Why is FaceTime not working or not available?

How to solve FaceTime problems? I love using FaceTime to chat with friends and relatives who don’t live nearby. So when FaceTime doesn’t work or shows it’s unavailable, it’s a real problem in my house! If FaceTime doesn’t work for you, you’re not alone! Find out what to do when you can’t get FaceTime to work.

Why FaceTime doesn’t work or isn’t available, quick tips

Try these quick tips and restart FaceTime!

• Make sure Apple’s FaceTime servers are up and running!
• Check your internet connection and maybe change your DNS
• Reboot or force restart the device
• Check the date and time settings
• For Mac, check the firewall settings and ports
• Make sure to sign in with your Apple ID or check that your Apple ID is correct
• Turn on airplane mode, connect to a WiFi network and try FaceTime again
• For devices with mobile data service, go to Settings> Mobile and activate FaceTime to allow you to use your mobile data plan
• Check your email and phone number listed in FaceTime Settings
• Deactivate FaceTime, wait 20-30 seconds and reactivate it to update your connection to Apple’s FaceTime servers
• Verify that you have not activated any viewing time restrictions (iOS 12+)
• Delete or download the FaceTime app and then reinstall
• If your camera shows a black screen for you, try closing all open apps and restarting FaceTime

Why is FaceTime not working or not available? Things to do

1. Not all countries support FaceTime

Unfortunately, FaceTime is not available in all countries (such as the United Arab Emirates). Also, with FaceTime, you can make audio and video calls ONLY with another iPhone (4th generation or later), iPad (2nd generation or later), iPod Touch (4th generation), or Mac using a WiFi or mobile data connection. Visit this Apple site to find out which services and companies support FaceTime in your home country!

And of course, FaceTime only works with Apple products!

FaceTime is not compatible with Android phones, tablets, or Windows computers.

2. Does FaceTime crash while connecting? Can’t call an iOS device with Facetime?

People who upgraded to iOS 13.4 found that their devices could no longer connect to older iOS devices with iOS 9.3.6 and earlier or Mac with OS X El Capitan or earlier. Some of our readers tell us that this problem is present even when trying to call people who also use the iOS 10 versions. Still, others have encountered this problem when using a Mac with macOS Catalina 10.15.4 to previous versions of iOS and OS X.

With this problem, FaceTime hangs on “Connect” for incoming and outgoing calls. To resolve these issues, please update to iOS and iPadOS 13.4.1 or later. For Mac with macOS Catalina, update macOS to the latest version of macOS (Apple has released a complementary update for macOS Catalina 10.15.4). Apple claims that the problem has been resolved in this version and later.

3. Is FaceTime not available for a specific person?

If you see an unavailable alert when you try to call a specific person using FaceTime, they may not be receiving calls at the moment.

There are various reasons why a person appears unavailable on FaceTime

• The phone has no battery or is turned off
• Do not disturb is activated
• The person did not answer the call after 10 rings
• Out of range or not connected to WiFi or mobile data
• In another FaceTime call
• The person you are calling doesn’t have FaceTime enabled on their device

When you see that FaceTime isn’t available, it usually indicates a problem with the call. Try communicating with the person using a different method (like sending messages via the Leave a message icon in FaceTime, call through the phone app or send an email) and let them know that you can’t FaceTime with them.

4. Why doesn’t FaceTime work on my iDevice or Mac?

There are many reasons why FaceTime doesn’t work on iPhone, iPad, iPod or Mac. In this article, we describe the main reasons why and provide you with the tools to fix FaceTime when you’re up and running.

1. Check the Apple servers

Sometimes Apple drops too. Therefore, it is a good idea to check with Apple’s system status to see if there are ongoing service issues with FaceTime and associated services such as iMessage and iCloud.

2. Enable or disable WiFi or switch to mobile data

Update your Internet connection by disabling and re-enabling WiFi. Go to Settings> WiFi and disable it. Wait 30 seconds and turn it back on. Alternatively, if you are using a device with LTE data, go to Settings> Mobile and turn mobile data on and off.

3. Try an iMessage

Ask someone to send you an iMessage before trying FaceTime. This often helps Apple servers, the router and your iDevice get started!

4. Change your DNS

• For iDevices, tap Settings> WiFi> YOUR NETWORK NAME> Configure DNS> Manual> Add server> enter 8.8.8.8 and 8.8.4.4> Save
  • Make sure to delete the current DNS by tapping the red minus sign and pressing Delete
• For Mac, click on System Preferences> Network> Select YOUR NETWORK NAME> Advanced> DNS tab> click on the + button to add Google DNS, enter 8.8.8.8 and 8.8.4.4
  • Click OK, then click Apply
• If not, like Google’s public DNS, try OpenDNS or CloudFlare again

5. Restart your device

A reboot often fixes these problems for Mac and iPhone. And if a restart doesn’t help, try a forced restart.

