Sep 28, 2020 • Filed to: Solve Mac Problems • Proven solutions
The FaceTime name was bought by Apple from FaceTime Communications On June 7, 2010. It was introduced in conjunction with the launch of the iPhone 4. FaceTime is a video-calling program designed by Apple for use on their iPhone, iPad, and Mac products. For Mac OS X the application was announced on October 20, 2010. It is available on Mac computers that run the Mac OS X 10.6.6(Snow Leopard) and the versions released after that. The software is compatible with any Mac computer that is equipped with a FaceTime Camera and the latest macOS. FaceTime has been vital in maintaining long-distance personal and business relationships.
FaceTime is only compatible with Apple devices. It offers High Definition on Mac OS. Initially, it only offered interaction between two people at a time but the limit increased with every new Mac update. In 2018 with the launch of macOS Mojave, Apple announced that the FaceTime application will allow group video and audio calls with up to 32 people.
Nov 06, 2020 Solutions to Fix Activity App Not Showing Data on Apple Watch and iPhone Solution #1. Force Quit Activity App And Re-launch It. The first trick that you should give a try to resolve this issue is force quit the Activity app and re-launch it. Many a time, it should get rid of the problem. To kill Activity app on your watch, make sure you are in. May 06, 2019 Make sure that FaceTime isn't open, then see if your camera works in another application, such as Photo Booth. If it doesn't, you know that the issue isn't related to FaceTime. If you have multiple cameras or microphones connected to your Mac, check the Video menu in the FaceTime menu bar to make sure that you have the correct camera. Problems with Facetime calls can sometimes be caused by manual date and time settings. Enter the Settings, then tap on General, choose Date and Time, and make sure Set Automatically is on. The Go-To Fixes. If Facetime still isn’t working with Wi-Fi or cellular data, you can do the go-to steps for fixing issues on iOS devices. There isn’t a camera section in System Preferences, so you can’t change the camera settings directly. However, most apps that use the built-in camera have adjustable camera settings. FaceTime and Skype let you specify which camera you want to use for video calls, so make sure the built-in camera is selected. Reboot Your Computer. Other iPhone and iPad models: Press and hold the Wake or Sleep button on your device. You will see a slider appear on the screen. Slide to restart your device. Once the device restarts, check whether FaceTime is working or not. Generally, it should work. If it isn’t, try Option 3 described below. Option 3: Set DNS to Google’s Public DNS.
Why Is FaceTime Camera Not Working?
Apple takes pride in the quality of their products. FaceTime is one of the most dependable software offered by Apple on Mac but problems might occur from time to time which results in the app not working. If the FaceTime app does not work no matter how many times you attempt to start it. Here are some possible symptoms that would cause such a problem.
• The Camera or microphone doesn't work:
Camera and the microphone are an essential part of the FaceTime app. There is a chance that Mac's hardware is not connected with the system which could result in the application to crash. There might be multiple reasons that would cause the camera and the mic to stop performing its function. It could be a hardware failure or a minor software glitch.
• The latest software updates are not installed:
If you have installed the latest version of FaceTime on an outdated version of the Mac operating system or vice versa then the app won't work. The latest updates offer bug fixes and new features that allow apps like FaceTime to run smoothly. Be sure to check the following things that would cause the app to crash.
- FaceTime App is Not Compatible with User's Device.
- Mac OS is Not Up to Date.
- FaceTime App is Not Up to Date.
- FaceTime app is disabled.
• The Wrong Apple ID information entered:
There is a slight chance that you have entered the wrong Apple ID on the app which could result in the failure to open. Make sure to check that you are signed in to the application with the same Apple ID used on your Mac. Following issue might be the cause of failure:
Why Isn't Facetime Working On Mac
- User Signed In with Different Apple ID.
- User is Not Signed In with Apple ID.
• A slow or busy Internet network might cause the FaceTime to crash:
The most common factor which could lead to FaceTime being unavailable is the Internet connectivity issue. Without the internet, you cannot use the FaceTime application.
FaceTime may not work on Mac due to various reasons. Sometimes the App works but the voice or video feature fails to work properly. Before you apply any method, you should check where the problem is? It is best to check the computer for Hardware failure. Here are some simple methods to solve the FaceTime not working issue on your Mac.
Solution 1. Check the Internet Connection
Fast internet is essential for a quality FaceTime experience. There is no way around it. If the launch of the FaceTime app fails and it does not connect, the first thing that should be checked is the network connection. Check to see if the internet on your Mac is on. If the internet is not working, check the following solutions:
- Sometimes the WI-FI icon does not appear on the computer screen. You can click on the System Preferences and the network icon.
- Your Wi-Fi might be turned off on your computer. This can be fixed by a simple click on the icon and selecting Turn Wi-Fi On.
- If that does not work, restart your modem and wait a minute to check if there isn't a network problem.
- Restart your Mac.
