How to Use FaceTime: iPhone Beginner's Guide in 7 Steps

Find the FaceTime icon on your iPhone. It's a green button with a white video camera inside. On most iPhones it sits in the dock at the bottom of the home screen. If it's not there, swipe down from the middle of the home screen and type 'FaceTime' to find it.

Tap the icon to open the app. The first screen shows your call history - every FaceTime call you've ever made or received. If you've called someone before, you can just tap their name in this list and you're calling them again.

To call someone who isn't already in your call history, tap the green New FaceTime button at the top right of the screen.

A panel slides up with a To field at the top, ready for you to type in a name, phone number, or email address. Right below that you'll see suggested contacts pulled from your phone book.

Type the person's name or phone number in the To field. As you type, matching contacts pop up under the field - tap the right one to add them.

Once their name turns blue at the top, you'll see two big buttons: a green FaceTime button for a video call, and a phone button below it for FaceTime audio (sound only, no video). Tap the green FaceTime button to start the video call. Their phone rings on their end and the call connects when they tap Accept.

You don't have to open the FaceTime app to make a FaceTime call. Open the Messages app and tap a text thread with the person you want to call.

In the top right corner of the message thread you'll see a small camera icon next to the contact's name. Tap it. A little menu pops up with two choices: FaceTime Audio and FaceTime Video. Tap FaceTime Video to start a video call right from inside the text thread.

You can also call someone straight from their contact card. Open the Contacts app and tap the person's name to open their card.

In the row of round icons under their photo, look for the FaceTime icon - a little video camera. Tap it once and the FaceTime call starts right away. No extra screens, no confirmation. This is the fastest way if you keep your contacts organized.

While you're on a FaceTime call, tap anywhere on the screen to bring up the row of controls along the top. You'll see five round buttons: Audio, Camera, Mute, Share, and a red End.

Tap Mute to silence your microphone - the person on the other end can still see you but can't hear anything. Tap it again to unmute. Tap Camera to turn off your video, which is handy if you need to walk away or just don't want to be on camera for a moment. The other person sees a blurred-out image with your name until you tap it again.

The single biggest upgrade to your FaceTime calls is a small phone stand. When you hold the phone in your hand, the picture wobbles around, your arm gets tired, and the other person mostly sees the inside of your nose.

Set the iPhone on a stand at eye level, sit a comfortable distance back, and the call suddenly looks the way it's supposed to look. Both hands stay free, the picture is steady, and you can sip coffee or hold a grandchild while you talk. Any cheap adjustable stand from Amazon works fine.