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Getting Started With Portal

This is a guide to help you set up and start using your Portal. Scroll down for Portal TV instructions.

If you need help getting started or have questions about a Portal device that's not related to an issue, visit Facebook Reality Labs Demos to schedule a session with a Product Experience Specialist.

You can sign up for Portal emails to receive updates, essential tips, special offers, new partner apps and more.

Portal, Portal Mini and Portal+

This article applies to Portal

See Portal TV article  

Before setting up your Portal, make sure to review our health and safety guidelines. To set up your Portal, you'll need a Facebook or WhatsApp account.

If you would like to use screen reader to set up your Portal, learn more about setting up your Portal using screen reader. If you're having trouble using your Portal's touchscreen during setup, learn more about turning off accessibility options.

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Assemble your Portal:

  1. Place your Portal on a stable flat surface, like a tabletop or counter.
    • Do not place your Portal near sinks, showers, pools or other areas where it might get wet.
    • Do not place your Portal near sources of heat, such as stoves, ovens, or radiators.
    • Do not place Portal where it may be tipped over easily.
  2. Plug your Portal in with the included power cord.
    • Plug the included power cord into Portal first, then into an appropriate outlet.
      • Make sure the included power cord is fully plugged into your Portal before plugging it into an appropriate outlet.
    • Your Portal works when connected to a rated AC power source with 100V to 240V AC at 50Hz to 60Hz. Please review our health and safety guidelines for more information.
    • Arrange any cables and cords so that people and pets are not likely to trip over or accidentally pull on them as they move around or walk near the Portal.

Select your language and connect to Wi-Fi:

Once your Portal is plugged in, follow the on-screen instructions to begin setup.

  1. Select your language, then tap Next.
  2. Connect to Wi-Fi.
    1. Select your Wi-Fi network.
    2. Enter your Wi-Fi password and tap Join.
    3. Tap Next.
    4. Tap Continue. Your Portal may need to download the latest software in order to complete setup. Once the download is complete, you may be asked to restart your Portal.

If you have trouble connecting to the Wi-Fi, learn how to check your signal.

Give your Portal a name and log in with Facebook or WhatsApp:

Follow the on-screen instructions to continue setup.

  1. Give your Portal a name. Tap an option from the menu or tap to create a Custom Name, then tap Next.
  2. Log in with Facebook or WhatsApp:
    1. Tap the box next to Facebook or WhatsApp, then tap Next.
    2. Follow the on-screen instructions.

Once you have finished connecting an account, follow the remaining on-screen instructions to complete setup. You can do things like connect your Portal to music accounts, set up Amazon Alexa, display your photos and learn more about using Portal.

“Hey Portal,” "Hey Facebook" and other functionality is affected by language selection. Learn more about “Hey Portal” and "Hey Facebook" availability. Some features, including Facebook Watch, Facebook Gaming, Facebook Live and display settings aren't available when you set up your Portal with WhatsApp only or when a WhatsApp-only login exists on a shared device. See portal.facebook.com/usage for more information.

Note: If you can’t log into your Facebook account, visit the Facebook Help Center.

This article applies to Portal

See Portal TV article  

During the initial setup of your Portal, you'll choose and connect to a Wi-Fi network. You can change your Portal's Wi-Fi network at any time.

To change your Portal's Wi-Fi network:

  1. From Apps orHome, tap Settings .
  2. Tap General.
  3. Tap Wi-Fi.
  4. Select the network you'd like to connect to, enter your Wi-Fi password, and tap Join.

Learn more about what you can do if your Portal can’t find your Wi-Fi router (internet connection device).

This article applies to Portal

See Portal TV article  

To mute or unmute the camera and microphone using the touchscreen during a call:

  1. Tap the screen to expose the call menu.
  2. Tap or to mute or unmute your camera or microphone.

To mute or unmute the camera and microphone on Portal and Portal Mini:

To turn off the camera or microphone, slide the switch on top of Portal’s frame all the way to the left. A red light lets you know the camera and microphone are both off.

To turn off just the camera, slide the switch on top of Portal’s frame into the middle position. You will see a shutter covering the camera’s lens when you’ve turned the camera off.

