How to Make a Free Video Call in Your Browser (2026 Guide)

Videocall Team · July 29, 2026

You don't need to install a heavy desktop app to talk to someone face-to-face. This guide walks through making a free video call entirely inside Chrome — from adding the extension to sharing a file mid-call — using Videocall as the example tool throughout.

What you'll need

Just two things: desktop Chrome, and a couple of minutes. There's no software to buy, no account form to fill out, and nothing to configure before your first call.

Step-by-step: your first browser video call

Add the extension to Chrome. Open the Chrome Web Store listing for Videocall and click "Add to Chrome." That single click is the entire installation — there's no separate installer window, no restart, and no setup wizard. As soon as Chrome finishes adding it, the extension is ready to use.
Pick a username. The first time you open Videocall, you'll choose a username. There's no email to verify and no password to remember — your username is how other people find you and add you as a contact.
Add a contact. Open the extension from your Chrome toolbar and search for the username of the person you want to call. Add them to your contacts, and ask them to do the same for you so you can find each other both ways.
Start the call. Once someone is in your contacts, Videocall shows you when they're online. Click the call button next to their name to ring them. When they pick up, your call connects peer-to-peer over WebRTC whenever possible, so video and audio travel as directly as they can between your two browsers.
Use chat and file sharing while you talk. During the call, a chat panel is available for typing a quick message, pasting a link, or jotting down a note without interrupting the conversation. Need to hand someone a document or a photo? Drag it into the chat panel and drop it — the other person can download it right away.

Why do this in a browser instead of an app?

Many popular video call tools ask you to download a few hundred megabytes before you can join your first meeting, then keep that app running in the background, updating itself and taking up space. A browser-based option like Videocall skips all of that: it's a Chrome extension, not a standalone program, so there's nothing extra to manage on your computer. If you're comparing the two approaches in more depth, our guide on how to video call without downloading an app explains the technology behind it.

Tips for a smooth first call

Make sure you're on desktop Chrome — Videocall isn't available on mobile yet, so calls need to happen from a computer.
Confirm your contact has added the extension too. Both people need it for a call to connect.
If you'll be sending files during the call, have them ready on your desktop so you can drag them into the chat panel without hunting for them mid-conversation.
Videocall's menu supports English, Spanish, French, German, and Portuguese, so switch to whichever language is most comfortable before you start.

You're set

That's the whole process: add the extension, pick a username, add a contact, and click call. No downloads, no time limit on the call itself, and no subscription standing between you and the conversation. Once you're comfortable with the basics, take a look at how to add contacts for video calls and how to share files while video calling to get more out of every call.

Add Videocall to Chrome — it's free