- 2 minutes to read it.
Solution 2. Change Your DNS
The Domain Name System or DNS is a server that deciphers domain names like apple.com to IP addresses, which can locate servers on the internet. Every internet service provider has its own IP address but it can be shifted to a different protocol by altering the number system of the IP. Apple's DNS address can be used to solve the 'cannot connect to App Store' error. Here the steps to set a global DNS address.
- Go to system preferences.
- Go to the network.
- Click on the 'Advanced' option on the bottom right corner.
- Click on the DNS tab in the dialogue box.
- Click on + at the bottom left corner of the DNS box and add the address '8.8.8.8'.
- Click on + again at the bottom left corner of the DNS box and add the address '8.8.4.4' which is Apple's global DNS address.
- Click on the 'OK' tab.
- Restart your Mac.
- Connect it with your Wi-Fi Network.
- Launch the FaceTime App. You will be able to use the app with ease.
![Why isn Why isn](/uploads/1/3/4/0/134051795/639370923.jpg)
Solution 3. Confirm the FaceTime Issues
Sometimes the issues are not within your threshold. What happens when Apple's FaceTime server is down, you will be notified of that. You can check whether FaceTime is having server issues or not. Tunes, Siri, and iCloud. Such issues often occur at the same time for all the applications.
How to package mac os electron apps for windows. Apple has its own System Status webpage. The Apple System Status site gives you the latest information about the status of all Apple services such as the App Store, iTunes, Siri, and iCloud. Such issues often occur at the same time for all the applications.
You can also go through the following things to confirm what is causing the FaceTime app to fail.
- Limited Availability: Apple limits the availability of the app due to certain restrictions enforced by the countries. It is not enabled on devices bought in the United Arab Emirates and Pakistan, due to security-related regulations that restrict IP-based communications between devices.nces.
- Wrong Date and Time: Make sure your Mac is operating with the correct date. If not then you can change the settings by simply clicking on System Preferences and then on 'Date & Time'. You can also check the time zone by clicking on the tab.
- Turn off all Restrictions: Putting restrictions on like Parental Control and maintaining strict privacy settings are essential in this day and age but it can also be the reason behind the issue of FaceTime not working. You can turn off parental control by following these steps:
- Open System Preferences.
- Click on the 'Parental Controls' option and click on Lock Icon to unlock it.
- Provide your Mac Administrator Name and Password.
- Turn Off Parental Controls.
It can be either of the above-mentioned issues that would cause the app to crash again. By confirming the issue you can proceed further in solving the problem.
Solution 4. Force Quit FaceTime
You can start by simply closing the FaceTime application and restarting it again by clicking on the app's icon. If the normal procedure does not work then you can force quit all running apps including FaceTime by simply pressing 'Option', 'Command', and 'Escape (Esc)' buttons simultaneously and then clicking on Force Quit option, after selecting the Facetime.
Solution 5. Restart Your Mac
One of the most obvious solutions to almost every software glitch is restarting the computer. 9 out of 10 times it works like a charm. You can just click on the Apple menu and then on the restart option.
- 2 minutes to read it.
Solution 6. Reset FaceTime Camera
You can use 'Terminal' to reset the camera by entering certain commands. AppleCameraAssistant and VDCAssistant support the camera within MacOS for all the camera-related programs. If all the above-mentioned solution does not work then you would have to reset the camera and kill the VDCAssistant process. The VDCAssistant process only works when any other type of software like Skype attempts to use the FaceTime Camera. The camera issues are caused by a failure of the VDC assistant process when attempting to close an application. Follow the steps to reset and force quit the camera assistant:
- Shut down any app that uses the camera, for example, Skype and Discord.
- Open Terminal on the computer.
- Type the following command: sudo killall VDCAssistant
- Press Return.
- Type a second command: sudo killall AppleCameraAssistant.
- Press Return.
- Enter the administrator password to further the process.
- Restart your Mac.
- Upon Start-up immediately hold down Open, Command, P, and R keys.
- Release the keys upon hearing the boot sound.
- Reset the customized apps on system preferences.
- Restart your Mac.
Solution 7. Update Your Mac
You should regularly check your computer for system updates. Such updates bring the necessary bug fixes and added security features to enhance the quality of programs like FaceTime. Here are the steps to check for updates on Mojave.
- Click on System Preferences from the Apple menu.
- Click on Software updates, the fourth option in the third row.
- Click on OK.
Conclusion
Apps such as Facetime has been instrumental in bringing people together by enhancing their Personal and Business Relationships. The long-distance connection is not a problem anymore. FaceTime Camera has become a necessity. With the solution provided above the problems becomes easy to solve once the cause is known. Camera related problems rarely occur on the Mac unless the system is very old or the software is outdated. However, if you've tried the provided solutions and still can't use your camera then there might be a hardware related issue that is preventing you to work. It is better to seek professional help.