To mute or unmute the camera and microphone on Portal+ and Portal (Gen 1):

To turn the camera and microphone off on your Portal, press the circle button on top of your device. A red light on the front of your Portal will indicate when the microphone and camera are turned off.

You can also use the included camera cover to block your Portal camera when you're not using the camera.

This article applies to Portal

See Portal TV article  

You can put your Portal in “sleep” mode, which turns the screen off, but allows your Portal to be woken up by touch, voice commands, motion detection or incoming calls. Your Portal will go to sleep automatically after 15 minutes without use, or you can make your Portal sleep manually.

To make your Portal sleep:

  1. Swipe up from the bottom of your Portal screen to view the Quick Controls.
  2. Tap .

This article applies to Portal

See Portal TV article

Calling Basics

You can make and receive calls:

You can't call Messenger connections that don't have Facebook accounts or upload contacts from your phone. Learn more about adding or removing contacts.

Using Voice Interactions

You can set Portal voice assistant to respond to “Hey Facebook” or “Hey Portal.” Learn how to change your voice assistant settings. “Hey Portal” and "Hey Facebook" availability varies. Learn more about “Hey Portal” and "Hey Facebook" availability.

To make a call say:

  • "Hey Portal, call [contact name]."
  • Hey Portal, answer.“
  • "Hey Portal, hang up."

"Hey Portal" or "Hey Facebook" may ask you to confirm which contact you're trying to call by saying "Yes", "No" or by saying the full name of the contact you're trying to call.

If you have a Facebook and WhatsApp account connected to your device, voice commands will automatically default to your Messenger contacts. To call someone on WhatsApp you can say, "Hey Portal, call [contact name] on WhatsApp" or change your Default Call Provider to WhatsApp.

To make WhatsApp your Default Call Provider:

  1. From Apps, tap to open the Settings.
  2. Tap General, then tap next to Default Calling Provider to turn on or off.

When you change your Default Call Provider to WhatsApp, all calls made from "Hey Portal" or "Hey Facebook" will be made on WhatsApp, unless you say "Hey Portal, call [contact name] on Messenger."

Using the Touchscreen

To make a call:

  1. From Apps, tap to open the Contacts app. You can filter your contacts by Suggested, Recent, Messenger and WhatsApp.
  2. Tap the contact you'd like to call.
  3. Make a selection to start your call.

To answer a call:

When receiving a call, tap Answer to join the call.

To end a call:

  1. During a call, tap your Portal screen to expose the call menu.
  2. Tap to end the call.

Call Features

During a call you can do things like:

Note: Portal calls can only be received on Portal devices, on the Messenger app on mobile phones or tablets, on messenger.com or facebook.com, or on WhatsApp on mobile phones. Calling on messenger.com or facebook.com is only available using the browsers Chrome or Opera. In order to call a WhatsApp contact from your Portal, the contact must have WhatsApp open or in standby mode on their mobile phone.

This article applies to Portaland Portal TV

Making calls on Portal

On Portal you can call the Facebook friends, Messenger connections and WhatsApp contacts of any accounts linked to your Portal. While Portal is only sold in select countries, you can use your Portal to call friends located in any country where the Messenger app or WhatsApp are supported.

Receiving calls on Portal

Currently, Portal calls can only be received from other Portal devices, from WhatsApp on mobile devices, from the Messenger app on mobile devices or tablets, from messenger.com or from facebook.com. Portal can’t be called from Messenger Kids accounts or the Messenger Lite app.

Your Portal contacts

Your Portal contacts are the Facebook friends, Messenger connections and WhatsApp contacts of all accounts linked to your Portal. If you share a Portal with others, all accounts that have been linked to your Portal will share contacts on Portal. Anyone who shares your Portal will have access to the contacts on the device and will be able to make and answer calls.

Viewing your Portal contacts

From Home on your Portal, tap Contacts. From there, you can browse by Suggested contacts, Recents contacts or contacts by account type.

This article applies to Portal

See Portal TV article  

During a call you can move around the room and talk freely while Portal's Smart Camera and Smart Sound adjust to keep you audible and in the frame. You can also manually adjust the zoom and focus of your camera using gestures on your Portal's touchscreen.

