FaceTime is a great way to keep in touch with your loved ones, especially since you can use it across any Apple device. But for many users, FaceTime keeps unexpectedly pausing video calls from their iPhone, iPad, or Mac.
We put together this short troubleshooting guide to show you why that happens and how to fix it.
Generally speaking, when FaceTime pauses the video during your calls you can still keep chatting over audio. It’s just that whoever you’re chatting to can’t see you anymore — they see a pause screen instead.
Pausing calls on an iPhone or iPad
FaceTime pauses the video when you switch apps.
There are a couple of situations designed to pause the video for FaceTime calls on your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch.
The first of these is if you leave the FaceTime app to do something else on your device. You might want to browse the web, read a message, or look through photos while chatting on FaceTime. But as soon as you switch to a different app your FaceTime video is supposed to pause.
While you decide what to do with the incoming call, your FaceTime video pauses for the current one.
How do I stop FaceTime pausing the video on an iPhone, iPad or iPod touch?
If FaceTime keeps pausing the video when it isn’t supposed to, you can fix it by going to the App Switcher, then returning to FaceTime.
Swipe up from the bottom of the screen and pause in the middle — or double-click the Home button if you have one — to go to the App Switcher. Then tap the FaceTime app to return to FaceTime.
If that doesn’t work, go to the Home screen — by swiping up or clicking the Home button — and tap the green bubble in the top-left. This should take you straight back to FaceTime.
Tap the green bubble in the status bar to return to your call.
The only exception to this is that minimizing the FaceTime window doesn’t pause the video if you’re on a group call. Although it’s unclear why this distinction is made.
You can pause the FaceTime video for group calls by clicking this button. Image from Apple.
How do I stop FaceTime from pausing the video in macOS
For some users, their Mac keeps pausing FaceTime video calls even when they don’t minimize the window. Many of them were able to resolve this issue by toggling a particular FaceTime setting off and on: Always on Top.
Open FaceTime on your Mac. From the menu bar, go to Video > Always on Top. Turn the setting off, then restart FaceTime and turn it on again.
If Always on Top was already turned off, turn it on and then restart FaceTime.
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.
My FaceTime gets stuck with a black screen. And I can see nothing.