WhatsApp gave a huge leap in quality by introducing the ability to make video calls with other contacts, especially when it began to allow them to be done in groups. Apparently, WhatsApp video calls are simple: you call other users, talk and see each other for as long as you want and hang up to end the call.
However, this feature of the instant messaging platform holds some secrets that we are going to reveal to you in this article. If you want to master WhatsApp video calls, pay attention to the following 9 tricks that we are going to explain to you, since they are essential to know its operation in full.
Lower the quality of video calls to save data
If you are one of those who often make video calls without being connected to a Wi-Fi network, you should know that this involves significant data consumption. Fortunately, WhatsApp has a feature that makes it easy for you to decrease in data usage during calls, be it audio or video.
To enable this reduction, enter WhatsApp and click on the button in the upper right corner. In the options menu that appears, select Settings. Once inside the settings screen, enter Data and storage. Swipe down until you find the function Reduce data usage, which you must enable sliding the button to the right.
From then on, you won’t have to worry as much about making video calls with other contacts while using mobile data, although you should still have to consumption, even if lower, will still be important.
Add more contacts to video call
WhatsApp allows you to easily add new participants to video calls, which makes it one of the best apps for making group video calls. If you are having a video call with another contact and you want to convert it into a group, you just have to click on the button in the upper right corner, represented by a person icon and a +.
Next, you must choose from your contact list who or who will be the ones to invite to join the video call. We remind you that, at the moment, WhatsApp only allows group calls with a maximum of 4 participants. If the other contacts accept your call, the group video call will begin immediately.
If what you want is to make a group video call on WhatsApp from the first moment, you can start it directly by inviting several contacts with whom you share the same group.
Record WhatsApp video calls
WhatsApp does not yet have an express function to record video calls on your mobile, so you must resort to third-party apps available in the Play Store. Basically what you need to do to capture those video calls is record the screen of your Android mobile.
With applications like AZ Screen Recorder or Mobizen you can record the screen and turn the video call into a video that is stored on your mobile so you can see it whenever you want.
Do other tasks while having a video call
Making a video call on WhatsApp does not mean that you cannot use other applications on your mobile. Some time ago the company added the “Picture in Picture” function, which turns the video call into a small window that stays in a corner of the screen when you exit WhatsApp to browse other apps.
When you want to return to the video call, you can do so by clicking on the expand button that appears on that small screen or by entering WhatsApp again.
Use the rear camera of the mobile
One possibility that many WhatsApp users ignore is being able to use the phone’s rear camera during a video call. When you start one, WhatsApp automatically turns on the front camera so you can focus on yourself. However, it is usual want to show things from the environment during the call, somewhat easier if you use the rear camera.
To switch between cameras during a video call, just click on the button in the lower left corner. That way, you can switch between one and the other as you need.
Turn off the camera or mute your microphone
If at times you don’t want the other people you have the video call with to see what your camera is focusing on or hear what your phone’s microphone picks up, you can turn them off from the video call screen itself. At the bottom of it, you can see the two icons of the video camera and the microphone.
To turn off one of them, you just have to click on its button, which will be highlighted to indicate that the item is not working at those moments. To turn it back on, tap the button in question again, which will revert to its original state. In this way, you can mute your camera or microphone for a few moments if you need to, without having to end the video call.
See your image big
When you start a video call, WhatsApp shows you your image in a small window located in the lower left, giving more importance on the screen to the image of the contact with whom you are talking. However, you should know that you can enlarge your image by touching once on it. To change the image again, tap the little window in the corner again.
Modify video call notifications on WhatsApp
Just as you configure the phone ringtones you receive to know when they call you, you can modify the notifications of WhatsApp video calls to easily recognize when someone wants to see you. To do this, enter the app, click on the three-dot button in the upper right corner and select Settings. In the new menu, enter the Notifications section.
Once inside, scroll down until you find the Calls section, where you can choose a tone and a type of vibration for the calls you receive on WhatsApp, both audio and video. As we said, setting a specific tone for this app will allow you to instantly recognize where the call you receive comes from.
Get the data of each video call you have made
WhatsApp has a tab where you can see the complete log of audio and video calls you have made or received, with or without success. Open the app and go to the Calls tab to see that record in great detail, the icon that informs you about the type of call appears on the right.
You can know even more information about the call without clicking on it, for example, the exact time it started, the duration of the same and the amount of data it consumed. To delete all the information from WhatsApp calls, within the tab click on the three-dot button in the upper right corner and select Delete call log.
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