To enter Manual Mode you can:

  • In self view, use a pinch gesture to zoom in or out.
  • In self view, use a drag gesture to change the area of focus.

To turn off Manual Mode:

  • On the bottom right corner of your Portal screen, tap .

To have your camera focus on one individual (Spotlight) during a call:

  • Tap the person's face in your self view.
  • When you see a yellow frame around their face, tap their face again.

To turn off Spotlight during a call:

  • In self view, double-tap the face of the person who is in Spotlight.

This article applies to Portal

See Portal TV article  

You can make group calls on your Portal using your Portal contacts, Messenger Rooms, and other apps. Other call participants do not need a Portal to join the call.

When you make a call from your Portal contacts, you can't have both Messeger and WhatsApp users on the same call.

Group calls with Messenger connections:

With Portal, you can add up to 7 Messenger connections to a call for a total of 8 people, including yourself. You or other connections on your call can add any Facebook friends or Messenger connections to your call.

Group calls with WhatsApp contacts:

A total of 4 participants can be on a group call. However, if a call is started from WhatsApp on an Android phone or iPhone, you can have a total of 8 participants, including yourself. You or other contacts on your call can add any WhatsApp contacts to your call. In order to call any WhatsApp contact from your Portal, the contact must have WhatsApp open or in standby mode on their mobile phone.

To make a group call on your Portal:

  1. Start a call with one of the contacts you’d like to join the group call.
  2. During the call, tap the screen to view the menu.
  3. Tap .

  4. Tap the person or people you'd like to add to your call.

  5. When the person you're adding to the call answers, they will join the group call.

This article applies to Portal

See Portal TV article  

On Portal, Story Time allows you to share interactive stories with animations, music and effects during a call or using the Story Time app.

To use Story Time during a call:

  1. Tap the screen to expose the call menu.
  2. Tap .

  3. Tap .

  4. Tap the story you'd like to share.
  5. Tap Play to start the story, or Description to see a brief description of the story.

To use the Story Time app:

  1. From Apps orHome, tap the Story Time app.
  2. Tap the story you'd like to start.
  3. Tap Play and follow the on-screen instructions.
Notes:
  • Stories can take up to 45 seconds to load.
  • To use the Story Time app, enable your microphone and camera.
  • If you experience trouble loading a story or see a loading signal in the middle of a story, check your internet connection.

This article applies to Portal

See Portal TV article  

Over the next few months, we are updating your Portal’s home screen and settings. Some steps will be different if your Portal has the new home screen.

You can have up to 5 profiles linked to your Portal. These accounts can be Facebook, WhatsApp or Workplace accounts.

Only invite people you trust to add a profile to your Portal. When someone adds their Facebook account on your Portal, their Facebook friends and Messenger connections will become contacts on your Portal, and you will be able to call their contacts. To add WhatsApp contacts to your Portal, connect your WhatsApp account to your Portal.

To add a profile to your Portal:

  1. From Apps orHome, tap Settings .
  2. Tap Profiles or Accounts.
  3. Tap Add Account or Add Profile.
  4. Follow the on-screen instructions to confirm your Facebook, WhatsApp or Workplace account, then tap Next.
  5. Have the person you'd like to add to your Portal select the account(s) they would like to add, then tap Next.
  6. Have the person you'd like to add follow the on-screen instruction to log in with their Facebook, WhatsApp or Workplace account.
  7. Tap Next.

If you are having trouble with your Facebook account, visit the Facebook Help Center

When someone adds a profile, they’ll be able to:

  • See, hear, and delete all of your Portal’s voice interactions in Portal Settings or on their Facebook Activity Log.
  • Make changes to voice interaction settings on your Portal, which will apply to your voice interactions.
  • Use and change other settings on your Portal, which may apply across your Portal.
  • Add profiless to or remove profiles from your Portal, which could include removing your account.
  • Add photos or connect to third party services on your Portal.
  • View and access any information you use or access on your Portal, including the ability to view and call your contacts.

