Trying to FaceTime with your friends or family, and then find that after around 5-6 minutes one of you gets that “poor connection” error message? And it never recovers until you hang up and call again?
Several users have reported that they have been receiving “Poor Connection. The video will resume automatically when the connection improves” and “Connection lost” error messages when using the FaceTime app. Users have also reported that this issue started after they updated their iOS.
Check If Apple Servers Are Down Or Experiencing Problems
Before you do anything, check Apple’s System Status page to ensure FaceTime Servers are up and running.
If you experience this issue, please try the following tips to resolve it. Please check after trying each step to see if your problem has been resolved.
Try restarting the devices–this often solves these connecting problems
Run a speed test on your networks–ensure that they are reaching 5mbps or greater. If not, these low data rates cause problems with FaceTime
Update iOS to the same version on all devices trying to connect
Some users found that by simply updating devices to the same version of iOS fixed their problems facetiming each other. Go to Settings > General > Software Update
Toggle WiFi off and back on again (Settings > WiFi)
Connect to a 5 GHz WiFi signal and not a 2.4 GHz or vice-versa
You can even change your router configuration page (commonly at http://192.168.1.1) and deactivate the 2.4GHz option, so your entire network runs at 5 GHz
Turn Cellular Data Off (Settings > Cellular > Cellular Data)
Toggle Airplane Mode on, wait 20-30seconds and toggle Airplane Mode off–the quick method is via Control Center
Toggle FaceTime off and back on again (Settings > FaceTime) and sign in with your Apple ID again
Change your internet connection to cellular data by toggling off WiFi
Turn off WiFi Assist (Settings > Cellular > WiFi Assist–scroll all the way down, past the apps to find it)
Restart or reset your router
Force the FaceTime app to close and launch again
To do so, double tap the home button or swipe up the home gesture bar, then locate the facetime app preview and swipe up off the top of your screen to close
Restart your device or force restart
On an iPhone 6S or below plus all iPads & iPod Touches, press Home and Power at the same time until you see the Apple logo
For iPhone 7 or iPhone 7 Plus: Press and hold both the Side and Volume Down buttons for at least 10 seconds, until you see the Apple logo
On an iPhone X Series (XS, XR, or X) or iPhone 8 or iPhone 8 Plus: Press and quickly release the Volume Up button. Then press and quickly release the Volume Down button. Finally, press and hold the Side button until you see the Apple logo
Changing DNS info may fix FaceTime connection issues
To do this on iOS devices, simply tap Settings > Wi-Fi and then tap the blue “i” next to your Wi-Fi connection and tap the Configure DNS field (enter the DNS servers; 8.8.8.8; Google’s Public DNS)
Tap Settings > General > Date & Time and set a time that is at least one year ahead and try again. If this does not solve the issue, make sure you toggle “Set Automatically” on
Delete the FaceTime App and reinstall it via the App Store
Press and hold the FaceTime App until it wiggles, then tap the X to remove
Or use Settings > General > iPhone Storage > FaceTime Offload and either Delete or the app, then reinstall
Reader Tips
Check your router for UPnP mappings. If UPNP is on, then turn it off
Make sure you configure your router’s firewall to allow these ports
Dan writes tutorials and troubleshooting guides to help people make the most of their technology. Before becoming a writer, he earned a BSc in Sound Technology, supervised repairs at an Apple Store, and even taught English in China.
if I Facetime my dads ipad air2, from my ipad or iphne, all is well. if I use my 2013 macbook pro, his ipad shows poor connection and we get voice only. Any clue?
Same problem for last 2 weeks. I have facetime to connect with an elderly friend. I can see her but she cant see me. Ive tried the simple ‘solutions’ but no good. I cant even get Apple support to answer this query. Get it sorted….SOON!
i have had the same problem for a week.
family and friends cannot see me, but i can see them clearly, they can hear me fine
it says poor connection the video will resume but never does
i would like this problem solving as my family and grand children all live abroad
come on apple get this sorted, you can obviously see there is a problem
I have the same problem as Geoff smith- I can hear & see people on FaceTime, they can hear me but not see me. I have replaced the router, restarted it , reset the I pad, but to no avail. Is it an apple update problem?
When connected on FaceTime with friends they don’t see me, I see them fine on my screen. Found out that my camera for facing myself isn’t working which makes my FaceTime unable for others to see me in thier screen. It’s just frozen and tried all the tips and still nothing. So disappointed.
Hi Ang, my cameras are working fine but my friends still can’t see me on FaceTime. Isn’t it so frustrating. I took my iPad to a computer shop and of course it worked fine there! As there appears to be a lot of us with the same problem I think it must be an Apple fault.