To restart a Mac

• Go to Apple Menu> Restart (or Shut down then back on)
  Shut down your Mac from the Apple menu

Restart an iPhone

• For iDevices, press the power button until the cursor appears, then slide it to turn it off. Switch on normally
• To restore iPhone X Series and devices without a start button, follow these instructions
  • Press and hold the volume button AND the power/top/side button until the cursor appears
  • Drag the slider to completely disable it.
  • After the device turns off, press and hold the power/top/side button again until the Apple logo appears
• For people using iOS 11 and above, there is another method through the settings menu
  • Open Settings > General
  • Scroll down and tap Disable
  • Switch on after a rest period of 20-30 seconds

How to perform a forced restart on iDevices

• On an iPhone 6S or lower, in addition to all iPads with sixth-generation or lower iPod Touch and home buttons, press Start and Power simultaneously until you see the Apple logo
• For iPhone 7 or iPod 7th generation- hold the side buttons and volume down for at least 10 seconds, until you see the Apple logo
• On a homeless iPhone or iPad or iPhone 8 and later- quickly press and release the Volume Up button. Then quickly press and release the volume down button. Finally, hold down the side button until you see the Apple logo

6. Set the date and time of iDevice and Mac to Automatic

1. For iDevices, it is best to turn on Automatically set in Settings> General> Date and time
2. For Mac, go to System Preferences > Date and Time> select Set Date and Time Automatically

Many FaceTime problems are due to incorrect dates or times on your devices. If Apple servers detect a discrepancy between the device date or time and the FaceTime server time for your current location, FaceTime, iMessage and other Apple services will not work and verification will fail.

7. Disable all restrictions

If you use parental controls or restrictions on your device, temporarily disable them until FaceTime works again.

To check if restrictions are enabled

• With iOS 11 and earlier, go to Settings> General> Restrictions
• With iOS 12 and later, go to Settings> Screen Duration> Content and Privacy Restrictions
• For Mac, select Apple Menu> System Preferences> Parental Control

8. Do you use a firewall on your Mac?

Make sure to enable the following ports for FaceTime when using a firewall.

FaceTime firewall ports

• 80 (TCP)
• 443 (TCP)
• 3478 to 3497 (UDP)
• 5223 (TCP)
• 16384-16387 (UDP)
• 16393-16402 (UDP)

FaceTime does not work- activation problems

1. If you can’t activate FaceTime, try the following:

• Make sure you have an Internet connection via WiFi or mobile data
  • With a mobile data plan, you can use FaceTime without WiFi on iPhone 4s or later and iPad (3rd generation or later)
• If FaceTime doesn’t turn on WiFi, try mobile. Or vice versa, if it is not activated on mobile, try WiFi
• Try to reset all settings. Go to Settings> General> Reset> Reset all settings
  • Remove WiFi passwords and all custom iDevice settings
• Check for problems with your Apple ID
  • Make sure your Apple ID includes your iPhone phone number and NOT a landline number (if you have one)
    • Go to Settings> Apple ID Profile> Name, Phone Number, Email> Accessible to
    • Change the information if necessary so that your iPhone and email appear in the list
    • Once updated, change FaceTime OFF and Back ON
  • Make sure you have a valid Apple ID. You can create a new Apple ID or log in to your Apple ID account to make changes by visiting and using the “Manage your account” part
  • If you have forgotten your username or password, select the “I forgot your Apple ID or password” link or visit the Apple iForgot website.
• Touch Settings> FaceTime to verify that Apple has verified your email address. If your status says “check” or a blocked connection (the spinning wheel); then try turning FaceTime on and off ( Settings> FaceTime or FaceTime for Mac- FaceTime> Preferences )

See this detailed article for more tips on how to fix FaceTime activation errors.

FaceTime doesn’t work- tips for making or receiving FaceTime calls

• Try turning FaceTime off and back on using the following (iOS- Settings> FaceTime Or FaceTime for Mac- FaceTime> Preferences)
• Make sure that the FaceTime camera is not subject to settings> Screen duration> Content and privacy restrictions (for previous iOS, go to Settings> General> Restrictions)
• Touch Settings> General> Date and time to verify that the date and time are set correctly
• Make sure you’re using the correct method to call the person. iPhone user- use the phone number. For iPad, iPod touch or FaceTime for Mac users- use the e-mail address

FaceTime does not work- do you use iOS 10 and later?

• Delete and then reinstall the FaceTime app
  • Touch and hold the FaceTime app icon until it starts moving, then touch the X to remove it
  • To reinstall FaceTime, open the App Store, search for FaceTime, and touch the cloud icon. FaceTime downloads and reappears on the home screen
    • Add your Apple ID and phone number credentials again to reactivate FaceTime

Do you use iOS 11 and later? Try to download!

