Facetime is an application available on Apple devices when you turn them on. It is the go-to video calling service that Apple users prefer to use. And due to Apple’s software integration, video calls’ quality is top-notch. But recently, some users have pointed out that they face issues using Facetime with their iOS 16 devices.
This is frustrating for people who frequently used this application on their previous versions of iOS. And if you are one of these troubled users, this article will help you. Here, we have listed out all the possible solutions one can try to resolve this problem. So without any further ado, let’s get into it.
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How to fix FaceTime not working on iOS 16?
It is difficult to determine what might be causing the issue with the Facetime application. So it would be best if you tried all the solutions mentioned below, one after the other, until you find the one that works for you.
Reboot your phone:
The first simple fix that you can try is a restart. Most software issues can be fixed with a single restart of most electronic devices. And the iPhone is no exception. You can try the restart option even with the iPhone’s Facetime issue. For this, go to Settings and navigate to General. Then select the option Shut down. Then drag the slider to the right to turn off your smartphone. Now wait 30 seconds and then press the power button on the side to turn on your device again.
Now try using Facetime on your iOS 16 again. If it still does not work, try the next solution.
Reset your phone:
iOS 16 comes with an option to reset all Settings. This will reset all your phone’s settings to their default value, as when you first bought your new iPhone. Performing a settings reset can clear out several conflicts within the Settings menu that might block your iPhone’s Facetime application.
Resetting settings will clear out everything from your Settings menu, though. This includes saved WiFi and Bluetooth connections as well. So perform settings reset only if you want to delete every protected link on your iPhone.
To reset settings, open Settings on your phone and go to General. Then tap on the Transfer or Reset iPhone option. Then select Reset and choose the Reset All Settings option. You must confirm your action by tapping the Reset button on the confirmation page.
After this, your phone will restart on its own. After the restart, try using Facetime on your iOS 16 again. If it still does not work, try the next solution.
Check the date and time on your iPhone:
Data and time on any device with internet access need to be precise according to the geographical location. No ISP internet connection works properly if the date and time of the device are not in sync with the actual date and time of the region.
To set the correct date and time on your iPhone, open Settings and go to General. Then scroll down and find the option Time & Date. Tap on this and set the correct date and time per your region.
Now try using Facetime on your iOS 16 again. If it still does not work, try the next solution.
Check your internet connection:
None of the solutions mentioned in this article will work if your internet connection is faulty. iPhone connects to the internet via WiFi and Cellular data. And if you are using WiFi, you must ensure the connection is secured and fast.
To reset the connection, you can even reset your router. And to check the connection, you should even connect some other device to the WiFi and check whether the internet connection is working correctly.
If you do not have WiFi and are using Cellular data, you must check whether you have an excellent internet place. If your internet plan has expired or you do not have enough internet data balance on your connection, you won’t be able to use the Facetime application at all.
Now try using Facetime on your iOS 16 again. If it still does not work, try the next solution.
Check your Device Storage:
You need enough storage space left on your device to use any app. If you do not have sufficient storage space on your iPhone, you will struggle to get any app to work correctly, no matter how much you try.
This often happens with iPhones with limited storage capacities like 32GB or 64 GB. People often lose track of the available storage on their devices and then suffer from app issues.
So to check your internal storage, open the Settings App and go to the General section. There, tap on iPhone Storage. You will see all the information about your device’s internal storage. If it is almost complete, you must delete some files or remove some apps from your smartphone.
Once you have sufficient storage space, try using Facetime on your iOS 16 device again. If it still does not work, try the next solution.
Ensure that both Your devices are running on the latest version of OS 16:
Both devices trying to connect via Facetime needs to have the newest version of iOS installed on them. Even to Facetime someone who does not have an iPhone, it is essential to have the latest version of MacOS or iPadOS installed on their device. Facetime might not work correctly without updating both devices to the newest version.
If you are one of those users who installed the latest version of iOS 16 right when it was available, then there is a chance that you are using a buggy build. The first build of a new update is mainly filled with bugs that make the device malfunction in most scenarios.
To address this, Apple will release updates that clear out the bugs in the previous build. So, if you have not updated your iPhone after the initial iOS 16 update, it is time to check for new updates immediately.
To check for a new iOS update, open Settings on your iPhone and go to General. Then select Software Update, and if there is a pending update, it will show up here. If you see a new pending update, install it on your phone.
After the update, you should not encounter the Facetime application not working issue. If both the devices are on the latest OS, but Facetime is still not working, try the next solution.
Ensure the other contact has Facetime enabled:
Having an Apple device is not enough to get Facetime running on it. For Facetime to work, an Apple user must have the feature or service turned on. So ensure that Facetime is turned on for both the connecting devices.