To remove a profile from your Portal:

  1. From Apps orHome, tap Settings .
  2. Tap Profiles or Accounts.
  3. Tap the profile you'd like to remove.
  4. Tap Remove Profile or Remove Account and follow the on-screen instructions.
  5. Tap Remove to confirm.
Notes:
  • You can also remove your own profile from your Portal from the Security and Login menu in your Facebook settings. If your Facebook account is deleted, deactivated or you change your Facebook password, your account will also be removed from your Portal. Anyone who uses a Portal not just another owner, can view and call all contacts, manage favorites, see photos added to your Portal, and use third-party services connected to your Portal.
  • Removing a profile from your Portal will remove the contacts, photos and other data associated with that account, and will remove the profile holder from certain connected third party apps.
  • Removing all accounts that are connected to a Portal will automatically factory reset that Portal.
  • If one of multiple account holders is removed from your Portal, call history on the Portal will remain but it will no longer show that the removed account holder initiated a call.
  • Learn more about adding and removing accounts on Portal TV.

This article applies to Portal

See Portal TV article  

Over the next few months, we are updating your Portal’s home screen and settings. Some steps will be different if your Portal has the new home screen.

To use Alexa on your Portal, you must connect an Amazon Alexa account to your Portal. You can connect to Alexa during the setup of your Portal, or from Settings.

To connect Alexa:

  1. From Apps orHome, tap Settings .
  2. Tap Assistants.
  3. Tap Amazon Alexa and tap Connect.
  4. Go to amazon.com/code on your computer or mobile device and enter the code on your Portal's screen.

To deregister Alexa:

  1. From Apps orHome, tap Settings .
  2. Tap Assistants.
  3. Tap Amazon Alexa, then tap Settings.
  4. Tap Device Options.
  5. Tap Deregister.
  6. Tap Yes.

Learn more about using voice interactions on your Portal.

Notes:
  • The Alexa account connected to Portal isn't linked to a particular Portal account. If one of multiple Portal accounts is removed from your Portal, the Alexa app will remain connected on the device.
  • You can also disconnect Alexa by using the Alexa app. Visit the Alexa website to learn more.

This article applies to Portal

See Portal TV article  

Over the next few months, we are updating your Portal’s home screen and settings. Some steps will be different if your Portal has the new home screen.

To set up your Portal with a WhatsApp account:

Learn how to set up your Portal using a WhatsApp account. Some features, including “Hey Portal,” "Hey Facebook," Facebook Watch, Facebook Gaming and Facebook Live aren't available when you set up your Portal with WhatsApp only or when a WhatsApp-only login exists on a shared device.

To connect your WhatsApp account to your Portal:

  1. From Apps orHome, tap Settings .
  2. Tap Profiles or Accounts.
  3. Tap [Your name].
  4. Tap Connect WhatsApp. You may be asked to confirm your login to make changes.
  5. Tap the box next to By checking, you agree to receive messages from Portal on WhatsApp, then tap Continue.
  6. Tap Next and follow the on-screen instructions.
  7. Tap Done.
Note: Some features, including "Hey Portal" and "Hey Facebook," are not available when you log in with WhatsApp or when a WhatsApp login exists on a shared device.

Portal TV

This article applies to Portal TV  

See Portal article  

Before you begin, learn what you need to set up your Portal TV. If you would like to use screen reader to set up your Portal, learn more about setting up your Portal TV using screen reader.

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Plug in your Portal TV:

  1. Plug in the HDMI cable and power adapter, then connect the power adapter to a power source. Your Portal TV will turn on automatically.
  2. Plug the HDMI cable into an input on your TV. For best results use HDMI 1.
  3. Turn on your TV and select the input.

Find the right place for your Portal TV:

Your Portal TV may be mounted on top of your TV or placed on a flat surface underneath. Avoid placing your Portal TV directly on top of a speaker, too close to a speaker, directly on top of a sound bar or too close to a sound bar.

Your Portal TV is equipped with Dolby Atmos® sound, which requires Dolby Atmos® encoded streaming content and a compatible audio system to use.

Mount your Portal TV on top of your TV:

  1. Open the large clip.
  2. Open the small clip.
  3. Rest the front clip against the front of your TV frame. At the same time, press the front clip against the front of your TV frame and the back clip against the back of your TV.
  4. To make sure Portal TV is secure, press the back clip firmly against the back of your TV.

