Apple has recently added an option on the iPhone and iPad for FaceTime, and we have been waiting for it for quite the time. This option will stop making the video box larger automatically for the person who is speaking during the call.
This comes as a great help, as we all were annoyed by this problem, especially when there are many people talking at once. FaceTime would just show the video box bubbles for the speakers, going all over the place. It seemed as if it was trying to identify who is actually speaking, but failed.
You should keep in mind that this is still on by default, but Apple has added the option to turn it off for iOS 13.5 and iPad OS 13.5. These were released earlier this month. If you turn it off, FaceTime will become more Zoom-like, and they won’t have boxes that will resize all the time.
How to use this feature
First of all, you need to be sure of the fact that you’re running the latest iPad and iPhone software. Go to Settings, then to General, then to Software Update. If you’re running an earlier version than iOS 13.5, you will get the option to run the update.
Then, you will need to open Settings, then choose FaceTime. Then you will need to scroll down the page and then turn-off the “Speaking” toggle. You will find it in the section called “Automatic Prominence.”
Keep in mind that, during group FaceTime calls, the tile of the person that’s speaking will now stay at the same size. It might be easier to see everyone at once in the same sized box – we’re all tired of the boxes moving all over the screen. If you prefer the default mode, you can always turn it back on.
