A voice or video call can turn a pleasant text chat into a real acquaintance, or into ten minutes of "can you hear me now?". The difference is rarely the equipment. It is a few small habits, most of which cost nothing.
Sound comes first
People forgive a blurry picture. They do not forgive sound they have to strain to understand. If you improve only one thing, make it the audio.
- Use earphones. The simple wired pair that came with a phone is enough. Earphones stop the other person's voice from leaving your speaker and returning through your microphone, which is what causes echo.
- Keep the microphone close and uncovered. On a phone, the microphone is usually at the bottom edge. Holding the phone with a finger over it is the most common cause of "you sound far away".
- Choose a quiet, soft room. Curtains, carpets and furniture absorb echo. A tiled kitchen or an empty hallway does the opposite.
- Mute when you are not speaking in a group call. One open microphone with a television behind it spoils the call for everyone.
Light for video
Cameras need much more light than eyes do. The rule is simple: the light should be in front of you, not behind you. Sitting with a window at your back turns you into a dark outline. Turn around so that you face the window, or put a lamp behind the phone, and the picture improves immediately.
Place the camera at about eye level. A phone lying on the table films the ceiling and the underside of your chin. Leaning it against a stack of books is all the tripod most people need.
Connection
Calls are sensitive to an unstable connection rather than a slow one. A few things help:
- Move closer to the Wi-Fi router, or switch to mobile data if the Wi-Fi is crowded.
- Pause large downloads and video streaming on the same network during the call.
- If the picture freezes repeatedly, turn the camera off. Voice alone needs only a small fraction of the data and will usually become clear at once.
- Close other apps that use the camera or microphone, which can block the call from accessing them.
Permissions: the usual reason a call does not start
The first time you make a call, your browser or phone asks whether the site may use the microphone and camera. If you pressed "Block" by accident, the call will connect in silence. On a phone, open the site settings from the padlock or settings icon next to the address and set microphone and camera to "Allow". On a computer the same padlock appears at the left of the address bar. Reload the page afterwards.
On a phone you can usually switch between the earpiece and the loudspeaker during a call. If the other person sounds very quiet, check that first.
Manners on a call
- Ask before you call. A message such as "do you have time for a short call?" is better than a ringing phone. An unexpected call from a stranger is rarely welcome.
- Say if anyone else can hear. If you are on loudspeaker in a room with other people, the other person has a right to know.
- Allow for the delay. There is always a slight lag. Leave a short pause after the other person finishes so that you do not talk over each other.
- Do not record without permission. In many countries recording a call without consent is illegal, and everywhere it is a breach of trust.
- End clearly. "I have to go, it was good to talk" is kinder than a call that simply drops.
Safety on calls
A call shows and tells more than text. Before you switch the camera on, look at what is behind you: family photos, letters with your address, a window with a recognisable view. Accept calls only from people you have already chatted with for a while, and remember that anything on a video call can be captured by the other side. If a call becomes uncomfortable, end it. You do not need a reason. The broader advice is in our chat safety guide.
A one-minute check before you call
- Earphones in, microphone not covered.
- Light in front of you, camera at eye level.
- Nothing private in the background.
- Other downloads paused.
- The other person knows you are about to call.
That is all. With those five things in place, the technology disappears and what is left is two people talking, which is the point of the call in the first place.