Set up your remote:

  1. Remove the plastic battery tab on the back of your remote control.
  2. Press Select, when prompted on-screen, to begin pairing the remote to Portal TV. Learn more about how to use your Portal TV remote.
  3. Follow the on-screen steps to finish setup.

Your Portal remote may require updating. This can take up to 5 minutes, depending on your connection. Make sure you don’t press any buttons or remove the batteries while the update is happening.

Learn more about what to do if you’re having trouble with your Portal TV remote.

Select your language and connect to Wi-Fi:

  1. Select your language.
  2. Connect to Wi-Fi by selecting your Wi-Fi network and entering your password. Select Continue to agree to download and install the latest Portal TV software. This can take about 15 minutes depending on your connection. If you have trouble connecting to your Wi-Fi, learn how to check your Wi-Fi signal.
  3. You may need to select Restart Portal to continue. If your Portal TV doesn’t automatically restart, you may need to unplug and plug it back in.

Language selection will affect “Hey Portal,” "Hey Facebook" and other functionality.

You can set Portal voice assistant to respond to “Hey Facebook” or “Hey Portal.” Learn how to change your voice assistant settings. “Hey Portal” and "Hey Facebook" availability varies. Learn more about “Hey Portal” and "Hey Facebook" availability.

Give your Portal TV a name and log in with Facebook or WhatsApp.

Follow the on-screen instructions to continue the setup process.

  1. Give your Portal TV a name. Select an option from the menu or select Custom... to create a Custom Name.
  2. Connect your Facebook or WhatsApp account:
    1. Select Facebook or WhatsApp, then select Continue and follow the on-screen instructions.

To finish setting up your Portal TV, follow the remaining on-screen instructions to complete setup. You can do things like add favorite contacts, see how Smart Camera works, display your Facebook photos, connect Alexa to your Portal TV and learn more about using Portal TV.

"Hey Portal," "Hey Facebook" and other functions are affected by language selection. Some features, including “Hey Portal,” "Hey Facebook," Facebook Watch, Facebook Gaming, Facebook Live and display settings aren't available when you set up your Portal with WhatsApp only or when a WhatsApp-only login exists on a shared device. See portal.facebook.com/usage for more information.

Note: If you can’t log in to your Facebook account, visit the Facebook Help Center.

This article applies to Portal TV  

See Portal article  

During the initial setup of your Portal TV, you'll choose and connect to a Wi-Fi network. You can change your Portal TV’s Wi-Fi network at any time.

To change your Portal TV’s Wi-Fi network:

  1. From Home on your Portal TV, select Settings .
  2. Select General.
  3. Select Wi-Fi.
  4. Select the network you'd like to connect to, enter your Wi-Fi password, and select Join.

If you don’t see your Wi-Fi network listed, enter it manually. If you have trouble connecting to your Wi-Fi, learn how to check your signal.

To enter your Wi-Fi network manually:

  1. From Home, select Settings .
  2. Select General.
  3. Select Wi-Fi and make sure Wi-Fi is enabled.
  4. Select Other network... and enter your Wi-Fi network name.
  5. Select your Wi-Fi network's security method from the dropdown, enter your Wi-Fi password and select Join.

This article applies to Portal TV  

See Portal article  

To turn the camera and microphone off on Portal TV:

Press the camera and microphones on/off button on the side of your device. Once the button has been pressed, a red light on your device indicates that the camera and microphones are off. Keep in mind that pressing on your Portal TV remote will continue to work, even when your microphone is turned off.

To turn the camera and microphones back on:

Press the camera and microphones on/off button on the side of your device.

To block the camera lens on Portal TV:

Use the integrated camera cover.

This article applies to Portal TV  

See Portal article  

“Sleep” mode

You can put your Portal TV in “sleep” mode, which turns the display off, but allows your Portal TV to be woken up by voice commands, using the remote or receiving an incoming call. When your Portal TV is in sleep mode, it is still connected to Wi-Fi and its sensors are still active.

You can also learn how to turn the camera and microphone off on your Portal TV.

Putting your Portal TV in sleep mode

You can put your Portal in sleep mode manually by pressing on your Portal TV remote.

Adjusting your display settings

Your Portal will go to sleep automatically when no motion is detected for a preset amount of time. You can adjust your display settings in Settings > Display.

