Apple’s latest iOS 17 update has introduced FaceTime Reactions, which are animated effects that you can use to express yourself during video calls. You can activate them manually by pressing down on your picture during a call and selecting a reaction, or you can use hand gestures to trigger specific reactions. For example, you can create a heart shape with your hands to make little red hearts erupt from the middle, or toss up dual metal signs to get a laser light show.
How to manually trigger an effect on FaceTime and video calls:
- During a FaceTime call, press down on your picture.
- A popup menu will appear.
- Select the reaction you want to use.
How to trigger effects using hand gestures:
- Hearts: Create a heart shape with your hands.
- Fireworks: Double thumbs-up.
- Rain: Double thumbs-down.
- Laser beams: Toss up dual metal signs.
Other effects:
- Thumbs-up: Hold up your thumb.
- Thumbs-down: Hold up your thumb and shake it from side to side.
- Confetti: Throw confetti in the air.
- Balloons: Release balloons into the air.
Tips:
- FaceTime Reactions will also show up in macOS Sonoma and iPadOS 17.
- If you’re feeling down, you can make the screen turn dark and gloomy by tapping the rain icon.
Overall, FaceTime Reactions are a fun and expressive way to communicate during video calls.
FaceTime Reactions are a new feature in iOS 17, macOS Sonoma, and iPadOS 17 that allows you to express yourself during video calls with animated effects. There are eight reactions to choose from: thumbs-up, thumbs-down, heart, balloons, confetti, fireworks, laser beams, and rain.
You can trigger FaceTime Reactions manually or using hand gestures. To manually trigger a reaction, press down on your picture during a video call and select the reaction you want to use. To trigger a reaction using a hand gesture, make the corresponding gesture in view of the camera and away from your face.
Here is a table of the FaceTime Reactions and their corresponding hand gestures:
| Reaction | Hand gesture |
|---|---|
| Thumbs-up | Hold up one thumb |
| Thumbs-down | Hold up one thumb and shake it from side to side |
| Heart | Create a heart shape with your hands |
| Balloons | Make a victory sign (peace sign) |
| Confetti | Make two victory signs (peace signs) |
| Fireworks | Double thumbs-up |
| Laser beams | Toss up dual metal signs 🤘 on each hand |
| Rain | Double thumbs-down |
FaceTime Reactions can be used to express a variety of emotions, such as happiness, excitement, sadness, and agreement. They can also be used to simply add some fun and personality to your video calls.
Here are some examples of how you can use FaceTime Reactions:
- React to a funny joke with a thumbs-up or fireworks reaction.
- Send a heart reaction to show your loved ones that you care.
- Use the balloons, confetti, or fireworks reactions to celebrate a special occasion.
- Use the laser beams reaction to show off your excitement.
- Use the rain reaction to express your sadness or disappointment.
FaceTime Reactions are a great way to make your video calls more engaging and expressive. So next time you’re on a FaceTime call, don’t be afraid to use them!
