Can you use Facebook Portal with Skype? No, but you can use a number of other video-chat platforms

• You can't use Skype on any model of the Facebook Portal, but there are other social media and conferencing platforms that allow you to use a Portal.
• Portal supports several video-conferencing apps, including Zoom, although you still need a WhatsApp or Facebook account to use your Portal.

The Portal, furnished by Facebook, lives up to its name: With a smart camera and impressive speaker system, the tablet is uniquely designed to create a gateway between you and your loved ones.

However, the Portal's impressive technology — including a camera that can track your movements and augmented reality features — isn't accessible to Skype's tens of millions of active daily users.

You can't use a Facebook Portal with Skype, but there are several compatible video-chat platforms

If Skype is your go-to video chat purveyor, you're not entirely out of luck. Though Skype is not currently available on the Portal, there are a number of comparable chat platforms accessible via Portal.

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Facebook and Facebook Messenger

Naturally, Facebook was the first platform with Portal compatibility, and it's still your best bet to get the most out of Portal, including use of Portal's built-in voice assistant.

And while you don't have to have Facebook Messenger in addition to a Facebook account to link to Portal, having one offers additional features.

WhatsApp

WhatsApp, which is owned by Facebook, was the next social media platform to gain Portal compatibility.

Linking your account is easy, and WhatsApp, like Facebook, is free to use.

Workplace

There's also Workplace, a video chat platform from Facebook that's targeted more toward office communications than social gatherings.

To use Workplace on your Portal device, make sure your Portal is fully updated, and Workplace should appear in the list of apps on your device.

Zoom, BlueJeans, GoToMeeting and WebEx

You can also join or start video conference meetings with Zoom, BlueJeans, GoToMeeting, or Webex by downloading each app onto your device.To install, simply tap the App icon on your Portal to find and download the one you plan to use.

Related coverage from Tech Reference:

• How to set up a Facebook Portal video-chat device and enable Alexa
  

• What is Portal from Facebook? A guide to Facebook's Alexa-enabled video-chatting devices and their features

• Do you need a Facebook account to use Portal? No — here's how to use the video-calling devices with WhatsApp and Workplace

• How to reset a Facebook Portal if you plan to sell, return, or regift the video-chat device

• How to use Zoom on a Facebook Portal to start or join virtual meetings on the device