How to Fix FaceTime Not Working

Is FaceTime not working on your Apple device?

FaceTime is the preferred choice for many Apple users as it provides an easy and seamless way of communicating with friends, colleagues, or loved ones. 

However, it can be quite frustrating when this feature refuses to work on your Apple devices.

There are various reasons why FaceTime isn’t working. It can be due to improper user configurations, server-related problems, or issues with your software. 

Today, we’ll show you how to fix FaceTime if it’s not working on your device. 

Let’s get started!

1. Check Apple Servers. 

FaceTime is an online service that needs its servers to deliver content and features to users. 

If the video conferencing app is not working on your end, there’s a good chance there’s an issue with Apple’s servers. 

To confirm this, visit Apple’s status page and see if there are reported outages with FaceTime. 

Sadly, server problems can’t be resolved on your end. If the servers are down, the best thing to do is wait for Apple to address the issue. 

On the other hand, you can head to the next solution if Apple’s servers are fine. 

2. Restart Your Device. 

Restarting your device is one of the most effective ways to resolve minor issues with FaceTime. 

This reloads your system resources, resolving temporary bugs and errors that occurred during use. It also clears corrupted and unused data from the system memory. 

If you are using an iPhone X, 11, 12, 13, 14, or later, here’s what you need to do: 

1. Hold down the Volume Down button and Side button until the ‘Slide to Power Off’ prompt appears. 
2. Now, drag the slider to the right and wait for 30 seconds. 
3. Press the Side button afterward to turn on your device. 

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For older iPhones, follow the steps below: 

1. Locate the Power button on your device. 
2. Now, hold the button until the ‘Slide to Power Off’ prompt shows up.
3. Drag the slider to the right and wait 30 seconds before turning on your device. 

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If you are using an iPad without a home button, here’s what you need to do: 

1. First, press and hold either the Volume button + Top button until the ‘Slide to Power Off’ prompt appears. 
2. Now, drag the slider to the right until your display shuts off. 
3. Lastly, wait for at least 30 seconds before turning on your iPad. 

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For iPads with a home button, follow the guide below: 

1. On your device, press and hold the Top button until the power slider appears. 
2. Drag the slider to the right until your display turns black. 
3. Finally, wait for at least 30 seconds before restarting your iPad.

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If you’re on a Mac, see the steps below: 

1. Click the Apple logo in the upper left corner of your screen. 
2. Now, choose Restart from the drop-down menu. 
3. When prompted, click Restart again to confirm your action. 

Once done, try FaceTime again to check if the problem is solved. 

3. Check If FaceTime Is Enabled (iPhone). 

For iPhone users, verify if you have FaceTime enabled on your device. 

While it comes enabled by default, changes on your device may have disabled the feature, or you turned it off and forgot about it. 

Here’s how you can check: 

1. Open Settings on your iPhone. 
2. Now, scroll down and tap on FaceTime. 
3. Look for FaceTime and tap the toggle switch beside it. 

Use FaceTime afterward to check if it works. 

Related: How to Fix Group FaceTime Not Working

4. Check Your Network. 

A slow or unstable internet connection can cause various issues with FaceTime. 

To confirm this, perform a speed test on your network using Fast.com to measure its current bandwidth. 

If your connection is unstable, restart your modem or router to refresh the link between your device and your ISP. 

1. Unplug your router from the outlet. 
2. Wait for 5 to 10 seconds to ensure your modem/router is turned off. 
3. Plug back in the power cable and wait for your device to initialize. 

Run another test afterward to check if the problem is solved. If not, contact your service provider and ask them to fix your connection. 

5. Ensure You Added An Email or Phone Number. 

You need to add your phone number or email address to FaceTime for people to reach you. 

While this is done when you set up your device, it can get corrupted for various reasons, causing issues with FaceTime. 

Follow the steps below to check your account: 

1. Open Settings on your iPhone/iPad. 
2. Scroll down and tap on FaceTime. 
3. Find the ‘You Can Be Reached By FaceTime At’ section. 
4. If there’s no email or phone number, add it. 

Now, try using FaceTime again to see if everything checks out. 

6. Confirm If Your Carrier Supports FaceTime. 

Not all carriers support FaceTime via cellular. If you are not connected to Wi-Fi, check if your carrier allows calls through FaceTime. 

While most carriers in the US support FaceTime, it is a different story in other regions. 

You can check Apple’s carrier page to see if your provider supports FaceTime or call your carrier for more information. 

Related: How to Block Unwanted Spam FaceTime Calls

7. Check Date & Time Settings. 

Like other online services, FaceTime might not work on your device if the date and time are not set properly. 

For iPhone/iPad users, here’s how you can change your date and time settings: 

1. Launch Settings on your device. 
2. Now, go to General > Date & Time. 
3. Enable the ‘Set Automatically’ option or manually set the date and time. 

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If you are using a Mac, follow the guide below: 

1. Click on the Apple Menu in the upper left corner of your screen. 
2. Now, go to System Settings. 
3. Navigate to General > Date & Time on the right side menu. 
4. Enable Set Time Automatically or configure it manually. 

Go back to FaceTime afterward and check if it will work. 

8. Check If FaceTime Is Allowed From Screen Time (iPad/iPhone). 

Screen Time comes in handy when lending your device to other people or your child. This blocks certain features on your device, which includes FaceTime. 

If you use Screen Time on your device, we suggest checking if FaceTime is allowed. 

Here’s what you need to do: 

1. Open Settings on your iPhone/iPad. 
2. Now, scroll down and tap on Screen Time. 

3. Go to Content & Privacy Restrictions > Allowed Apps. 
4. Look for FaceTime and enable it. 

Return to FaceTime and see if you can make or join a call. 

9. Update Your Device. 

If you still encounter problems with FaceTime, try updating your system. 

The version of iOS or macOS on your device might have an underlying issue that is related to FaceTime. 

For iPhones/iPads, follow the steps below to check for updates: 

1. Open Settings on your iPhone/iPad. 
2. Navigate to General > Software Update. 
3. If there’s a new iOS version available, tap Download and Install. 
4. Once the new software is ready, follow the prompts to install the update. 

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If you’re using a Mac, here’s what you need to do: 

1. In the upper left corner of your screen, click the Apple icon to open the Apple Menu. 
2. Now, click on System Settings. 
3. Inside settings, navigate to General > Software Update. 
4. If a new version is detected, follow the prompts to install the update. 

Try FaceTime again to check if the problem is solved. 

That ends our guide for fixing FaceTime if it’s not working on your device. 

If you have questions or clarifications regarding the solutions, drop a comment below, and we will get back to you as soon as we can. 

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