Why can’t I Facetime someone? – Connection issues

Facetime is an app for iOS users which allows them to video call other iOS users. The app requires a working camera and a solid internet connection in order to work and is completely free to use once you’re signed up.

The app has become very popular over the past 18 months with loved ones looking to visually keep in touch with one and other, and has additional features like how to pause Facetime too.

It can be frustrating when the app doesn’t work, especially when it’s usually very reliable. If you are having trouble with Facetime then luckily for you, we’re going to run through a few things in this article which are worth trying in order to fix the app.

Why can’t I Facetime? The most common reason

The main reason why Facetime might not be working for you is all to do with your internet connection. In the majority of cases, a weak connection will not allow you to receive Facetime calls, and it is usually the cause of this Facetime problem.

Though, it’s not the only potential issue. It could also come down to wrong settings, Apple’s servers or sometimes you may just need a software update. Let’s run through those potential causes in more detail for you can fix Facetime.

A poor connection

In order to make a successful call via Facetime you will need to be either connected to a Wi-Fi network or connected to mobile data.

If you aren’t connected to either then you will not be able to Facetime at all, and if your connection is poor then you will also struggle.

To check if you are connected to a Wi-Fi network on your iOS device, head to the settings app and select ‘Wi-Fi’.

On this page, The bar next to Wi-Fi should be slid over to green and there should be a tick next to one of the available networks.

If you can see neither of these things on your screen then it means you aren’t connected to a Wi-Fi network.

To connect to to a Wi-Fi network, select one of the available networks, input the relevant password and away you go.

To check if you are connected to the internet via mobile data, head back to the settings app and select ‘mobile data’.

On this page, ensure that the bar next to mobile data is slid over to green. If this is the case, and you aren’t connected to Wi-Fi, then your phone should be connected to a 3G, 4G, or 5G network.

To double check this, there will be an icon on the upper right of your phone screen displaying what type of network you are connected to.

You can also reset network settings on your iPhone too, as this may help you to connect to your home network.

There are other reasons besides connectivity why Facetime sometimes doesn’t work. Let’s take a look at a few of them.

Incorrect Facetime settings

One common issue that stops users from being able to make calls on Facetime is to do with the settings within Facetime.

The first thing you need to do is make sure that Facetime is actually enabled on your device. To do this, go to settings and select Facetime. Once here, make sure that the bar next to ‘Facetime’ is slid over to green.

If it isn’t, then you won’t be able to make or receive calls via Facetime.

Another thing worth doing while on this page, is to ensure that your contact details are correct. If people are trying to call you on the wrong number or email then of course Facetime isn’t going to work!

You can also alter your notifications settings here to make sure that you are actually being alerted when someone calls you.

Apple servers

Another reason why Facetime might not be working can be something completely out of your control.

If Apple’s servers are down then Facetime and other iOS servers won’t be working for anyone, not just you. To check the latest status on all of Apple’s service, you need to check this website.

It will let you know if any if anything is down, and when things have been fixed so keep checking back to find out when you will have access to Facetime again, should this be the reason for the issues.

Bugs and software issues

Bugs can effect every single app on the market. If you find that the Facetime app is glitching then you should go down the old fashioned route of turning it off and on again to force a rest of the app.

To do this, you can either restart your phone, restart the app or completely delete the app off your phone and redownload it again. You’ll be surprised at how common this fix still is in 2021.

Conclusion

As you can see, there are number of possible reasons why Facetime might not be working for you, from connectivity to server issues.

We hope that by trying all of our suggested fixes above that you will get back up and running on Facetime in as quick a time as possible.

However, if none of our suggestions work, then we would recommend that you get in touch directly with Apple support, who may be able to offer some more advanced methods to fix the app.

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Author

Andy

Andy is a Professional Content Editor with expertise in a whole host of areas (or so he tells us anyway). His main interests are sports, tv/film and social media. He has reviewed over 100 apps so far for Apps UK.

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