Camera and microphone on Chatiwi
When you start a video chat, your browser asks whether Chatiwi may use your camera and microphone. Choose Allow for both. If no question appears:
- Look for a camera icon in the address bar, set it to Allow, and reload the page.
- On iPhone, check Settings › Safari › Camera and Microphone; on Android, check the browser's site settings.
- Close other apps or tabs that may be using the camera.
- Update your browser. A recent Chrome, Safari or Edge works.
The other person can't see or hear me
Check that the camera and microphone buttons in the call are on; they can be switched off during a call. On a phone, the flip button switches between the front and back camera. If the picture freezes or the sound cuts out, the connection is usually the cause: move closer to your router, or switch between Wi-Fi and mobile data.
In the Chatiwi web app on my home screen
The installed app may ask for camera access again the first time, even if you allowed it in the browser. Tap Allow. How to install it is on the Chatiwi web app page.
Chatiwi not loading, or is Chatiwi down?
Most "Chatiwi is down" moments are on the device side. Work through these in order:
- Reload the page, or close and reopen the Chatiwi app.
- Open any other website. If that fails too, the problem is your connection.
- Switch between Wi-Fi and mobile data; some networks block video calls.
- Try a private window, or another browser, to rule out an extension or old data.
If none of that helps, write to us and say what you see and on which device. The full checklist is in Is Chatiwi down? How to check.
Guest sessions and your Chatiwi account
You do not need an account to start. A guest session is created the moment you open Chatiwi, and as a guest you can match, call someone from the online list, watch live streams and type in their chat, and follow people.
Buying coins, the wallet and settings need you to sign in with your email. A guest session stays on the device and browser where it started; if you clear your browser data, a guest session that was never linked to an email cannot be recovered.
You can delete your account from your settings, or ask us to delete it through the contact page. The Privacy Policy explains what has to be kept for a while afterwards, for example payment records.
Matching, live streams and following on Chatiwi
- Random match: tap Start and you are paired with someone online. Next unlocks after a short countdown. A random match cannot be set to a country.
- Pick someone: open the online list, filter it by country if you like, and call the person you choose.
- Live streams: open Live to watch hosts broadcast and type in the stream's chat.
- Following: tap Follow on someone you enjoyed talking to, and send them messages later.
Before a random call connects you see a short preview: join right away, wait for the countdown, or skip. If the other person leaves while the call is connecting, you are matched again automatically. At quiet times matching can take a little longer; keep the page open and it keeps looking.
Chatiwi is video first: there are no text-only or voice-only matches and no public chat rooms. Messages are for people you follow or have met.
Coins and billing on Chatiwi
Free video matches are handed out every day; the system decides how many you get. After that, calls are paid with coins you buy first. A random match costs a set number of coins, shown on the Start button, and VIP members pay less. Calling a specific person costs her own price, shown before you call. A notice appears in the call before billing starts.
To buy coins, sign in, open your wallet and choose a coin pack; you then pay on the payment provider's own page. Chatiwi never sees or stores your card number. VIP membership is optional. If something looks wrong with a payment, keep the receipt and contact us.
Reports, blocks and removed Chatiwi accounts
You can report someone in the call, or from their profile, a chat or a live stream: pick a reason, add details and, if you like, screenshots. Every report is reviewed by a person. A block works immediately, and you can undo it from your block list.
Accounts that break the Chatiwi community guidelines can be suspended or removed, depending on what happened. Opening a new account to get around a removal is not allowed. If you think your account was suspended by mistake, contact us with the email you used and roughly when it happened, and a person will look at it.
Still need help with Chatiwi?
The contact page lists the quickest route for reports, payments and account requests. For staying comfortable with new people, see the Safety Center.