Making a video call (Mac)
Have you downloaded Skype and created an account? Then you’re ready to get calling.
You can video call anyone on Skype, anywhere in the world, for free.
First you need to find your friends who are using Skype and add them to your contact list. When you’ve added your friends, it’s easy to video call them.
Before you make a video call
Check the following before you make a video call:
Making a video call
It’s easy to make a video call:
| 1 | Sign in to Skype. |
| 2 | Click Contacts, and then click Skype. You may need to click >> first if you don't see Skype. 
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| 3 | Find the person you want to call. If you have lots of contacts, you can type a name into the Search box to find the person you’re looking for. If the contact has one of these status icons next to their name, it means they are on Skype, so it's free to call. 
If you see this icon or a number under the contact's name, it means they are on a mobile or landline, so you’ll need a little Skype Credit or a subscription to make a call. 
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| 4 | Place your cursor over the person’s picture to see the green call button. To start the call, click Video Call. The green call button displays different ways you can call someone. When your friend is online, you will see Video Call if you have a webcam, or Call if you don’t. 
The screen changes color, a call bar appears at the bottom of the screen, and you'll hear ringing until the other person answers. To answer the video call, the person you’re calling needs to click the green video call icon. If they accept the call by clicking the green voice call icon, you won’t be able to see them. 
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| 5 | Smile, wave, say hello! 
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| 6 | If you can't see or hear each other, go to the menu bar and click Skype > Preferences…, and then select Audio/Video. Make sure that the correct Microphone, Speakers and Camera devices are selected. 
Get more help with setting up your video or setting up your sound. |
| 7 | To end the call, click the red end call button. 
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Using USB audio or video devices with Skype
- During a call, plug in the camera or microphone that you want to use.
- Select Skype then Preferences.
- From the Audio/Video tab, select the camera or microphone that you've just connected from the dropdown menus.
- The next time you plug in that camera or microphone, Skype will automatically use it as the video and/or audio source.
Useful things you can do on a call
There are lots of things you can do during a call:
- Open and close the side bar.
- Turn video on or off.
- Mute your microphone so that the other person cannot hear you.
- Send files, send contacts or share your screen with the person you are calling. Add more people to the video call or send an IM.
- Hang up the call.
- Open the chat window.