This article applies to Portal TV  

See Portal article  

With Portal TV, you can make and receive calls to and from your Facebook friends and WhatsApp contacts. You can't call Messenger connections that don't have Facebook accounts.

Currently, Portal TV calls can only be received on Portal devices, on the Messenger app on mobile phones or tablets, on messenger.com or facebook.com, or on WhatsApp on mobile phones. Calling on messenger.com or facebook.com is only available using the browsers Chrome or Opera. In order to call a WhatsApp contact from your Portal TV, the contact must have WhatsApp open or in standby mode on their mobile phone.

Making a call

  1. From Home on your Portal TV, select Contacts . You can filter your contacts by Favorites, Recents, and Messenger. You can also Search. If you’ve connected your WhatsApp account to your Portal TV, you can also filter by WhatsApp.
  2. Select a contact.
  3. Make a selection to start your call.

You can also use voice commands to make a call:

  • For Messenger calls, say “Hey Portal, call [contact name].” For example, “Hey Portal, call John Doe.”
  • For WhatsApp calls, say “Hey Portal, call [contact name] on WhatsApp. For example, “Hey Portal, call John Doe on WhatsApp.”

You can set Portal voice assistant to respond to “Hey Facebook” or “Hey Portal.” Learn how to change your voice assistant settings. “Hey Portal” and "Hey Facebook" availability varies. Learn more about “Hey Portal” and "Hey Facebook" availability.

Answering a call

If you have HDMI-CEC enabled on your TV and on Portal TV, when you receive an incoming call, Portal TV will not turn on your TV or switch the input until you’ve answered the call. If you don’t have HDMI-CEC enabled or if your TV doesn’t support HDMI-CEC, when you’re receiving an incoming call you should first turn on your TV and switch to the correct input before answering a call.

To answer a call you can do things like:

  • Select Answer to join the call.
  • Press on the Portal TV remote.
  • Say “Hey Portal, answer.”
  • Press on your Portal TV remote and say “Hey Portal, answer.”

When answering a call using voice commands on a CEC unavailable/disable device, your camera will be off by default. Learn how to turn your camera on.

Ending a call

To end a call:

  1. Press Select to expose the call menu.
  2. Select to end the call.

To end a Messenger or WhatsApp call using voice commands say “Hey Portal, hang up.”

Call features

During a call you can do things like:

This article applies to Portaland Portal TV

Making calls on Portal

On Portal you can call the Facebook friends, Messenger connections and WhatsApp contacts of any accounts linked to your Portal. While Portal is only sold in select countries, you can use your Portal to call friends located in any country where the Messenger app or WhatsApp are supported.

Receiving calls on Portal

Currently, Portal calls can only be received from other Portal devices, from WhatsApp on mobile devices, from the Messenger app on mobile devices or tablets, from messenger.com or from facebook.com. Portal can’t be called from Messenger Kids accounts or the Messenger Lite app.

Your Portal contacts

Your Portal contacts are the Facebook friends, Messenger connections and WhatsApp contacts of all accounts linked to your Portal. If you share a Portal with others, all accounts that have been linked to your Portal will share contacts on Portal. Anyone who shares your Portal will have access to the contacts on the device and will be able to make and answer calls.

Viewing your Portal contacts

From Home on your Portal, tap Contacts. From there, you can browse by Suggested contacts, Recents contacts or contacts by account type.

This article applies to Portal TV  

See Portal article  

During a call you can move around the room and talk freely while Portal TV’s Smart Camera and Smart Sound adjust to keep you audible and in the frame. You can also adjust your camera to focus on one individual (Spotlight) or turn your smart camera off during a call.

To turn on Spotlight during a call:

  1. Press Select to expose the call menu.
  2. Use the Portal TV remote navigation to choose the person you’d like to focus on in the call. When a white rectangle appears over their face, press select. The rectangle will turn green and you will see a notification on your Portal TV display letting you know that Spotlight is on.

To turn Spotlight off during a call:

Use your Portal TV remote to navigate to and select on your Portal TV display. You will see a notification on your Portal TV display letting you know that Spotlight is off.

To control your camera’s self view during a call:

  1. Press Select to expose the menu options.
  2. Press up to navigate to your self view.
  3. You can switch your display view by selecting .