For people using iOS 11, Apple offers a new feature called download similar to deletion.

However, instead of deleting the application and its data, the download only deletes the application but retains all documents and application data.

To download an application

1. Go to Settings> General> Memory
2. Wait for all apps to appear in the list
3. Scroll through the list of apps and search for FaceTime
4. Touch FaceTime
5. Choose to download
6. Restart your iDevice
7. To reinstall, go back to Settings> General> Storage> FaceTime
8. Select Reinstall

FaceTime camera not working?

Some of our readers tell us that their iPhone cameras stop working during FaceTime calls. In most cases, users can see their friends, but their friends cannot see them. Instead, his camera shows a black screen.

If you experience this problem during FaceTime calls, close all suspended apps in the app selector that has access to the camera by double-clicking Start or swiping up on the startup gesture bar and then swiping up in App Previews of all applications that use the camera. Also, close the preview of the FaceTime app!

So restart FaceTime and see if your camera now shows your pretty face to callers!

Live photos don’t work on FaceTime?

• To work, all call participants must use macOS High Sierra or iOS 11 to capture a live photo on FaceTime
  • Live Photos was not included as a feature in iOS 12.0- updating to a newer iOS and Live Photos is back!
• FaceTime Live Photos requires you to open the Photos app at least once before trying to take a FaceTime Live Photo
  • Live Photos requires that the Photos app have a predefined library to work
• Verify that all members of the call enable Live Photos on their devices.
  • Go to Settings> FaceTime> Enable live photos from FaceTime
  • For Mac, open FaceTime and go to FaceTime> Preferences and select the checkbox next to “Allow the capture of live photos during video calls”

When FaceTime’s Live Photo feature works, you and callers are notified that a Live Photo has been taken. That live photo is then saved directly to your photo library.

FaceTime group not working?

If the FaceTime group doesn’t work, take a look at the tips in the FaceTime troubleshooting article for iOS 12+ and iPadOS.

FaceTime doesn’t recognize your phone number?

• Go to Contacts, change your phone number from HOME to Phone, then turn FaceTime off and on again
• Go to Settings> General Settings> Reset> Reset all settings
  • No data is lost, but WiFi passwords and personal settings preferences are reset
• Correct the prefix in your Apple ID account
• Make sure you have no outstanding debts with the App Store, iTunes or any Apple product/service
• Remove your SIM card, wait a few minutes, and replace it. Alternatively, insert someone else’s SIM card and check if FaceTime recognizes the email and phone number
  • If another SIM works, a new SIM card is required. Contact your operator
• Sign out of all Apple services that require Apple ID and passwords
  • Force reboot (press and hold the power button and start or turn down the volume until the Apple logo appears)
  • Sign in to FaceTime again with Apple ID
• Exit all Apple services that require Apple ID and passwords AND reset network settings (lose all WiFi passwords, then write them down first)
  • To reset the network, go to Settings> General> Reset> Reset network settings
  • Get the strength back
  • Log in to your network
  • Log in to FaceTime

Does FaceTime not ring when someone calls?

If you see missed FaceTime calls, but haven’t heard the ringtone, check that “Push” is enabled in your Mail settings.

Go to Settings> Passwords and Accounts (for older iOS, select Accounts and Passwords or Email) and make sure Get New Data is set to Push.

If it is enabled, disable it, wait a few seconds, then re-enable it.

Apple servers must have a recent Internet address for iDevice’s “location” to work!

Check out these other settings when FaceTime doesn’t ring

• Check that the sound is active and that the sound is not activated via the side switch (if applicable)
• Take a look and see if DND is enabled in Settings> DND
  • If you want to enable DND, check that it allows calls from FaceTime
  • Go to Settings> Do Not Disturb> Phone> Allow calls from> All or All contacts

No FaceTime notification?

Go to Settings> Notifications> FaceTime> Allow notifications

Missing the FaceTime app?

• Update to the latest version of iOS
• Go to Settings> Screen duration> Content and privacy restrictions (for previous iOS, go to Settings> General> Restrictions ) and check that FaceTime and Camera are turned on. Disabling the camera also disables FaceTime
• And if the problems persist, try restarting the device or performing a forced restart
  • For iPhone and iPad without Home button, iPhone 8 or iPhone 8 Plus- quickly press and release the Volume up button. Press and immediately release the volume down button. Then hold down the side button until the Apple logo appears
  • On an iPhone 7 or iPhone 7 Plus- hold the side buttons and volume down for at least 10 seconds, until you see the Apple logo
  • For an iPhone 6s and earlier, iPad with a Home button or iPod touch- hold down the Home and Top (or side) buttons for at least 10 seconds, until you see the Apple logo