Meta Muse Video Chat: AI Avatar Guide and How to Turn Off

Meta now lets everyone in the US call and video chat with Muse, its personal AI agent. The feature, called Muse Voice, went live on November 5, 2026, with an animated avatar that talks back in real time.

This guide covers how to start a call, which apps work, how to change the avatar and voice, the privacy settings to check, and how to switch it all off.

TLDR

What launched: real-time voice calls and video chats with an expressive Muse avatar.
Where: the Muse app on mobile, web and Mac, in the US only.
How to start: tap the phone icon in the top-right corner of the Muse app.
Avatar: the default is a fuzzy character nicknamed “Jolly”. You can change it to a person, an animal or another character.
Privacy: Muse hears you but does not see you. AI training on your data is on by default, and you can turn it off.

What Meta Launched on November 5

Muse is Meta’s AI agent. It answers questions, but it can also do tasks for you, such as booking travel, filling forms or sending emails through apps you connect.

Muse Voice adds live conversation on top of that. Meta first showed it at its Connect conference in September 2026, and it is now open to all US users.

Real-time voice: Muse starts answering right away, and you can interrupt it mid-reply.
Expressive avatar: the character uses “subtle expressions and gestures” that match the tone of the chat.
Hundreds of voices: Meta lists styles such as a New Yorker or a pirate, and you can switch any time.
Background tasks: Muse can keep working on a task while you keep talking.
Two new models: Muse Realtime Avatar animates the face, and Muse Realtime Voice makes the speech.

Meta’s research team says the reply arrives in about 870 milliseconds after you stop talking. Generated video also carries an invisible watermark.

Which Apps and Devices Work

Voice and avatars live in the standalone Muse app, not inside Instagram or Facebook. Here is where you can use Muse today.

Where	Text chat	Voice and video chat
Muse app for iPhone and Android	Yes	Yes (US)
Muse on the web (muse.ai)	Yes	Yes (US)
Muse app for Mac	Yes	Yes (US)
WhatsApp chat with Muse	Yes	Not announced
Meta AI Glasses	Coming	Coming soon
Muse Charm wearable	Coming	Coming soon

Note: Muse Charm is a small Tamagotchi-like device Meta previewed at Connect 2026. The avatar shows on its tiny screen, and Meta says more details come later this year.

How to Start a Voice or Video Chat with Muse

You need a Muse account in the US. Meta asks for a payment card when you sign up, even if you stay on the free tier.

Install or open Muse. Get the Muse app from the App Store or Google Play, open muse.ai in a browser, or use the Mac app.
Sign in. Log in and finish setup. Muse is for people aged 18 and over.
Allow the microphone. When asked, let Muse use your mic. It does not need your camera.
Tap the phone icon. It sits in the top-right corner of the app and starts a live call.
Pick a view. Choose voice only, the avatar beside the conversation, or full screen face to face.
Talk naturally. Speak as you would on a phone call. Cut in whenever you want to change direction.
End the call. Hang up from the call screen when you are done.

Tip: Muse cannot see you, even in full-screen video mode. It reacts only to what it hears, so describe anything visual out loud.

How to Customize the Avatar and Voice

The default avatar is a fuzzy, rosy-cheeked character nicknamed Jolly. TechCrunch reports that you can change it to look more like a person, an animal or another character.

Avatar options

Default: the Jolly mascot, made to look friendly rather than human.
Person: a more human look for practice calls like interviews or pitches.
Animal or character: Meta’s AI chief showed his own Muse as a fluffy white dog.
From an image: Meta’s research post says the avatar model can animate a reference image, from portraits to animals and objects.

Voice options

Library: hundreds of voices with different accents and styles.
Change any time: you can swap the voice between or during calls.
Display mode: pick voice only if you prefer no avatar at all.

Meta has not published a full menu-by-menu guide yet. Look for the avatar and voice options in the call screen and in the Muse settings, and expect the labels to change as the rollout continues.

What You Can Do on a Muse Call

Meta pitches the calls for practice and planning. These are the uses it names.

Brainstorming: talk through ideas out loud.
Trip planning: plan routes and bookings while Muse works on tasks in the background.
Interview practice: rehearse answers with a person-style avatar.
Presentation and pitch practice: run through your talk and ask for feedback.

Privacy Settings to Check Before You Call

Muse can connect to email, calendars, payments and other apps, so privacy matters more than with a simple chatbot. Meta’s launch post does not cover how voice calls are stored.

Meta says Muse runs in a dedicated virtual machine, cannot see your passwords or payment methods, and does not share conversations with its ads systems. Reporters have noted that these claims still need outside review.