- Go to the Settings App.
- Select FaceTime.
- Turn off the toggle for it.
- After that, restart your iPhone.
- Once your iPhone has restarted, turn on FaceTime once again.
If they have it turned on but Facetime is still not working, try the next solution.
Disable/Enable WiFi and Bluetooth on Your iOS device:
WiFi and Bluetooth might need a restart to ensure the network gets a refresh. So for the Facetime application, use the trick of restarting both of them.
- Go to the Settings App.
- Select WiFi and Bluetooth Settings.
- Disable the toggle for both of them.
Now try using Facetime on your iOS 16 device again. If it still does not work, try the next solution.
Offload and install the App:
Sometimes, the calling feature might not work with the Facetime application. In that case, you should offload that App on your iPhone and install it again with the latest version. Emptying the App is a better option than uninstalling it because offloading will ensure you do not lose the App’s data from your storage.
To do this, follow the steps mentioned below.
- Go to the Settings App.
- Tap on General.
- Choose iPhone Storage.
- Find the App or game that you want to delete from the list that appears.
- Then tap on that App and select Delete.
- After that, install that App on your iPhone using the App Store.
Try the next solution if this method fails.
Disable Do Not Disturb/Focus Mode:
If you have enabled Focus mode or Do Not Disturb mode on your iPhone, turn it off immediately and try Facetime again.
- Open the Settings App.
- Go to Focus,
- Select the Do Not Disturb/Focus profile and then disable it.
Now try using Facetime on your iOS 16 device again. If it still does not work, try the next solution.
Turn OFF Focus Status Sharing Across Devices:
Apple lets users share even Focus Share status across Apple devices running the same iCloud account. So ensure all your devices have focus mode disabled. And also, ensure that the Share across devices setting is also turned off.
- Open the Settings App.
- Go to Focus,
- Disable Share Across Devices.
Now try using Facetime on your iOS 16 device again. If it still does not work, try the next solution.
Sign Out and Sign In to your Apple ID:
Try signing out of your Apple ID and then logging in again using the login credentials to refresh the account status on your phone.
We won’t recommend this solution if you are someone who does not remember the username or password. Move ahead with this process only if you are sure that you have the correct login credentials.
- First, open up the Settings on your iPhone.
- Select Sign Out.
- Then choose to sign in again and use your Apple ID login credentials.
- Tap on Sign in. Once you are signed in, try using the Facetime app again.
If it still does not work, try the next solution.
Disable VPN on Your iPhone:
Using VPN is good for keeping yourself anonymous on the web. However, sometimes some applications might have trouble accessing the internet when VPN is enabled. You need to turn it off.
- Open the Settings App.
- Select VPN.
- Please disable it.
Now try using Facetime on your iOS 16 device again. If it still does not work, try the next solution.
Check the servers:
Apple’s server goes down from time to time for general maintenance. And during this period, you cannot use Apple’s services like Facetime. If it is down, you must wait until it’s back to online status.
To check the server status of your region, you can visit the website based on your area.
For iPhone users in Canada :
- https://www.apple.com/ca/support/systemstatus/
For iPhone users in France:
- https://www.apple.com/fr/support/systemstatus/
For iPhone users in the UK:
- https://www.apple.com/uk/support/systemstatus/
For iPhone users in India:
- https://www.apple.com/in/support/systemstatus/
This page will show you the status of Apple’s server in your region. If it is not in green, then you need to wait till Apple fixes it from their end. But if it is up and running and you still witness problems, try the next solution.
Reset Network Settings
Resetting network settings will prevent software inconsistency by refreshing your phone’s network connectivity. And performing this will not clear out any data on your internal storage. So you can try to improve your internet speed without any worries.
To reset network settings, follow the steps mentioned below.
- Open up Settings on your phone and go to General.
- Tap on Transfer or Reset iPhone.
- Then tap on Reset.
- After that, select Reset network settings.
- You will see a screen on your phone asking for your phone’s passcode. Enter your passcode and then tap on Reset network settings.
After this is complete, try using Facetime again. If it still does not work, try the next solution.
Factory reset your iPhone:
After the settings reset, you can also try the factory reset option. This will clear every bit of data on your phone, though. So you need to create a backup of everything necessary to you and perform the factory reset.
To perform the factory reset, open Settings on your phone and go to General. Then tap on the Transfer or Reset iPhone option. Then select the Erase All Content and Settings option and the Reset All Settings option. You must confirm your action by tapping the Reset button on the confirmation page.
So these are all the solutions to fix FaceTime that is not working on iOS 16. If you have any questions or queries about this article, comment below, and we will reply. Also, check out our other articles on iPhone tips and tricks, Android tips and tricks, PC tips and tricks, and much more for more helpful information.