Some conversations are better out loud. On PEE.CHAT, private messages include audio and video calls: open a chat with another member, start a call and talk, voice only or face to face, right in your browser. There is no calling app to install and no phone number to share. It works on a computer, an iPhone and an Android phone, and all you need is a free account. A private call is not Talk to Stranger: you call a member you already write to, so it is a conversation you chose, not a surprise match. This page covers how to start a call, when audio is enough, how to get good sound and picture, and how to keep a call comfortable for both of you.

How to start a call, step by step

First, sign in to your free account, or create one, which costs nothing, and open the private messages page. Open the conversation with the member you want to call, or send a first message if you have not talked yet. Then choose an audio call or a video call.

Your browser asks permission to use the microphone, and the camera too for a video call. Allow it: both stay off until you do. When the other member picks up, you hear each other, and on a video call you see each other as well.

To finish, end the call. The conversation stays where it was, so you can write, send a voice note or call again later.

Audio or video: which call to choose

Choose audio when the voice is enough: you are on the move, the light is poor, your connection is slow or you simply prefer not to be on camera. Audio is also easier on a busy day, because you can talk while you walk or cook.

Choose video when seeing a face matters: catching up with a friend in another country, showing something you are holding or making, practicing a language with a partner.

Both start the same way, from the same conversation, so you can begin with audio and call back with video later if you both want to. If the other member cannot pick up, leave a message or a voice note: it waits in the conversation until they are free.

Sound, picture and connection checks

A few small habits make a big difference. Wear headphones to avoid echo, and pick a quiet spot. Put a window or a lamp in front of you rather than behind you, and lean your phone against something so the picture stays steady. For video, a stable connection helps more than anything else, so stay on a good network and close other tabs and apps that use the camera.

If you refused the permission by mistake, open the site settings for PEE.CHAT in your browser, set the microphone and camera to Allow and reload the page. If you have several devices plugged in, check that the right microphone is selected. On a phone, keep the page open for the whole call.

Calling with respect and privacy

A call is one-to-one, so agree on a time in the chat first: an unannounced call can catch someone at a bad moment. Say hello, check that they can hear you, and accept a no without fuss.

As in any video call, the other person controls their own device and could capture the screen, so show only what you are comfortable with and keep personal details out of the picture.

If someone makes you uncomfortable, end the call, block them and report them. Turn on two-factor authentication (2FA) for your account, and never share your password or a login code, even if someone asks for it during a call.