Apple’s very own video and audio calling service called FaceTime is supposed to work as intended given that Wi-Fi or cellular data connection is enabled on the device. FaceTime is among the built-in iOS features that often receive fix patches and security enhancements whenever a new iOS version is released.
However, it isn’t a guarantee that every update always yields positive outcome to FaceTime and other iOS features. A matter of this fact, some iPhone owners bumped into another problem with FaceTime after installing the iOS 13 beta update. To address this concern, I’ve mapped out some helpful tweaks and potential solutions to FaceTime connection issues on an iPhone running the latest iOS 13 platform. Read on and feel free to refer to this context whenever you need more inputs in dealing with the same problem with FaceTime on iOS 13.
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Troubleshooting Apple iPhone with Facetime connection issues after iOS 13
Before troubleshooting, check the date and time settings on your iPhone. If they are not set to automatic, adjust the settings and use the option to set automatically. To use automatic date and time, go to Settings-> General-> Date & Time menu and then enable the option to Set Automatically. With this setting, your device will use date and time information based on the current location’s timezone.
Aside from date and time, also verify and ensure that the email address and phone number listed are correct.
Furthermore, make sure that the person you’re trying to communicate through FaceTime also uses an Apple device. Note that FaceTime is available only to users of Apple devices from the iPhone to iPad, iPod Touch or a Mac computer.
If your iPhone continues to encounter FaceTime connection issues even after complying with all the aforesaid requisites, then it’s time to eliminate other culprits using these subsequent tweaks. After performing each procedure, launch FaceTime to see if the problem is gone.
First solution: Quit then restart FaceTime.
FaceTime may be just experiencing minor glitches after the recent system changes. As a result, it’s suddenly stops working. This is a typical behaviour seen on various apps following a system update especially those apps that were left suspended or opened during the update. And the easiest way to fix it is to quit and restart the app. So this is what you should try first:
- From the Home screen, tap Settings.
- Select FaceTime.
- Make sure that FaceTime is enabled.
If FaceTime is already enabled, toggle the switch to turn it OFF for a few seconds then toggle the switch again to turn FaceTime back on.
ALSO READ: Fix Apple iPhone that keeps restarting or stuck on Apple logo after iOS 13
Second solution: Reboot/soft reset your iPhone.
Another simple yet very effective solutions to various types of post-update symptoms including FaceTime connection issues is the so-called soft reset or reboot on the phone. Restarting the phone is in fact recommended after installing new software updates as clears out caches and refreshes the internal memory. Aside from being an effective solution, it’s also safe to soft reset your iPhone even without backing up files to iCloud or iTunes because it does not affect the internal data. The process of performing a soft reset varies depending on the iPhone model in use. To soft reset new iPhones like the iphone x and later models, simply follow these steps:
- Press and hold the Top button and either Volume button until the Power Off slider appears.
- Drag the slider to power off your device completely.
- After 30 seconds, press and hold the Top button again until the Apple logo appears.
To restart/soft reset iPhones with physical Home buttons, follow these steps instead:
- Press and hold down the Power/Top button for a few seconds until the Power off slider appears.
- Drag the slider to power off your device.
- After a few seconds, press and hold the Power/Top button until the Apple logo appears.
A few seconds later, your iPhone should already complete its boot-up sequence and launches the Home screen. Allow it to re-establish network connections either Wi-Fi or cellular data. Once it’s connected, try launching FaceTime and see if it’s already working properly.
Third solution: Refresh your Internet connection.
Internet connectivity issues inflicted by minor iOS network bugs can also trigger similar issues to occur not only on FaceTime but also on other online apps and services. To fix random Internet glitches like this, refreshing the Internet connection is recommended. There are many ways to get this done. You can work on the Wi-Fi toggle (if you’re using Wi-Fi for FaceTime) or cellular data (if you’re on cellular data).
To refresh the Internet using the Wi-Fi toggle, simply follow these steps:
- From the Home screen, tap on Settings.
- Select Wi-Fi.
- Then toggle the switch to turn Wi-Fi off.
- After a few seconds, toggle the switch again to turn Wi-Fi back on.
To refresh the Internet using the Cellular Data toggle, refer to these steps instead:
- Tap Settings from the Home screen.
- Select Cellular.
- Toggle the switch next to Cellular Data to turn the feature OFF.
