Facebook Messenger now offers group video chat, says it was the "most requested Messenger feature ever"

Just in time for the holidays, Facebook Messenger is rolling out a new update that introduces group video calling for up to 50 people at once. This expands on the group calling feature which was added back in April, and is the latest feature added to the popular messaging platform since games were added last month.

You'll be able to see six people in the group video call at one time, but other folks on the call will be able to listen or chime in with their voice. Once more than six people are connected via video, the dominant speaker will be shown to all participants. A feature not unlike Snapchat's live filters — called 3D Masks — will be immediately available for iOS users and eventually rolled out for the Android app. As you would expect, calls are free over Wi-Fi, and can also be made using your carrier data.

We're still waiting to see a new app update pushed through the Google Play Store, but you can check out the new feature on the desktop version of Messenger.

Marc Lagace

Marc Lagace was an Apps and Games Editor at Android Central between 2016 and 2020. You can reach out to him on Twitter [@spacelagace.

15 Comments
  • How about not draining my battery in 3 hours? That's my most requested feature.
  • Holy cow, who requested this ? More than 10 people is just unmanageable
  • I'm confused. Hasn't this been a option for about a year?
  • Like all their new features it'll take a few days to show up after the update. Hopefully they'll actually mention this in the Play Store
  • Yeah, no kidding. If you can't be bothered to update the release notes in the Play Store, I won't be installing it.
  • They basically ruined messenger turning it into failed snapchat clone and this won't make it any better...
  • Worst. Text app. Ever.
  • The app doesn't need an update, it was enabled through a backend update.
  • It works...I just used it with my family group...if someone in the group hasnt updated the app yet they will just receive a voice call
  • No app update available to me in Mexico.
  • I have version 101.0.0.0.100 that was updated on dec 15, 2016... I think the group video chat was a silent update bc I didn't notice it until today
  • Had used hangouts group video call earlier and it was good. Will not install Facebook apps on my phone. Battery drainer & ram hog . Sticking to hangouts until something better comes out
  • Apps Been ruined feels too much like snap chat and I keep pressing stuff by mistake very annoying
  • I'm pretty sure that more people requested a regularly updated change log & the ability to use messaging without the mandatory second app. With the introduction of live videos (and having to manually turn off the notifications for every single one of my friends) and the ever increasing useless features in this lame competition with snapchat, I'm very much over all things Facebook.
  • Nobody asked for this sh¡t. Lol. Facebook is just trying to copy Snapchat. Snapchat is free so no one was hurting to get these new features on FB Messenger. Zuckerberg is an idiot.