---
title: Start or join a call
type: how-to
section: spaces
summary: Choose Start call in the channel header, pick your camera and microphone in the pre-join dialog, then join.
applies_to:
  clients: [web]
sources:
  - evolve-front-end/components/team-chat/voice/voice-strip.tsx
  - evolve-front-end/components/team-chat/voice/voice-prejoin-dialog.tsx
  - evolve-front-end/components/team-chat/voice/voice-controls.tsx
  - evolve-front-end/components/team-chat/page-nav/nav-current-user-bar.tsx
  - evolve-front-end/app/i18n/locales/en/team-chat.json
verified:
  at: 2026-09-04
  env: code
  by: content-lane-spaces
ttl_days: 45
related: [spaces/channels-and-sub-channels, spaces/add-people-to-a-channel]
aliases: [team-chat/calls, spaces/voice, spaces/video-call]
---

1. Open the channel and choose **Start call** in the channel header. If a call is already running the button reads **Join call ({{formattedCount}})** instead.
2. In the pre-join dialog, **Join {{roomName}}**, set **Join with** to **Camera on** or **Camera off** and **Microphone on** or **Microphone off**.
3. Check **Microphone**, **Speaker**, and **Camera**, then confirm.

The dialog says **Choose what to share when you join. Camera, microphone, devices and screen sharing stay one click away during the call.** Your choices are remembered on that browser.

The call control is present when calls are turned on for your Account. If a channel header has no call button, calls are not enabled there.

## How other people join

- The channel header offers them **Join call ({{formattedCount}})**.
- The channel's row in the navigation column shows **{{count}} in call** with a **Join** button.
- You can call people directly. Choose **Ring people** during the call: **Choose up to {{count}} channel members. An invite never joins them automatically.** Search **Channel members**, select them, and choose **Ring selected**. They see **Incoming call** with **Answer** and **Decline**.

## Controls during a call

The call strip carries **Mute** and **Unmute**, **Deafen** and **Undeafen**, **Start camera** and **Stop camera**, and, on a wide window, **Share screen**, **Ring people**, and **Devices**. On a narrow window those sit behind **More**, described as **Share, choose devices, ring teammates, or manage this call.**

**Share screen** hands the choice of what to share to your browser: **Your browser will ask what to share. Sharing tab audio is a browser option.** A shared screen becomes the main object on the stage, marked **{{name}} is sharing**.

**Show call details** expands the stage to the participant tiles, with **Open fullscreen**. Tiles are marked **Speaking**, **Muted**, **Camera on**, **Sharing screen**, **Weak connection**, or **Reconnecting**.

## Leaving and ending

**Leave call** leaves only you: **You will leave this call. Everyone else stays connected.** A channel owner can also choose **End the call for everyone...**, which disconnects everybody.

A call that nobody joins ends itself: **Waiting for someone to join. The call ends in {{countdown}}.** If everybody leaves, **Everyone left. The call ends in {{countdown}}.** **Stay** keeps it live for five more minutes.

You can move around Spaces during a call and stay connected. Leaving Spaces altogether warns **Leave the call? Navigating away from Spaces will disconnect you.**

## Choosing devices before you call

The bar at the bottom of the navigation column opens **Audio and video settings**: **Choose the microphone, speaker and camera Spaces calls use on this browser. Choices are remembered here and can be changed during a call under Devices.** It includes **Test microphone**, which is local: **The test is local and is not sent to the call.**

## If it did not work

- **Microphone is blocked in the browser. Allow it from the lock or camera icon in the address bar, then choose it here. You can still join and listen.** Change the browser permission, then pick the device again.
- **No microphone is available. Connect one, then choose it under Devices.** and the camera equivalent mean no device was found.
- **Screen sharing is unavailable in this browser.** means the browser does not offer it. Use a different browser.
- **The call could not connect. Check your network and browser media access, then try again.** and **Call media could not connect. Try joining again.** are connection failures. Join again.
- **The call service is temporarily unavailable. Try again shortly.** means the call service did not answer.
- **That call ended. Waiting for the next one.** means the call finished while you were joining.