Nothing beats hearing a grandchild’s voice on the phone. But seeing their face, watching them hold up a drawing or wave from across the country, is a different kind of moment. That is what a video call gives you.
If you have never made one before, the idea can feel confusing. Which app do you need? Does the grandkid need the same phone as you? What if you press the wrong button?
This guide walks through the three apps most families use for video calls: FaceTime, WhatsApp, and Zoom. We will help you pick the right one for your family, then walk through making your first call, step by step.
How do you video call your grandkids?
The simplest way is to use FaceTime if you both have an iPhone or iPad, or WhatsApp if anyone in the family has an Android phone. Both apps let you tap one button next to a saved contact to start seeing and hearing them right away.
FaceTime comes already installed on every iPhone and iPad, so there is nothing extra to download if your grandchild also has an Apple device. Open the Contacts app, find their name, and tap the video camera icon next to it, according to Apple’s instructions for making FaceTime calls.
If your grandchild has an Android phone or a Windows computer, they can still join a FaceTime call you start. You send them a link, and they open it in the Chrome or Edge web browser, type their name, and tap Join, per Apple’s guide to joining FaceTime from Android or Windows.
WhatsApp is the other strong option, especially if your family lives overseas or already uses Android phones. It works the same way on both iPhone and Android, so nobody has to guess which button to press.
Plain talk: video call
A video call lets you see and hear the other person in real time through your phone, tablet, or computer camera, instead of only hearing their voice like a regular phone call.
FaceTime, WhatsApp, or Zoom: which should you use?
Each app has a job it does best. Here is how they compare for a first video call.
| App | Best for | What you need |
|---|---|---|
| FaceTime | Families where everyone has an iPhone or iPad | An Apple ID and a Wi-Fi or cellular connection |
| Calling across iPhone and Android, including overseas family | The WhatsApp app installed and a phone number | |
| Zoom | Group calls with several grandkids or family members at once | A link from whoever set up the call, no account needed to join |
If everyone in the family carries an iPhone, start with FaceTime. It needs no setup beyond what is already on the phone. If your family mixes iPhone and Android, WhatsApp is the fairest choice because it treats both the same way. If a grandchild wants to gather cousins, aunts, and uncles on one call, Zoom handles larger groups well, and joining only takes clicking a link.
Making your first FaceTime call, step by step
FaceTime is usually the easiest starting point when both people have an iPhone or iPad, so here is exactly how to make that first call.
- Open the Contacts app on your iPhone (or open FaceTime and tap New FaceTime).
- Find your grandchild’s name and tap it to open their contact card.
- Tap the video camera icon. This is the FaceTime video button.
- Wait a moment while it rings. Your grandchild’s face will appear once they answer.
- Talk normally, just as you would in person. Tap the red end button when you are ready to hang up.
The first time you do this, your iPhone may ask permission to use your camera and microphone. Tap Allow. This only happens once.
If your grandchild uses WhatsApp instead, the steps are just as short. Open WhatsApp, tap the chat with your grandchild (or find them in the Calls tab), and tap the video camera icon at the top of the screen to start the call, as described on WhatsApp’s calling page.
For a Zoom call, someone in the family usually sets up the meeting and sends you a link by text or email. To join, tap that link, then choose Join from your browser if you do not want to install the app, allow camera and microphone access when asked, type your name, and tap Join, following Zoom’s guide to joining without an account.
Plain talk: permission
When an app asks for “permission” to use your camera or microphone, it is asking your phone’s operating system for a one-time approval. Once you tap Allow, the phone remembers your choice for next time.
Common first-call problems and how to fix them
Almost everyone runs into one of these three snags on their first try. None of them mean you did something wrong.
The screen stays black, or nobody can hear you. Your phone likely needs permission to use the camera or microphone for that app. On an iPhone, open Settings, scroll to find the app (FaceTime, WhatsApp, or Zoom), and make sure Camera and Microphone are turned on. Then try the call again.
Nobody answers. Grandkids are often busy, in class, or asleep depending on the time zone. Send a text first asking if now is a good time, rather than calling out of nowhere. This also gives them a chance to find good lighting and a quiet spot.
The picture freezes or the call drops. This almost always comes down to a weak internet connection. Move closer to your Wi-Fi router, close other apps running in the background, or step outside if you are relying on cellular data indoors. Free Zoom calls, including one-on-one calls, are also limited to 40 minutes on the Basic plan, according to Zoom’s support page on meeting duration. If your call cuts off around that mark, that is expected, not a problem with your phone. Simply start a new call to keep talking.
Tips for a good first video call
A few small changes make a big difference in how the call feels.
- Prop the phone or tablet up rather than holding it. A stand, a stack of books, or leaning it against a lamp works fine.
- Face a window or lamp so light falls on your face, not behind you. Sitting with your back to a bright window makes you look like a shadow.
- Ask the grandkids to be patient for the first minute or two while everyone finds the right button. Most families laugh about this later.
- Keep the call short at first. A five minute call that goes well encourages a second one. A confusing thirty minute call can be discouraging.
Try this
Before your first real call, practice with one family member who lives nearby, or call yourself using two devices if you have them. Getting comfortable with the buttons before the grandkids join takes the pressure off.
Safety tip
Only accept video calls from people already saved in your contacts. If a call comes in from a number you do not recognize, let it ring through to voicemail and call the person back later on a number you know is real, rather than answering on the spot.
If you are the one helping a parent or grandparent get comfortable with this for the first time, our guide on helping a parent with their phone remotely walks through setting up FaceTime screen sharing so you can guide them through it together. And if the person on the other end is more comfortable with a Samsung phone, our guide to Samsung Easy Mode can make the buttons and icons larger and simpler before their first call. Making text and icons bigger across the whole phone also helps, which our guide to making text bigger on iPhone covers step by step.
Where to go from here
Once video calling feels comfortable, a few related skills are worth learning next. If an iPhone is your main device, our book Your iPhone, Plainly Explained covers FaceTime along with the rest of the phone in the same calm, step-by-step style as this guide. Android users can follow the same approach in Your Android Phone, Plainly Explained.
You might also like turning your favorite video call snapshots and family photos into something you can glance at every day, which our guide on digital photo frames for grandparents explains. And because staying in easy reach of family matters for safety too, it is worth reading about Emergency SOS and Fall Detection on iPhone once video calling feels routine.
Whatever app your family settles on, the goal is the same: seeing a familiar face, without a fuss. Once you have made one call, the next one gets easier every time. For extra peace of mind against the video call scams mentioned above, our Scam-Stopper Kit (free when you join our email letter) is a good next step, available at /kit/.