Related: Walk a little further and get to know how to fix the MacBook camera not working.
Why Isn't Facetime App Working On My Mac Os
What's Wrong with Mac
- Recover Your Mac
- Fix Your Mac
- Delete Your Mac
- Learn Mac Hacks
The MacBook is definitely a 21st-century technological marvel, offering users an ever-increasing range of services accessible at their fingertips. These range of services can sometimes lead to annoying bugs with either the hardware, software or both components, problems such as the Mac FaceTime camera not working bug.
After successfully installing certain Mac Operating Systems such as the OSX Mavericks, users have complained of experiencing the Mac FaceTime camera not working, install new camera error. In addition, some users complain of experiencing this same error even when there was no OS upgrade, but just switched to use the MacBook’s camera either via Photo Booth, FaceTime or some other apps.
How to Fix FaceTime Camera Not Working on MacBook Air/Pro?
Over the years, camera issues such as the Mac FaceTime camera not working problem has been identified to be less cumbersome to rectify, thereby we advise users to exercise some ease while resolving this issue on their Mac. Below are some basic steps that can be used to rectify them:
1. Confirmatory Testing
The first step to resolve this issue would be to confirm whether it is an application problem, or a software problem. To confirm if it is an application problem or a camera problem, ensure you test multiple official Apple applications on your Mac that use the camera. Test iMovie, FaceTime, Photo Booth etc.
Should the Mac FaceTime camera not working problem only exist for a few applications, then it is safe to say that the error is from the affected applications. Alternatively, should the problem exist across all applications, then it is safe to say that the camera hardware, software or its supporting firmware might be the source of the issue.
2. Alter Your Mac Camera settings
True to the MacBook nature, even recent Macs do not support camera setting app. This might be due to the fact that most applications using the webcam possess setting options to help users tweak the feature to their taste. In the application interface, ensure you select the built-in camera as your means of capturing and ensure to set its features appropriately prior to calling on Skype or FaceTime or any other application to avoid the occurrence of the Mac FaceTime camera not working or other similar issues.
3. Quit all Camera-dependent Apps
If the above solution does not work, executing this moderate solution should yield positive results. End all camera dependent applications then access the Applications > Utilities folder and activate the ActivityMonitor.app. In the appearing options, search for the process name VDC Assistant and kill the process by pressing the X tab in the topmost left corner. A confirmatory message would pop up, afterward restart the camera dependent apps.
4. Restart Your MacBook
Due to some broken underlying processes that might be mitigating applications’ ability to access the camera, it is possible the above problem persists. To end all processes, it might be necessary to reboot your MacBook especially after the quitting option fails to yield positive results.
Restarting ends all processes while leaving the RAM untouched but care should be taken to completely shut down the entire system than to use the Restart route. This restarting process is relatively easy as most users are already familiar with it.
5. Force Quit Your MacBook’s AppleCammeraAssistant or VDCAssistant
Should the problem persist after all the above fixes, then it is important to try this slightly nerdy fix. A software names VDCAssistant is responsible for activating the camera when needed and most often when this software hangs or experiences a glitch, it relays such bugs across all camera dependent app, inhibiting their use of the camera. Remove google apps from mac.
- End all applications accessing the camera
- In the Spotlight Search tab, launch Terminal by searching for it
- In Terminal, type {sudo killall VDCAssistant}, press Enter
- In Terminal, type {sudo killall AppleCameraAssistant}, press Enter
- Confirm solution by running a camera dependent application
6. Update Your Applications and MacOS
Should the Mac FaceTime camera not working problem be application specific, then it might be a compatibility issue that can be fixed by updating the application in the App Store to the latest version. Moreover, during the existence of such problems, should there be an available security update, it is advised users update their operating systems to the latest versions.
It is highly possible the glitch you are experiencing has been identified and fixed by the Apple team, hence helping you avoid the rigors of troubleshooting and solution funding.
Related Read: Mac OS High Sierra Update not Showing on Mac App Store
![Working Working](/uploads/1/3/4/0/134051795/514850813.png)
More FaceTime Issue: FaceTime Not Activating after iOS 11.3 Update [Solved]
Moreover, whether or not the above addressed problem occurs with their camera, some users experience another issue identified as the FaceTime activation is unsuccessful issue. This issue usually occurs immediately after their iOS update, and this brief section of the article would try to address it. Should this error occur to your device, consider trying iMyFone System Recovery to fix your iOS without data loss. To know more about how to fix FaceTime not activating after iOS 11. 3 update issue, click here, or try iMyFone iOS System Recovery to execute a quicker fix.
On a concluding note, it is safe to say that most Mac FaceTime camera not working problems are relatively minor bugs that can be fixed within minutes and is never be worth losing sleep over. Furthermore, the above hacks and fixes explained above represents the trusted and verified fixes to resolving such bugs and issues. Execute them chronologically and enjoy your MacBook’s camera in no time.