iOS 13.5 – Disable Automatic Face Zooming in FaceTime

To avoid and fight coronavirus, millions of people are working from home and using video chat apps to communicate. But if these video chat apps have issues or make the experience troublesome using them is of no use. Keeping this in mind and understanding the importance of video chat apps, companies are making changes to their apps. 

Luckily, Apple is also listening to users and making changes to the FaceTime app. To spice up your video conferencing experience and to make video chat fun and easy, it is adding new features to FaceTime. 

Using this new setting added to FaceTime in iOS 13.5, Apple users will be able to improve FaceTime Group calls.

In addition to this, the most publicized coronavirus contact tracing app and an easy way to skip Face ID while wearing a mask is also added. 

What made Apple add this new setting?

Introduced in iOS 12.4 Group FaceTime supports up to 32 people. In its default layout, all participants are placed in square tiles. It is thereby making FaceTime one of the most popular and widely used video call apps. However, when a person is speaking their square automatically gets highlighted; indeed, this ensures that no one loses track of the conversation, but in a busy group call where everyone is talking this becomes frustrating. 

Therefore, to make FaceTime group calls simple and easy,  Apple added a new section called Automatic Prominence. This feature is introduced in iOS 13.5 Beta, and it will allow users to disable automatic zooming of Face during FaceTime group calls. This means that instead of seeing moving tiles, you will now be able to see a static grid of people during group FaceTime. 

However, if you want to zoom the tile, you can tap on the tile of the person who is speaking. 

How to disable Automatic Zooming in FaceTime?

To disable automatic face zooming follow the steps below:

1. Head to Settings
2. Scroll down and look for FaceTime settings
3. Look for the section labeled Automatic Prominence
4. Toggle switch next to Speaking to disable automatic zooming in FaceTime group calls

Remember, this setting will only affect group calls. In a 1-1 FaceTime call, another person will take over the full screen. 

Indeed, this feature is helpful, and it will make group FaceTime calls less confusing. I will use it while attending meetings on FaceTime. 

What do you think about this, Automatic Prominence feature? Will you disable it when it is released in iOS 13.5. Let us know in the comments section below.