How to Use Viber: The Beginner's Guide (First Chat, Free Calls, Groups, and Staying Private)

CodexFuse Team · 2026-10-29T00:16:31.835Z · 20 min read

Learn how to use Viber: install the app, verify your number, send your first message, make free Viber-to-Viber calls, create groups, and pair Viber on desktop.

Learning how to use Viber is mostly about learning one simple system: your phone number is your account, your contacts are already waiting once the app checks your phone book, and every free call and message goes to another Viber user. Viber is a free messaging and calling app from Rakuten Viber that works over Wi-Fi or mobile data on Android, iPhone, and desktop. This Viber tutorial for beginners walks you through the whole first-use system in order: installing the app, verifying your number, sending your first message, making free voice and video calls, creating a group, setting up disappearing messages, pairing Viber on desktop, and checking the privacy settings that matter most.

If you already use another messaging app, the move is smaller than it looks. The buttons have different names, but the habits transfer: chats live in one list, calls start from a chat or a contact, and groups need an admin who keeps them usable. Our Signal beginner guide covers the private-messaging habits that carry over most directly, while the rest of this guide focuses on what makes Viber different: free international Viber-to-Viber calls, a desktop app that pairs with a QR code, and Viber Out, the paid way to call people who do not use Viber at all.

What is Viber, and how do you use it?

Viber is a free messaging and calling app that uses your internet connection, rather than your mobile plan's minutes, to send messages and make voice and video calls between Viber users. You use it in seven steps: download the app from the Google Play Store or the Apple App Store, enter a mobile number that can receive a text message, type in the verification code Viber sends you, add your name and an optional photo, let the app find which of your contacts already use Viber, send your first message from the Chats tab, and tap the phone or video icon in any chat to call that person for free.

1. Download Viber from the Google Play Store on Android or the App Store on iPhone, checking that the developer is Viber Media or Rakuten Viber.
2. Open the app, choose your country code, and enter a mobile number that can receive an SMS or an automated call.
3. Enter the verification code Viber sends you, then add the name people will see and an optional profile photo.
4. Allow contact access if you want Viber to show which of your phone contacts already use the app.
5. Open the Chats tab, tap the new-chat button, pick a contact, type a message, and tap send.
6. Tap the phone icon for a voice call or the video camera icon for a video call inside any chat.
7. Set up a group from the Chats tab, pair the desktop app with a QR code when you want a full keyboard, and review your privacy settings before joining large public spaces.

Two truths shape everything else in this guide, and no beginner should miss them. First, there is no email-only signup: Viber needs a phone number that can receive a code, and that number is your account. Second, only Viber-to-Viber calls are free: calling a landline or a mobile number that is not on Viber uses Viber Out, a paid credit product, so a "free call" to a regular phone number is not free at all.

How do I install Viber and verify my number?

Install Viber on your phone first, because the desktop app cannot stand on its own and always pairs back to a phone account. On Android, open the Google Play Store, search for Viber or Rakuten Viber Messenger, and tap Install. On iPhone, open the App Store, search for Viber, and tap Get, confirming with Face ID, Touch ID, or your Apple ID password.

Open the app and tap Start Now or Continue. Select your country code carefully, then type your full mobile number and double-check it before you continue. Viber sends a verification code by SMS, and in some cases offers an automated call instead, so use a number you can actually receive messages on right now.

Type the code into Viber, then add your display name and, if you want, a profile photo. Use a name people will recognize, especially if family, school, or work groups are the reason you installed the app. If the code does not arrive, check the country code and the number first, wait a few minutes before asking for another code, and turn off any call-blocking or SMS-filtering app for a moment.

When Viber asks for permissions, grant the ones you actually need and skip the rest. Contacts lets Viber find your friends on the app, the microphone is needed for calls and voice messages, and the camera is needed for video calls and photos. You can use Viber without contact permission, but you will have to start chats manually instead of seeing at a glance who already uses it.

How do I send my first message on Viber?

Send your first message from the Chats tab, which is the main hub where private chats, group chats, and channels all appear. Tap the new-chat button, usually shown as a pencil, message bubble, or plus icon, then pick a contact from the list. Type your message in the box at the bottom of the screen and tap the send icon.

