How to Use Random Video Chat on a Chromebook

Chromebooks are built around the browser, which is exactly where RandomChat lives. That makes setup short, but a few ChromeOS switches are still worth knowing before your first random video chat.

Setup in Chrome and ChromeOS

Open Chrome, go to randomchat.io and start a video chat. No Android app or extension is needed. Sign in with Google, Apple or a username and password, or choose Chat as guest and enter your date of birth, your gender and who you want to meet.

Chrome then asks to use your camera and microphone. Click Allow. If you blocked it earlier, click the icon to the left of the web address, open Site settings, set Camera and Microphone to Allow, and reload.

If the camera still shows nothing, check the system level. Recent versions of ChromeOS have Privacy controls under Settings, then Privacy and security, with a Camera access switch. When that switch is off, no app or website can use the camera. Some Chromebooks also have a physical shutter or privacy switch near the lens, so take a quick look.

Devices managed by a school or employer can have the camera locked by an administrator. In that case, use a personal device. Video chat on RandomChat is for adults only, and an online video chat with strangers is not something to run on a work laptop anyway.

Keeping Video Smooth on Modest Hardware

Many Chromebooks are designed to be light and affordable, so a few habits help video stay sharp:

• Close tabs you do not need, especially ones playing video
• Plug in the charger, since battery saver can slow some models down
• Sit closer to your router, or use a USB Ethernet adapter if you have one
• Restart Chrome if the preview stutters after a long day of browsing

Light matters more than megapixels in a live video chat. Most built-in cameras look fine facing a window and grainy in a dim room, so put the light in front of you. Tilt the screen until the lens is at eye level, or prop the laptop on a few books, and your video chat will look far more natural.

For sound, earphones stop echo and keep your partner’s voice to yourself. Check that the right microphone is selected in the quick settings panel near the clock.

Once everything works, you are matched one-on-one with a random person, and Next skips to a new partner instantly. If you prefer to type, the random chat also works without a camera. Our free video chat page explains the basics of a free live video chat online. For better framing, read the video chat tips, and make every video chat with strangers look its best.