Yet again another case where I can see my grandchildren okay but they can’t see me this was after I downloaded a new working system for my iPad,iso9 has a problem fix it .?
I am having the same issues. I can see everyone fine, they get either black screen or connection issues messages. Everything was working fine until I went to iOS 9. Have tried various things to fix and thus far nothing! Very frustrating
I am currently in the USA and suddenly am having problems with Facetime calls. FaceTime was working OK two days ago. But now my Video calls ring and ring with No answer.
When I actually phoned my wife on the condo phone she said her iPhone ( which has FaceTime on it ) did NOT ring ?
I have tried nearly all of your suggestions to resolve the problem, with the exception of touching the property Owners Modem ( in case that causes him problems ).
However none of the suggested “fixes” makes any difference !? When you are over 4300 miles from home and need to speak with your loved ones this Poor Reception problem try later message doesn’t help. Can you ?
Les says
if I Facetime my dads ipad air2, from my ipad or iphne, all is well. if I use my 2013 macbook pro, his ipad shows poor connection and we get voice only. Any clue?
Kevin says
I’ve tried FaceTime on the Verizon network instead of on my WiFi.
I’ve tried using the WiFi at work.
I always have a full signal of both WiFi and Verizon when I try it.
Yet FaceTime always crashes.
This does not happen with Skype o the same internet connection.
It’s FaceTime problem, not a problem with my internet connection.
Adri says
Nothing is fixing my problem with FaceTime after 10 minutes it always says poor condition and it never recovers unless I hang up and call back
SK says
Hi Adri,
Please try deleting the FaceTime App entirely from your iPad or iPhone. Follow the instructions in this article to delete that app.
Once deleted, restart your iDevice (power off then back on.)
After restarting, go to the App Store and type in FaceTime in the search bar. Download and install FaceTime and see if it works better now.
Sam
michael says
my friends can see me but I can not see them please help
Tryingbest2004 says
Thanks! Changed DNS to 8.8.8.8 worked!
But, be aware — Not to 8.8.8.8.
Extra “.” after the last 8 was NOT needed.
Mary MacKay says
Same problems as above. I can see clearly but people I am face timing cannot see me or just a shadow of me.
Apple needs to arrange an upgrade/fix and send to all those with FaceTime like they do for any other program or app
pozuelas says
Same problem for last 2 weeks. I have facetime to connect with an elderly friend. I can see her but she cant see me. Ive tried the simple ‘solutions’ but no good. I cant even get Apple support to answer this query. Get it sorted….SOON!
ts says
i have had the same problem for a week.
family and friends cannot see me, but i can see them clearly, they can hear me fine
it says poor connection the video will resume but never does
i would like this problem solving as my family and grand children all live abroad
come on apple get this sorted, you can obviously see there is a problem
Vince proctor says
I have the same problem as Geoff smith- I can hear & see people on FaceTime, they can hear me but not see me. I have replaced the router, restarted it , reset the I pad, but to no avail. Is it an apple update problem?
Ang says
When connected on FaceTime with friends they don’t see me, I see them fine on my screen. Found out that my camera for facing myself isn’t working which makes my FaceTime unable for others to see me in thier screen. It’s just frozen and tried all the tips and still nothing. So disappointed.
Sheila Sewell says
Hi Ang, my cameras are working fine but my friends still can’t see me on FaceTime. Isn’t it so frustrating. I took my iPad to a computer shop and of course it worked fine there! As there appears to be a lot of us with the same problem I think it must be an Apple fault.
Sheila
Geoff smith says
Yet again another case where I can see my grandchildren okay but they can’t see me this was after I downloaded a new working system for my iPad,iso9 has a problem fix it .?
Pl says
I am having the same issues. I can see everyone fine, they get either black screen or connection issues messages. Everything was working fine until I went to iOS 9. Have tried various things to fix and thus far nothing! Very frustrating
Brian Holland-Jones says
I am currently in the USA and suddenly am having problems with Facetime calls. FaceTime was working OK two days ago. But now my Video calls ring and ring with No answer.
When I actually phoned my wife on the condo phone she said her iPhone ( which has FaceTime on it ) did NOT ring ?
I have tried nearly all of your suggestions to resolve the problem, with the exception of touching the property Owners Modem ( in case that causes him problems ).
However none of the suggested “fixes” makes any difference !? When you are over 4300 miles from home and need to speak with your loved ones this Poor Reception problem try later message doesn’t help. Can you ?