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How to use Facebook Messenger Rooms
Are you trying to figure out how to use Facebook Messenger Rooms? Finding this feature can be confusing, and the process alternates when using different devices. Let’s help you figure everything out and turn you into a Messenger Rooms master.
More: How to use Facebook
QUICK ANSWER
You can create a Facebook Messenger Room straight from the official Facebook Messenger app. Launch it and select Create video call. Edit the settings, share the link, and invite contacts. Then hit Start Room and start your video call.
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Editor’s note: Steps on this article were put together using a Google Pixel 4a with 5G running Android 12 and a custom PC running Windows 11. Keep in mind some steps may differ depending on your hardware and software.
What is Messenger Rooms?
Messenger Rooms is a video calling service provided by Facebook. It offers an alternative to Facebook Messenger’s basic video calling, which is very limited.
The best features on Messenger Rooms
- You can video chat with up to 50 participants.
- Users can join the call through a link, even if they don’t have a Facebook account.
- You can change the background and add cool AI overlays.
- Admins can block people from joining the call unless accepted.
- You can use Messenger Rooms on Facebook, Messenger, or a browser (using the link).
How does Messenger Rooms Compare to Zoom, Skype, and Google Meet?
Facebook Messenger Rooms isn’t as basic as Messenger’s original video calling feature, but it’s still not up to par with more advanced competitors like Zoom, Skype, or Google Meet.
Messenger Rooms allows people without a Facebook account to join using a link. The service also allows for video calling with up to 50 participants. You get a few more advanced features we traditionally only saw in more advanced services like Zoom, Skype, and Google Meet.
For instance, you can use virtual backgrounds like in Zoom, apply effects and filters to your face, share your screen with others on the call, lock your chat room, etc. However, that’s as far as extra features go. As you’ll see in our guides linked below, Zoom, Skype, and Google Meet are much more advanced and have an expansive feature set.
All that said, all those extra features might be unnecessary for casual conversations. If you want a no-thrills experience, you might be better off sticking to Facebook Messenger Rooms. Not to mention chances are you already use Facebook or Messenger, so you might already have the necessary requirements to use Rooms.
How to create Facebook Messenger Rooms on the Messenger app
- Open the Facebook Messenger app.
- Select Create video call.
- When you’re creating a Messenger Room, Facebook will give you the option of creating an open link that anyone — even non-Facebook members — can access. Press the Edit option under the link. You can now select whether Anyone with the link or Only people you approve can join. You can also modify other settings, such as scheduling, chat options, and screen sharing.
- Once you’ve selected your audience permissions, tap the Share button next to the link, and send the created link to other participants via email, WhatsApp, Messenger, Slack, or any other preferred platform.
- You can also pick people from your Facebook contacts.
- Hit Start Room.
When the room is live, people with the link will be able to see your name and profile photo, and that you’re in the room. This could also include people you’re not friends with on Facebook, depending on who you’ve shared the link with.
How to create Messenger Rooms on the Facebook app
You can also start and share Messenger Rooms on the Facebook app through your News Feed, Groups, or Events pages.
The video chat options here are essentially the same as Messenger, apart from a few settings. For instance, the link-sharing settings remain the same, and you can choose who gets to join your room in the same way as Messenger. However, unlike Messenger, you can schedule when to make your room go live through the Start Time setting. This could be very handy if you’re hosting a live concert or webinar using the service.
Here are all the ways you can create Messenger Rooms through the Facebook app.
The News Feed
- Open the Facebook app and go to your News Feed.
- You’ll see a Rooms button right below your status area. Tap on it.
- Select Create Room.
- Press the Edit option under the link. You can now select whether Anyone with the link or Only people you approve can join.
- Share the link or select who you want to invite from your contacts list.
- You can also change the Room name and add a start time.
- Tap on Start Room when ready.
A Facebook Group
- Open the Facebook app.
- Tap the three-line button.
- Go to your Groups.
- Go into Your Groups.
- Select the group where you want to create a Messenger Room.
- Tap the Room button right above your status area.
- Select Create room.
- When creating a room, you can change the Room name and add a start time. You will also be able to add speakers.
- Tap Create live audio room.
- You can now share the link or Invite speakers.
- Select Go live.
See also: The 10 best video chat apps for Android
How to use Messenger Rooms on the desktop
- Open Facebook.com.
- Log into your account, if you haven’t yet.
- Go to your News Feed.
- There will be a Room section under your status area. Select Create Room.
- Enter the Room name and Start time.
- Click on Create Room.
- You can now share your Room link, Edit the settings, and Send invites to friends.
- When done, select Join Room.
Privacy settings
Like Zoom, you have multiple ways of ensuring the privacy and safety of calls made using Facebook Messenger Rooms. The most basic precautionary measure that Messenger Rooms deploys is that the room’s creator needs to be present for a call to begin. Call creators also have the power to remove individual participants at any time.
The following are all the privacy and safety measures you can take while using Facebook Messenger Rooms.
- Locking: Call admins can lock or unlock a room once a call begins. No one else can join if a room is locked, except for admins.
- Removing a participant: You remove individual participants by tapping the Remove button next to their names.
- Reporting: You can report a room name or submit feedback about a room if you believe it violates Facebook’s community standards.
- Blocking: You can block anyone on Facebook or Messenger. When someone you’ve blocked is logged into Facebook or Messenger, they won’t be able to join a room you’re in, and you won’t be able to join theirs.
If you’re hosting a video call and waiting for people to join, you also have a cool option to leave the room till others join. You can access the option by pressing the X icon on the top left corner of the call screen. Here, you can choose to leave and come back later or end the call.
How to use virtual backgrounds
If you want to use effects, filters, or virtual backgrounds, you can tap the window where you see yourself, and an array of options will appear at the bottom of your screen.
More options: How to video chat with family and friends on your smartphone
FAQs
Facebook Messenger Rooms have a limit of 50 participants.
No. Even people without a Facebook or Messenger account can join through a shareable link.
No. Your blocked contacts won’t even be able to see the Messenger Room.
Not by default, but you can make Messenger Rooms private in the settings.
No.
No. You can join a Room from Facebook, Facebook Messenger, or any web browser.
As Meta made an announcement, the Group Rooms feature was already removed entirely on November 16, 2023. You can read more on socialmediatoday.com.