In a new update released today, Instagram has dramatically increased that number and now allows up to six people to join the conversation at once. In June, Instagram first launched support for video calling on the app, which allowed up to four people to chat simultaneously via video.
This feature is available through direct messages, and users can video chat with anyone they've previously messaged on the app. Of course, you also need to make sure the person you want to make a phone call to via Instagram is actually a member of the platform, as it's only allowed between users.
During video calls, you can still navigate your Instagram feed, while your friends' videos are minimized to picture-in-picture mode, in a corner of the screen.
It's worth noting that, if you look at Instagram's competing apps, for example, Snapchat allows 16 people to participate in a video call, while FaceTime can double the number to 32.
How to use Instagram video calling feature
To use the feature, head to Instagram DM (Direct messages) and tap a username or group to open the conversation. You can also start a new conversation by tapping the “+” icon in the top right corner of DM and selecting the people you want to video chat with.
Once you open the conversation, tap the video camera icon in the top right corner. The person or group you're calling will receive a notification that you're video calling them. If someone is in your DM and you don't specifically want to call them, you can block them or mute the conversation.
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