How to Video Call Your Grandkids in 5 Minutes (Without Asking for Help)

There’s a moment I see in a lot of homes I visit. Grandma points at her phone and says, “I want to see Lila’s face when she opens her birthday present, but I don’t want to bug Sarah to set it up.”

You don’t have to bug anyone. Video calling is one of the easiest things your phone does — easier than texting, honestly. The only reason it feels hard is that nobody ever told you which button to push.

That’s what this post is for. By the end of it, you’ll be able to video call your grandkids without asking anyone for help. We’re going to cover three options — FaceTime, Zoom, and Google Meet — because the one you’ll use depends on what kind of phone the grandkid has.

I’m Bill Davis, and I run Bill’s Home Tech here in Atwater. My mom Joanne is 90. She video-calls me from her armchair every Sunday afternoon. If she can do it, you can do it.

First: Which one do you need?

It depends on what your grandkid uses, not what you use.

If you’re not sure, ask once: “Is your phone an iPhone or a Samsung?” Then come back to this guide.

Option 1: FaceTime (the easiest, if it works)

This is the fastest thing on Earth if you both have iPhones. It’s already on your phone. You don’t need to download anything.

Steps:

1. Open the green FaceTime app on your iPhone. It’s there — sometimes in a folder called “Utilities” or “Apple.”
2. Tap New FaceTime at the top.
3. Type your grandkid’s name. If they’re in your contacts, their name pops up. Tap it.
4. Tap the green FaceTime button that says it’ll start a video call.

That’s it. The call rings on their phone. They tap a green button. You see them.

One trick worth knowing: If you want to call the same person every Sunday, after the first call they show up at the top of FaceTime. Tap their name and tap the video icon — that’s the whole process. Two taps.

Option 2: Zoom (for grandkids on any kind of phone)

Zoom is the one your grandkids’ parents probably use for work. It’s free, it works on any phone or computer, and it’s reliable.

Setup (do this once, takes 4 minutes):

1. Open the App Store (iPhone) or Play Store (Android).
2. Search for Zoom Workplace — it’s blue.
3. Tap Get or Install.
4. When it’s done, open Zoom.
5. Tap Sign Up Free. Use your email. Pick a password. Done.

To make a call:

1. Open Zoom.
2. Tap the orange New Meeting button.
3. Make sure “Video On” is turned on.
4. Tap Start a Meeting.
5. Tap Participants at the bottom, then Invite.
6. Tap Send Email or Copy Link and send the link to your grandkid by text.

When they tap the link, they’re in.

Why Zoom for grandkids: It works on iPhone, Android, laptops, iPads — anything. So if grandkids are scattered, one Zoom call can have all of them.

Option 3: Google Meet (best if you and the grandkid both have Android)

If you have a Samsung, a Pixel, or any Android phone, Google Meet is already installed. Look for the green-and-yellow video camera icon.

Steps:

1. Open Google Meet.
2. Tap New at the bottom.
3. Tap Send Invite.
4. Tap your grandkid’s name in your contacts.
5. Tap Send.

When they tap the invite, they’re in. No app to download on their end if they have Android. (If they’re on iPhone, they’ll have to install Google Meet from the App Store the first time. After that, it’s instant.)

Quick fixes if it’s not working

I get a lot of calls about video calling, and almost every problem is one of these four things:

• You can’t hear them. Look at the bottom of the screen for a microphone icon. If there’s a red line through it, tap it once to unmute.
• They can’t hear you. Same thing on their end — but also check if your phone is on silent. The little switch on the side of an iPhone, or the volume button on Android.
• Black screen / can’t see them. Look for the camera icon at the bottom. If it has a line through it, tap it once.
• The picture freezes. Almost always Wi-Fi. Move to a different room — closer to the router. If you live in a big house and Wi-Fi dies in your favorite chair, that’s a different post: “Why Your Wi-Fi Dies in the Bedroom.”

The setup I do for clients (free if you book a visit)

When I help a senior set this up, I do four things that make it stick:

1. Pin the app to the home screen. First page. Big icon. No hunting.
2. Add the grandkid as a favorite contact. One tap to call.
3. Test the call together so you’ve successfully done it once before I leave.
4. Write the steps on a card with big print and tape it to the back of your phone case.

That last one matters. The first time you use it alone, you’ll forget which button. Having a card means you don’t have to remember — you just look.

If you’d like me to come do this for you, give me a call at (330) 200-8042 or book a visit at billshometech.com. It’s part of the $99 flat-rate visit, and I’ll handle whatever else you’ve been meaning to ask about while I’m there.

You really only need to remember three things

The whole video calling skill comes down to:

1. Open the right app.
2. Tap the person you want to call.
3. Tap the green button.

Everything else is gravy. Don’t let anyone — including yourself — convince you it’s harder than that. It’s not. The phone makers want you to use this; they made it easy.

You’re going to like seeing Lila open her birthday present a lot more than I’m going to like writing the next blog post. Go do it.