- While Cellular Data is turned off, restart/soft reset your iPhone.
- Then go back to Settings-> Cellular menu and toggle the switch to turn Cellular Data back on again. Cellular data is now being utilized for your iPhone’s internet connection.
Turning Airplane mode on and off can also resolve similar issues. If you wish to give it a try, then you can proceed and carry out these steps:
- Go to the Home screen then tap Settings.
- Select Airplane Mode.
- Then toggle the switch to turn Airplane Mode on. Doing so disables wireless radios and relevant features simultaneously.
- While Airplane mode is turned on, reboot/soft reset your iOS device to clear out junk files and any corrupted temporary network data.
- Wait for the device to finish booting up.
- Once the reboot is finished, go back to Settings-> Airplane Mode menu.
- Then toggle the Airplane Mode switch to turn the feature OFF again. This will re-enable the wireless radios and functions on your iPhone.
Reconnect your iPhone to the Internet through Wi-Fi or cellular data and then retry using FaceTime and see how it works.
ALSO READ: How to fix your iPhone or iPad that’s stuck on Recovery Mode after iOS 13
Fourth solution: Turn off your iPhone restrictions.
Another factor that can halt FaceTime or any other apps from working is the iOS feature called Restrictions. When enabled, this feature could stop or limit an app from running on your phone. To make sure that this isn’t causing FaceTime connection issues, manage your iPhone restrictions through these steps:
- Tap Settings from the Home screen.
- Select Screen Time.
- Tap Content & Privacy Restrictions.
- Navigate to Allowed Apps.
Make sure that the Camera and FaceTime apps aren’t restricted. Otherwise, toggle the switch to turn off restrictions for these apps.
Fifth solution: Reset network settings on your iPhone.
Network-related errors that are able to withstand the initial procedures usually require more advanced solutions including software resets. There are different types of resets you can do on your iPhone. To rule out network errors inflicted by iOS 13 update, you can reset network settings on your iPhone with these steps:
- From the Home screen, tap Settings.
- Select General.
- Scroll down to and tap on Reset.
- Choose the option to Reset network settings.
- Enter your device passcode when asked to proceed.
- Then tap the option to confirm that you want to reset network settings on your iPhone.
You will be disconnected from your Wi-Fi network or cellular data connection after the reset. With that said, you need to set up and reconnect to Wi-Fi or cellular data to use internet services and apps like FaceTime as you normally do.
Last resort: Erase your iPhone and set up FaceTime as new.
The errors inflicted by the recently installed iOS 13 update might be very complex that even a network settings couldn’t handle. If you still end up having the same FaceTime connection error after performing the previous reset, then this is when you should consider opting for a full system reset or factory reset. This will erase everything from your iPhone system including errant iOS update overrides that caused major errors to FaceTime. But before you proceed, back up all your important data to evade from losing them permanently. You can back up files from your iPhone to iCloud or iTunes. Once you have secured the backup, follow these steps to perform a factory reset through settings menu:
- Tap Settings from your Home screen.
- Tap General.
- Scroll down and tap on Reset.
- Select Erase all content and settings from the given options.
- Enter your passcode when asked to proceed.
- Finally, tap the option to confirm all settings reset.
After the reset, your iPhone reboots automatically and then loads up the factory default settings. To use it again, you need to set it up as new. For faster setup, you can use the start-up wizard and follow the onscreen commands to enable necessary features including Wi-Fi and/or cellular data. Also don’t forget to enable FaceTime on your phone settings.
ALSO READ: How to fix Touch ID that’s not working on your iPhone after iOS 13 update
Still getting iOS 13 FaceTime connection error on your iPhone?
This could be a fatal system error inflicted by the recent iOS update, considering that the problem persists even after performing a factory reset/master reset. If you wish to troubleshoot further, then your next option would be an iOS restore. Restoring your iPhone from a previous iOS backup is considered a downgrade but this may be the only way for you to get FaceTime to work properly again. If you wish to proceed, you can carry out a recovery mode restore to put your iPhone in a recovery state and use iTunes to repair and restore iOS from a recent backup. Aside from recovery mode restore, you can also try putting your iPhone in DFU mode to allow iTunes to repair and restore a possibly corrupted operating system.
For further assistance and official recommendations, you can escalate the problem to Apple Support or contact your carrier to ensure that the problem isn’t attributed to your account services.
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