If the contact uses Viber, the message goes through the app over the internet. If they do not use Viber, Viber may offer to invite them, which is worth doing only when you actually want that person on the app. A short test message works well for a first try, such as telling a friend you just installed Viber and asking them to confirm they can see it.

Watch the message status icons so you know what happened to your message. Sent means the message left your device, delivered means it reached the other person's device, and seen means they opened the chat, provided read receipts are turned on. If a message stays unsent, check your Wi-Fi or mobile data, turn airplane mode off if it is on, and restart the app before assuming the other person is ignoring you.

What can I send besides plain text?

Open any chat and use the attachment and media buttons to send photos, videos, files, stickers, GIFs, and voice messages. Tap the gallery or photo icon to choose a photo or video from your phone, add a caption if you want, and tap Send. Tap the camera icon instead to take a new photo or record a video without leaving the chat.

For a voice message, press and hold the microphone icon, speak, and release to send. Some versions let you slide to lock the recording, which helps for longer voice notes because you do not have to keep holding the button. Stickers are a bigger part of Viber's culture than in most messaging apps, so tap the sticker icon near the message box, browse your packs, and tap one to send it; extra packs live in the sticker market, and some are free while others are paid or promotional.

How do I make a free voice or video call on Viber?

Make a free Viber call by opening a chat with another Viber user and tapping the phone icon for voice or the video camera icon for video. Both people need Viber accounts and an internet connection, and the call is free in the sense that Viber charges nothing, although it still uses your Wi-Fi or mobile data. If you are not on Wi-Fi, your mobile carrier may count the call against your data plan.

You do not have to open a chat first. Go to the Calls or Contacts tab, pick a Viber contact, and choose voice or video from their profile.

During a voice call, look for the video camera button if you want to switch to video, although the other person may need to accept the switch. During a video call, you can switch cameras, turn video off for a while, or drop back to voice-only if the connection gets weak.

Group calls work the same way from a group chat. Open the group, tap the call or video call icon, select participants if Viber asks, and start the call. Wi-Fi and headphones make a real difference here, especially with several people joining, because echo and weak mobile data are the two things that ruin group calls fastest.

If calls keep dropping or sounding bad, switch to stronger Wi-Fi or move closer to your router, close other apps that are using the connection, and turn video off on a weak connection. Ask the other person to check their connection too, because a Viber call is only as stable as the weaker of the two connections.

How do I create and manage a group on Viber?

Create a group from the Chats tab by tapping the new-chat button, choosing New Group, picking the contacts you want, and tapping Next or Done. Add a group name and photo before anyone starts posting, because a named group is far easier to find later than a list of names. Names like "Family Updates," "Weekend Trip," or "Project Team" work because they say what the group is for.

Open the group and tap its name at the top to manage it. Depending on whether you created the group or were made an admin, you can add or remove members, change the name or image, mute notifications, view shared media and files, or leave the group. Regular members can usually mute and leave, while admins carry the extra work of keeping the member list and the tone in shape.

Mute a busy group instead of leaving it when you still want to read it on your own schedule. Open the group, tap the group name or info button, choose Mute or Notifications, and pick how long to mute it. You can still open the group and read messages whenever you want, which makes muting the right answer for most noisy family and school groups.

Communities and channels are the larger formats beyond ordinary groups, and beginners should know the difference before joining one. A Community is built for large group discussion, often used by schools, clubs, and fan groups, while a Channel is more like a broadcast feed where admins post and followers read. Before joining either, check the name, description, and member count, and remember that your activity may be visible according to that space's settings, so avoid sharing personal information in large public spaces.

How do I use Viber on desktop?

Use Viber on desktop by installing it on your computer first and then pairing it to the phone account you already set up. Download Viber for Windows, macOS, or Linux from the official Viber site, install it, and open the desktop app. A large QR code appears on your computer screen, and you scan it with Viber on your phone when prompted.

Once paired, the desktop app syncs with your Viber account, so you can send and receive messages, make voice and video calls, share photos and files, and use stickers and reactions from a full keyboard. Dragging and dropping a file into a chat window is the fastest way to send documents from a computer, and searching inside a chat is far easier with a keyboard than with a phone screen.

