free!
Apple Users Only
FaceTime is only available on Apple devices—iPads, iPhones, and Mac computers. To chat with someone who doesn’t have an Apple device, you have to use another video chat app, such as Skype or Google’s Duo.
Start a Video Chat
You can use FaceTime to video chat with anyone who has an iPad, iPhone, or Mac that includes a front-facing camera.
Tap the FaceTime icon to open the FaceTime app.
You see yourself, via your iPad’s front-facing FaceTime camera. Overlaid on the left side of the screen is a list of people with whom you’ve recently chatted. To chat again with one of the people listed, tap his or her name.
To chat with someone new, tap the + icon.
Start typing a person’s name into the To: box.
As you type, matching contacts are displayed. Select the person you want from this list, or finish typing the person’s email address or phone number.
Tap the Video button, and FaceTime dials the other person.
If that person is available and answers, you see that person onscreen. A small thumbnail in the corner of the screen displays what the other person is seeing (you). Have a nice conversation!
Tap the screen to show the control icons at the bottom.
Tap the Mute icon to mute the sound. Tap the button again to resume normal conversation.
Tap the Camera Off icon to turn off the video on your camera when you don’t want to be seen.
Tap the red End icon to end the chat.
Add a Person to a Group Video Chat
FaceTime also lets you create group video chats, so you can chat with several people at once.
From within a FaceTime video chat, expand the control panel.
Tap Add Person.
Enter the name or email address of the person you want to add.
Tap Add Person to FaceTime.
FaceTime splits the screen and dials the other person.
Answer a Video Chat Request
Just as you can call others via FaceTime, they can call you. How do you answer a video call? By pressing an icon and talking, of course!
When someone calls you via FaceTime, your screen changes to the FaceTime screen and you see two icons at the bottom. Tap Accept to accept the call. Or…
Tap Decline to reject the call.
Make an Audio Call
FaceTime also lets you participate in audio calls—like phone calls but from your iPad to other Apple devices. This is good if you just want to talk and don’t need to see the other person, if you’re not quite presentable enough to show yourself to the other person, or if you’re talking to someone who doesn’t have a front-facing camera in his or her device.
From within FaceTime either tap a person’s name or tap + to start a new conversation with someone.
Tap the Audio button. (If this contact has both a FaceTime account and phone number listed, you may see an option for Call or FaceTime Audio. Only select Call if you want to call the mobile or landline number.)
FaceTime dials the other person. If that person is available and answers, you see the FaceTime controls onscreen. Start talking!
Tap the Mute icon to mute the sound. Tap the icon again to resume normal conversation.
Tap the FaceTime video icon to turn this audio call into a video call.
Tap the red End icon to end this call.
