Calls and Live
Start audio and video calls, Live sessions and screen sharing in L4 channels and Direct Messages, and connect Cloudflare RealtimeKit as the Owner.
Every channel and Direct Message has one Live room for audio, camera and screen sharing. In a one-to-one Direct Message it rings the other person as a Call; everywhere else it is Live, a room anyone in the conversation can join. Media runs on Cloudflare RealtimeKit in the Server's own Cloudflare account. Nothing is recorded.
Start or join
- Open the channel or Direct Message.
- Select the phone button (Call) in a one-to-one Direct Message, or the waveform button (Start live) in a channel or group.
- Check your Microphone, Camera and Speaker in the preview, then start.
If a room is already running, the button says Join call or Join live, and a bar in the conversation offers to join.
Starting a room needs Start live sessions in your Role; the built-in Member Role has it. Anyone who can open the conversation can join. You cannot start a room in an archived channel or a Direct Message you can no longer write to.
During a call
- Mute or unmute, turn the camera on or off and share your screen from the controls.
- Minimize the room to keep chatting; the Live bar stays visible.
- Leave a Live session, or Hang up a call.
If the connection drops, L4 reconnects and keeps your microphone and camera settings.
The person who started a Live session, and in channels Members with Manage channels, can Mute for everyone, Remove from live session and End for everyone. In a one-to-one call both people have host controls.
Incoming calls
When someone calls you in a one-to-one Direct Message, L4 rings and shows Answer, Decline and Ignore. If you are already in another room, Leave and answer switches over. An unanswered call stops ringing after 45 seconds.
Calls and newly started Live sessions also send push notifications; see Notifications.
Your audio settings
In User Settings → Voice & Video you choose the Input Device and Output Device, and turn Ring for incoming calls on or off. Mute and deafen are also on your account panel.
Connect Live (Owner)
Calls need Cloudflare RealtimeKit. The Owner connects it in Server settings → Live.
- With kept Cloudflare access: if the Server keeps Cloudflare access (see Cloudflare access), select Connect using this Server's Cloudflare access. No separate token is needed.
- With an API token: select Create token, create a Cloudflare API token with the Realtime Admin permission for the account the Server runs in, paste it and select Connect. If the token reaches several accounts, choose one.
L4 then creates its own RealtimeKit app with separate host and participant presets. The token is stored encrypted. Use Test connection to check it, Replace token to change it and Disconnect to turn Live off.
Messages you may see:
| Message | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Calls are unavailable on this runtime | The Server cannot reach Cloudflare RealtimeKit, so calls stay off. Text chat is unaffected. |
| Calls use your Cloudflare API token | The operator configured Cloudflare credentials for the deployment; the first call creates the RealtimeKit app. |
| Managed by the deployment | RealtimeKit credentials come from the deployment's environment and override anything saved here. |
| The saved token can no longer be read | The Server's AUTH_SECRET is missing or changed. Restore it, or paste a token to reconnect. |
| Everyone joins with host controls | Live was connected before hosts and participants had separate permissions. Select Reconnect. |
Cloudflare RealtimeKit usage is billed to your Cloudflare account. See Costs and limits.