Do not link Viber to a shared or public computer. Anyone who opens that computer afterwards can read your synced chats until you deactivate or sign out, so finish by signing out whenever you use a computer that is not yours. The desktop app is a companion to your phone, not a replacement for it: your phone number and phone account remain the anchor, and the desktop follows from there.

What is Viber Out, and when is it not free?

Viber Out is Viber's paid calling service for calling regular phone numbers, including people who do not use Viber. Open Viber, go to More, choose Viber Out, add credit or pick a calling plan if one is available in your region, and dial the number you want to call. Rates vary by country and destination, so always check the displayed price before buying credit or placing a call.

Viber Out makes sense for international calls to landlines and for contacts who are offline or have never installed the app. It does not make sense as a default, because every Viber-to-Viber call is already free through the app. Before you pay, check whether the person already uses Viber under a different number, because a free in-app call beats a paid Viber Out call to the same person every time.

How do disappearing messages and hidden chats work?

Disappearing messages automatically delete after a set time once they have been seen, which makes them useful for temporary information such as a door code or a quick reminder. Open a private chat, tap the timer or disappearing-message icon if shown, choose a duration from seconds to days, and send your message. The same timed-message idea is available in group chats in current versions, where you pick the timer from the input bar's options.

Disappearing messages are not absolute secrecy, and beginners should treat them that way. The recipient may still capture the content with another device or a screenshot depending on how their platform behaves, so never send anything through a disappearing message that would cause real harm if it survived. The timer controls how long the message stays in the chat, not whether the other person can remember or record it.

Private Viber messages and Viber-to-Viber calls are end-to-end encrypted, which means the content is protected so that only you and the people you are communicating with can read or hear it. Viber's privacy policy, updated September 23, 2026, states that for its core features the encryption keys are stored only on users' devices and that no one, not even Viber itself, has access to them. Encryption does not protect you from everything, though: someone can still forward a message, or read your chats if they unlock your phone, so a phone screen lock matters as much as encryption does.

Hidden chats, where available, let you hide selected chats from the main list and open them only with a PIN. Open the chat info screen and look for Hide Chat, then find the chat later through search by entering your PIN. If you do not see the feature, it may not be available in your current version or region, so do not plan a privacy setup around it until you have confirmed it on your own phone.

How do I keep my Viber account private and safe?

Check your privacy settings before you join large groups, because your name, photo, and activity are more visible there than in a private chat. Go to More, then Settings, then Privacy, and review each control once. The exact wording varies slightly by device, but the controls below are the ones that matter most for a new account.

First, decide about your online status and read receipts. Viber can show when you are online, and you can turn off sharing your online status in Privacy, although Viber may limit how often you can change that setting. Read receipts let others see when you have viewed their messages, and turning them off in the Send Seen Status control may also stop you seeing other people's read receipts, so treat it as a two-way trade.

Second, control who can add you to groups. Look in Privacy for options about group invitations and choose contacts-only if you want fewer unwanted group invites.

Third, block anyone who bothers you: open the chat, tap their name or the chat info area, choose Block, and confirm. Blocked users cannot call or message you on Viber, and you can manage blocked contacts later in privacy settings.

Fourth, protect your verification code above all else. Never share your Viber activation code with anyone, even if they claim to be support staff, because that code is exactly what someone needs to take over an account tied to your number. Finally, keep the app updated, since updates often include security fixes, and use a phone screen lock so a lost phone does not hand your chats to whoever finds it.

What should I do when Viber is not working?

Fix most Viber problems in the same order: check the number and the connection, then restart the app, then update it, then restart the phone. A verification code that never arrives is usually a wrong country code or a mistyped number, a phone that cannot receive SMS, or a call-blocking app filtering the message. Wait a few minutes before requesting another code, and try the automated call option if Viber offers it.

Messages that will not send usually point to Wi-Fi or mobile data, airplane mode left on, or an outdated app. Restart Viber, update it from the App Store or Google Play Store, and restart your phone if messages are still stuck. Notifications that never arrive usually point to Viber's own notification settings, your phone's notification settings, a Do Not Disturb or Focus mode silencing alerts, or battery optimization delaying notifications on Android.

Missing contacts usually point to permission or formatting. Make sure Viber has permission to access your contacts, save numbers with the correct country code, and ask the person whether they registered Viber with a different phone number. Storage that keeps growing is normal for a messaging app: photos, videos, voice messages, and stickers accumulate, so check Viber's media and storage settings and stop media from saving automatically to your phone gallery if space gets tight.

