How to fix FaceTime that is not working on Apple iPhone XS, cannot use FaceTime app [Troubleshooting Guide]

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FaceTime is Apple’s very own video and calling service that allows you to call and at the same time see anyone you wish to converse with using any Apple devices. With FaceTime, you can make international calls as long as you’re on Wi-Fi or cellular data. Using FaceTime is irrefutably very simple and easy. But there are just some factors that make the simple process a bit troublesome and complicated. The fact that it’s carried out through a network-based app makes problems possible to occur at any time.

On the bright side, these are mostly software-related issues and therefore fixable. Highlighted below are recommended workarounds that are used to deal with a problem with FaceTime that is not working on the new iPhone XS device. If you’re among the first few owners of this recently launched iOS device and cannot use FaceTime for some reasons, then this post may be able to help you out. Read further and find out the possible solutions.

For those who are looking for a solution to a different problem, drop by our troubleshooting page for we have already addressed some of the most common issues with this phone. Browse through the page to find issues that are similar with yours and use the solutions we suggested. If they don’t work for you or if you still need our help, contact us anytime through our iPhone issues questionnaire.

How to troubleshoot iPhone XS with FaceTime that’s not working

Before troubleshooting software problems that may have halted FaceTime from working on your iPhone XS, check Apple FaceTime server status on the Apple Support status page. If it shows that FaceTime is down, then nothing much can be done on your end but wait until the server is up and running again. If the FaceTime server is up but still not working on your phone, then try the following workarounds.

First solution: Toggle FaceTime off and on again.

This could be just a random glitch affecting the FaceTime app especially if you were able to use FaceTime on your device before. Should this be what’s going on, turning FaceTime off and on will likely fix it. Here’s how:

  1. Tap to open Settings.
  2. Tap FaceTime.
  3. Toggle the FaceTime switch to turn the feature off.
  4. Perform a soft reset or restart your iPhone XS.
  5. Then head back to Settings-> FaceTime, then toggle the switch to turn FaceTime on again.

This workaround works as if it’s letting the FaceTime app restart and refresh. This should be good enough when dealing with minor flaws on the FaceTime app.

Second solution: Sign out of your Apple ID account then sign in again.

If the previous workaround doesn’t fix the problem, try signing out of your Apple ID for FaceTime and then sign in again. Here’s how it’s done:

  1. Open the Settings app from Home.
  2. Tap FaceTime.
  3. Navigate to the You can be reached at section.
  4. Select your Apple ID then tap the option to Sign out.
  5. Reboot your iPhone XS (soft reset).
  6. Then go back to Settings-> FaceTime-> You can be reached at section then enter your Apple ID and/or phone number.
  7. Then tap the option to Sign in.

After applying the new changes, try loading FaceTime app and see if it’s already working this time. If not, then move on and try the next workaround.

Third solution: Check and manage date and time settings on your iPhone XS.

Like iMessage, FaceTime service also requires real-time date and time stamps. To ensure that incorrect date and time aren’t causing your troubles with FaceTime, check the FaceTime date and time settings and ensure that they’re properly configured. Here’s how to get there:

  1. Open the Settings app from Home.
  2. Tap General.
  3. Tap on Date & Time.
  4. Then tap to enable Set Automatically option.

Also make sure that the Time Zone is set to your current location.

Fourth solution: Reset network settings on your iPhone XS.

Network problems are often the underlying cause. From slow Internet, intermittent connection, or other network errors can interrupt network-based apps and services on your device. If the problem started after making some changes to your network settings, then you might have configured some option incorrectly. In that case, reverting the settings back to their previous configuration will likely fix it. To get these all done quickly, you can just reset network settings on your device to restore the original or default network configurations and from there you can enable only the network options that need to be turned on including Wi-Fi and cellular data. Here’s how it’s done:

  1. Open the Settings app from Home.
  2. Tap General.
  3. Scroll down to and tap Settings.
  4. Select Reset network settings from the given options.
  5. Enter your device passcode when asked to continue.
  6. Then tap the option to confirm network settings reset.

When the reset is finished, your iPhone will restart by itself. By then you can configure your network connections and reconnect your device to the Internet either through Wi-Fi or cellular data. Retry loading FaceTime and see if it’s already working properly this time.

Fifth solution: Reset your iPhone XS to its factory defaults then set it up as new.

If all else failed to fix the problem and FaceTime still failed to work on your phone, then you may have to resort to a master reset. This will reset your iPhone XS to its factory default settings and allows you to set up everything including FaceTime from scratch. Should you wish to give it a shot, simply follow these steps to factory reset your iPhone XS via settings:

  1. Open the Settings app from Home.
  2. Tap General.
  3. Scroll down to and tap Settings.
  4. Select the option to Erase all content and settings.
  5. Enter your device passcode when asked to continue.
  6. Then tap the option to confirm factory reset

After your iPhone resets, it will reboot automatically. All you have to do is to wait until it boots up and then follow the setup wizard to set your iPhone up as new. Be sure to enter correct information for your FaceTime credentials, particularly your Apple ID and password.

Software-related issues that may have affected FaceTime should likewise be cleared out after the reset.

Other options

Installing the latest iOS version on your iPhone can also help solve the problem if it’s attributed to some system bugs and FaceTime app glitches. If trying to use Group FaceTime, then make sure all call members are using devices running iOS 12 or macOS Mojave and later. Group FaceTime works similar to that of Google Hangout, wherein you can include anyone in your contacts to your group call through FaceTime app. However, Group FaceTime doesn’t work on earlier versions of iOS and MacOS platforms.

If none of that helps and you still cannot use FaceTime on your iPhone XS, contact Apple Support or your carrier for further assistance and suggestions. Also ask them to double-check their system and see if FaceTime server is currently available in your area. Temporary outages in your local area may also be the root cause of the problem so you might as well consider checking on that too.

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