To turn your Smart Camera on or off during a call:

  1. Select your self view and select to maximize.
  2. Press to hide call controls or wait for them to disappear.
  3. Hold Select to turn the Smart Camera on or off.
Note: When Smart Camera is off, the camera will zoom out to the widest position and lock in place.

This article applies to Portal TV  

See Portal article  

To make a group call on your Portal TV:

  1. Start a call with one of the contacts you’d like to join the group call.
  2. During the call, press Select to show the call menu.
  3. Select and then select the contact you'd like to add to your call.

Note: You can’t have both Messenger and WhatsApp users on the same call.

Group calls with Messenger connections:

  • You can add up to 7 Messenger connections to a call for a total of 8 people, including yourself.
  • You or other connections on your call can add any Facebook friends or Messenger connections to your call.

Group calls with WhatsApp contacts:

  • You can add up to 3 WhatsApp contacts to a call for a total of 4 people, including yourself.
  • You or other contacts on your call can add any WhatsApp contacts to your call.
  • In order to call any WhatsApp contact from your Portal TV, the contact must have WhatsApp open or in standby mode on their mobile phone.

This article applies to Portal TV  

See Portal article  

On Portal TV, Story Time allows you to share interactive stories with animations, music and AR Effects during a call or while you’re using the Story Time app.

To use Story Time during a call:

  1. Press Select to expose the call menu.
  2. Select Story Time.
  3. Select the story you'd like to share.

To stop Story Time during a call:

  1. Press on your Portal TV remote.
  2. Next to Story Time, select X.

To use the Story Time app:

  1. From Home on your Portal TV, select the Story Time app.
  2. Select the story you'd like to start.
Notes:
  • Stories can take up to 45 seconds to load.
  • To use the Story Time app, enable your microphone and camera.
  • If you experience trouble loading a story or see a loading signal in the middle of a story, check your internet connection.
  • Features, functionality, and content are subject to change or withdrawal at any time, may not be available in all areas or languages or may be restricted, may require enabled software or service activation, and additional terms, conditions and/or charges may apply. See portal.facebook.com/info for more detail.

This article applies to Portal TV  

See Portal article  

You can have up to 5 accounts linked to your Portal. These accounts can be Facebook or WhatsApp accounts.

Only invite people you trust to add an account to your Portal TV. When someone adds their Facebook account on your Portal TV, their Facebook friends and Messenger connections will become contacts on your Portal TV, and you will be able to call their contacts. To add WhatsApp contacts to your Portal TV, connect your WhatsApp account to your Portal.

When someone adds an account on your Portal TV, their Facebook friends and Messenger connections will become contacts on your Portal TV. If they add their WhatsApp account to your Portal TV, their WhatsApp contacts will also become contacts on your Portal TV. You will then be able to call their contacts and they will be able to call your contacts from Portal TV.

To add an account to your Portal:

  1. From Home on your Portal, select Settings.
  2. Select Accounts.
  3. Select Add Account.
  4. Follow the on-screen instructions to confirm your Facebook or WhatsApp account.
  5. Select Next.
  6. Select Continue.
  7. Select Log in with Facebook or Log in with WhatsApp.
  8. Select Continue.
  9. Have the person you'd like to add follow the on-screen instruction to log in with their Facebook or WhatsApp account.

When you add an account to your Portal, they’ll be able to:

  • See, hear, and delete all of your Portal TV voice interactions in Portal TV Settings or from their Facebook Activity Log.
  • Make changes to voice interaction settings on your Portal TV, which will apply to your voice interactions.
  • Use and change other settings on your Portal TV, which may apply across your Portal TV.
  • Add accounts to, or remove accounts from, your Portal TV, which could include removing your account.
  • View and access any information you use or access on your Portal TV, including the ability to view and call your contacts.