Back up your chats before changing phones, reinstalling Viber, or resetting your device. Go to More, then Settings, then Account, then Viber Backup, and connect to Google Drive on Android or make sure iCloud Drive is enabled for Viber on iPhone. Restore on the same platform with the same phone number during setup, and check Viber's official transfer options before switching between Android and iPhone, because cross-platform history transfer is more limited.

Viber vs WhatsApp: which should I pick?

Pick Viber when free international calls to other Viber users, a full desktop app, and large Communities matter most to you. Pick WhatsApp when almost everyone you know already uses it, because a messaging app is only as useful as the people already on it. Neither choice is permanent, and many people keep both installed for different circles.

The honest difference is the network, not the feature list. Both apps offer messages, voice and video calls, groups, and end-to-end encrypted private chats, so the deciding question is practical: which app do your family, friends, and groups already answer on? If your international family already uses Viber, its free Viber-to-Viber calls and desktop pairing are a genuine advantage. If your everyday circle lives on WhatsApp, switching alone will not help, because you cannot call people who never installed the app for free.

For the other messaging guides in this series, see our Telegram beginner guide for channels and large groups, our WhatsApp Web beginner guide for using WhatsApp from a computer, and our Discord beginner guide for servers, voice channels, and community chat. Each guide covers the same first-use system, so the app that fits your people is the one to learn first.

Sources

UMA Technology, "Viber: Complete Beginner Guide | How to Use Viber App" (updated 2026, fetched October 2026) — setup and verification steps, interface tabs, first message and status icons, photos and files, voice and video calls, Viber Out, group creation and muting, Communities and Channels, privacy controls, disappearing messages and hidden chats, backup steps, desktop QR activation, and troubleshooting. https://umatechnology.org/viber-complete-beginner-guide-how-to-use-viber-app/

GeekChamp, "Viber: Complete Beginner Guide | How to Use Viber App" (fetched October 2026) — download, number registration, SMS verification, contacts, and calls walkthrough. https://geekchamp.com/viber-complete-beginner-guide-how-to-use-viber-app/

TechYorker, "Viber: Complete Beginner Guide | How to Use Viber App" (fetched October 2026) — calls-first walkthrough, voice and video call steps, and call quality and data usage. https://techyorker.com/viber-complete-beginner-guide-how-to-use-viber-app/

Viber, Privacy Policy (updated September 23, 2026, fetched October 2026) — end-to-end encryption for core features, with encryption keys stored only on users' devices. https://www.viber.com/app/uploads/Privacy-Policy-EN-Sep-2026.pdf

TechSpot, "Viber Download Free" (fetched October 2026) — desktop availability for Windows, macOS, and Linux, and end-to-end encryption for one-to-one and group messages. https://www.techspot.com/downloads/5972-viber.html

Frequently asked questions

Is Viber free?

Yes, for messages, voice calls, and video calls between Viber users, although those calls still use your Wi-Fi or mobile data. Calling a landline or a mobile number that is not on Viber uses Viber Out, which is a paid credit product, so check the displayed rate before you call.

Do I need a phone number to use Viber?

Yes. Viber accounts are registered with a mobile phone number, and you need access to that number during setup to receive the verification code. There is no email-only signup, and your number is your account.

Can I use Viber on my computer?

Yes, after you set it up on your phone. Install Viber for Windows, macOS, or Linux from the official site, open the desktop app, and scan the QR code on your computer screen with Viber on your phone. Do not link it to a shared computer, and sign out when you finish on a computer that is not yours.

Are Viber messages and calls private?

Private Viber messages and Viber-to-Viber calls are end-to-end encrypted, and Viber's September 2026 privacy policy states that the encryption keys for its core features are stored only on users' devices. Disappearing messages add a timer, but they are not absolute secrecy, because the other person may still capture the content another way.

What is the difference between Viber and WhatsApp?

Both offer free messages and calls between their own users, groups, and end-to-end encrypted private chats. Viber stands out for free international Viber-to-Viber calls, a full desktop app, and Communities, while WhatsApp's advantage is simply that more of your everyday contacts may already use it. Pick the app your people actually answer on.