Setting	Where to find it	What it does
Help improve our AI models	Settings, then Data controls	Stops your chats being used to train Meta’s AI. It is on by default.
Download your Muse data	Settings, then Data controls	Exports what Muse holds about you
Reset Muse	Settings, then Data controls	Wipes Muse back to a fresh start. It cannot be undone.
Permissions	Settings, then Permissions	Sets when Muse must ask before acting, such as “Always ask”
Connectors	Settings, then Connectors	Switch an app to read-only or tap Disconnect
Memory	Ask Muse to “forget” a detail	Removes specific things Muse learned about you

Warning: Meta’s help pages say Muse “may still remember information” learned from things you delete. Do not say anything on a call that you would not want stored, such as card numbers or health details.

Facebook, Instagram and Threads accounts in the same Accounts Center can be connected to Muse automatically. Check the Connectors list and turn off any you do not want Muse to use.

How to Turn Muse Voice Off

There is no single “off” switch for voice. Use the steps below, from lightest to strongest.

Hide the avatar. Pick the voice-only view so no animated face appears.
Block the microphone. On iPhone, go to Settings, then Muse, and turn off Microphone. On Android, go to Settings, then Apps, then Muse, then Permissions.
Stop AI training. In Muse, go to Settings, then Data controls, and turn off “Help improve our AI models”. Meta says this also applies to past chats.
Disconnect apps. In Settings, then Connectors, disconnect email, calendar and social accounts.
Unlink WhatsApp. Remove the Muse link from Muse settings, or delete the Muse chat in WhatsApp.
Delete your Muse account. Cancel any app store subscription first, then delete the account from Settings. This does not delete your Meta account.

Want Meta AI gone from your other apps too? Follow our guide to turning off Meta AI in WhatsApp, Instagram and Facebook.

Limits, Age and Pricing

Region: voice and video chat are US only for now. Meta has not given a date for other countries.
Age: Muse is for adults 18 and over.
Devices: mobile, web and Mac today. Glasses and Muse Charm are coming soon.
No camera: Muse cannot see you or your room during a call.
Free tier: Muse is free to start, with an in-app meter that warns when free usage runs out.
Paid plans: TechCrunch reported a $20 a month Power plan and a $100 a month Maximum plan at launch.
Usage caps: Meta has not said how many call minutes the free tier includes.

Compare that with other assistants in our ChatGPT vs Claude vs Gemini vs Grok guide, or see how memory works elsewhere in our ChatGPT memory guide.

My Take

Giving an AI agent a cute face is a smart way to make it feel less like software. The fast replies and the option to interrupt make practice calls genuinely useful.

The trade-off is trust. Muse can reach your email, calendar and payments, and training is on by default. Spend two minutes in Data controls and Connectors before your first call.

Troubleshooting: Common Problems and Fixes

No phone icon: voice is US only and still rolling out. Update the Muse app, and check you are signed in with a US account.
Muse cannot hear you: allow microphone access in your phone or Mac settings, then restart the call.
Avatar does not show: you may be in voice-only view. Switch to the side-by-side or full-screen view.
Calls stop working: you may have used up free usage. Check the usage meter in the app.
No voice on Meta glasses: glasses support is coming soon and is not live yet.
Muse remembers something you deleted: ask it to forget the detail, or use Reset Muse in Data controls.
Signup asks for a card: Meta requires a payment card to start, even on the free tier.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I video chat with Meta Muse?

Yes, if you are in the US. Open the Muse app on mobile, web or Mac and tap the phone icon in the top-right corner.

Can Muse see me through my camera?

No. Muse hears you and reacts to what you say, but it does not see you during a video chat.

Can I change the Muse avatar?

Yes. The default is a character nicknamed Jolly, and you can change it to look like a person, an animal or another character.

Is Muse Voice free?

Muse is free to start, with paid Power ($20) and Maximum ($100) monthly plans for heavier use. Meta has not listed a separate price for voice.

Does Meta use my Muse chats to train its AI?

By default, yes. Turn off “Help improve our AI models” under Settings, then Data controls, in the Muse app.

Is Muse Voice available outside the US?

Not yet. Meta launched voice and video chat for US users only and has not shared dates for other countries.

How do I stop Muse completely?

Turn off the microphone permission, disconnect your apps, and delete your Muse account from Settings. Deleting Muse does not delete your Meta account.

Meta Muse Video Chat Guide: Talk to Your AI Avatar (and Turn It Off)

What Meta Launched on November 5

Which Apps and Devices Work

How to Start a Voice or Video Chat with Muse