To remove an account from your Portal:

  1. From Home on your Portal, select Settings.
  2. Select Accounts.
  3. Select the account you’d like to remove.
  4. Select Remove Account and follow the on-screen instructions.
Notes:
  • You can also remove your own account from your Portal TV from the Security and Login menu in your Facebook settings. If your Facebook account is deleted, deactivated or you change your Facebook password, your account will also be removed from your Portal TV.
  • Anyone who uses your Portal TV, not just another owner, can view and call all contacts, manage favorites, see photos added to your Portal TV, and use third-party services connected to your Portal.
  • Removing an account from your Portal TV will remove the contacts, photos and other data associated with that account, and will remove the account holder from certain connected third party apps.
  • Removing all accounts that are connected to a Portal TV will automatically factory reset that Portal.
  • If one of multiple account holders is removed from your Portal TV, call history on the Portal TV will remain, but it will no longer show that the removed account holder initiated a call.

This article applies to Portal TV  

See Portal article  

To use Alexa on your Portal, you must connect an Amazon Alexa account to your Portal. You can connect to Alexa during the setup of your Portal, or from Settings.

To connect Alexa:

  1. From Home on your Portal TV, select Settings .
  2. Select Accounts.
  3. Select Amazon Alexa and follow the on-screen instructions to log in with your Amazon account or to disconnect Alexa.
  4. Select Continue.
  5. Select Done.

To deregister Alexa:

  1. From Home on your Portal TV, select Settings .
  2. Select Accounts.
  3. Select Amazon Alexa.
  4. Select Device Options.
  5. Select Deregister.
  6. Select YES.

Learn more about using voice interactions on your Portal TV.

Notes:
  • The Alexa account connected to Portal isn't linked to a particular Portal account. If one of multiple Portal accounts is removed from your Portal, the Alexa app will remain connected on the device.
  • You can also disconnect Alexa by using the Alexa app. Visit the Alexa website to learn more.

This article applies to Portal TV  

See Portal article  

To set up your Portal TV with a WhatsApp account:

Learn how to set up your Portal TV using a WhatsApp account. Some features, including “Hey Portal,” "Hey Facebook," Facebook Watch, Facebook Gaming and Facebook Live aren't available when you set up your Portal with WhatsApp only or when a WhatsApp-only login exists on a shared device.

To connect your WhatsApp account to your Portal TV:

  1. From Home, select Settings .
  2. Select Accounts.
  3. Select [Your name].
  4. Select Connect WhatsApp. You may be asked to confirm your login to make changes.
  5. Select the box next to By checking, you agree to receive messages from Portal on WhatsApp, then select Continue.
  6. Read about how your WhatsApp info is managed on Portal, then select Next.
  7. Follow the on-screen instructions. Make sure you have the latest version of WhatsApp downloaded to your mobile device.
Note: Some features, including "Hey Portal" and "Hey Facebook" are not available when you log in with WhatsApp or when a WhatsApp login exists on a shared device.

Over the next few months we are updating how your Portal’s home screen looks. Learn more about the new home screen.

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Last updated March 23, 2021
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How is Portal TV different from the other Portals?

Portal TV allows you to make video calls through your TV screen. The other Portals come with screens of different sizes and can be placed anywhere in your home.

Where is Portal available to purchase?

Portal is only sold in select countries.

How does calling work on Portal?

With Portal, you can make and receive calls to and from your Facebook friends, Messenger connections and WhatsApp contacts.

Looking for something else?

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“Hey Portal” voice command availability varies. Learn more. Screen images simulated. User experience may vary. Requires wireless internet connection and Facebook or WhatsApp account. WhatsApp is not available on tablets. Features, functionality, and content vary and may not be available on all Portal models or in all areas and languages. Some features may require a Facebook account and downloading the Portal mobile app. Additional account registration, terms and fees may apply.

*Offer valid April 17, 2021 (9:00 pm PST) – May 9, 2021 (11:59 pm PST). Limit 4 devices per transaction. Valid on qualifying purchases at portal.facebook.com. Subject to availability, quantities are limited. Not valid on prior orders or purchases; cannot be transferred or otherwise redeemed for cash. Cannot be combined with other offers, discounts, bundles, or coupons. Facebook Technologies, LLC reserves the right to cancel or modify this offer at any time without notice. Void where prohibited.

©2021 Facebook, Inc. or its affiliates. All rights reserved. Facebook, Portal from Facebook and the Facebook logo are trademarks of Facebook, Inc. Amazon, Alexa and all related logos are trademarks of Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates. Other names and brands may be claimed as the property of others.