Why can't i facetime someone but i can call them?

Last Updated on April 14, 2023 by Kennedy

Why can’t i facetime someone but i can call them? When it comes to using facetime for video call or audio call, we tends to have this type of problem.

Not being able to call someone on facetime, but you can easily call the person on cellular calls.

I want to tell you that you’re not alone in this type of situation as I have experienced this before. I will explain why this is happening especially if you’re not able to call a certain person using facetime on your iPhone.

Let’s proceed.

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Why can’t i facetime someone but i can call them?

The reason is due to facetime not being active or there’s no active internet connection as to make and receive a facetime call.

The above is just an explanation as there are several reasons why you’re having this type of problem.

Before going into the reasons, you have to check and confirm if this problem is happening to all contacts in your iPhone, or probably a certain contact.

If the problem is happening to all contact in your iPhone, then you should know that the problem is from your end.

This is what you need to do;

When the problem is from your end

In this type of situation, you need to do the followings;

Check if facetime is still enabled on your iPhone and activated.
If facetime installed in your iPhone is having a software issue.
If you have an active internet connection.

These are the major things to look out for as it will prevent you from using facetime on your iPhone.

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Let me explain them one after the other.

1. Check if facetime is still enabled on your iPhone and activated

This is the first and foremost thing to do, checking if facetime is still enabled and active on your iPhone.

To do so, you have to open the settings app on your iPhone.

Scroll down to facetime and tap to open it.

Next page is facetime settings page, and right there you have to check if facetime is enabled and activated on your iPhone.

Below is a typical example of how it will look like.

As you can see, facetime button is enabled on my iPhone as shown in the picture, and also activated as it showed You Can be Reached By Facetime At, and Caller ID.

I blurred the information there for privacy sake.

So this is how your facetime settings page should look like for you to be able to use FaceTime on iphone.

If it is disabled, please go ahead and enables it, and if it not activate please make sure that you have an active internet connection as facetime and iMessage activate on their own automatically.

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2. If facetime installed in your iPhone is having a software issue

This type of problem usually occur irrespective of the fact that facetime is enabled on your iPhone and it is very much active.

Software issue is usually the culprit.

In this type of situation what you have to do is to turn off internet on your iPhone, be it cellular data or Wi-Fi connection. Then go to facetime setting in the settings section, and disable facetime on your iPhone.

Lastly is to switch off your iPhone.

Wait for a few seconds to one minute and turn on your phone.

Make sure you turn on cellular data or Wi-Fi and internet is active on your iPhone. Next is to go to the facetime settings page and enable facetime on your iPhone.

Wait for it to activate and this time it should fix the problem.

3. If you have an active internet connection

Without internet connection you can’t use facetime as it is a voip services.

If you’re having a poor internet services, it will hinder you from making and receiving facetime calls irrespective of the fact that facetime is enabled and active on your iPhone.

I recommend you to use internet speed checker to check your internet speed. Anything less than 3mbps will hinder a facetime video call, while anything less than 1mbps will hinder a facetime audio call.

When the problem is from the recipient

Now if the problem you’re having is just a particular contact in your iPhone and not a general issue, then please be rear assured that the problem is not from your end but rather the recipient.

This is likely to be the reason;

The recipient has disabled facetime.
The recipient has no active internet connection.
The recipient phone number you’re calling is not activated with facetime call.

These are likely to be the reason why Why you can’t facetime someone but i can call them, the recipient has disabled facetime, the recipient has no active internet connection, or the recipient phone number you’re calling is not activated with facetime call .

In this type of situation there’s absolutely nothing you can do about.

Let me explain them.

1. The recipient has disabled facetime

If you are quite sure that the recipient you’re calling is using an iPhone, still facetime call is not going through, then it may be that the recipient disables facetime on his or her phone.

Yes, it does happen.

It is not very often that one might want to receive calls especially voip calls like facetime, Skype, whatsapp and Co.

So maybe the recipient disabled facetime.

2. The recipient has no active internet connection

Without an active internet connection, you can’t use any voip services like whatsapp, Skype, Facebook messenger, telegram, Viber, Google voice, facetime and others as internet is very compulsory.

So not having a good internet connection may be the culprit on the side of the recipient.

3. The recipient phone number you’re calling is not activated with facetime call

This is very important.

You know that someone you’re calling us using an iPhone but you can’t seem to get the person on FaceTime, it may not necessarily be that the recipient disabled facetime on his or her iphone, but rather the phone n you’re calling is not linked or activated with facetime.

If you’re are calling the person on FaceTime using the person’s phone number, it may be that the phone number you’re calling is not linked with facetime.

Same goes to apple ID.

The recipient might choose not to use his or her apple ID to receive facetime calls.

On facetime, you have the option to select your phone number or Apple ID to receive facetime calls, though you can select both options as well.

In this type of situation, what you have to do is to ask the person his or her facetime information.

It is just as simple as that.

These are the solutions I have for you in today’s question of the day, why can’t i facetime someone but i can call them.

Note that as long as you’re able to call someone using the cellular network service, you’re not blocked by the person.

If you’re blocked by the recipient on facetime, then you won’t be able to call the recipient on cellular calls.

Once you’re blocked by someone on iphone, you’re blocked on facetime, cellular calls, iMessage and sms text message as well.

Can’t make facetime calls but can receive facetime

This type of problem usually occurs it there’s an error with your facetime, especially software issue.

To fix this problem of can’t make facetime calls but can receive;

Turn off internet on your phone, be it cellular data or Wi-Fi connection.
Go to facetime settings in the settings app section and disable facetime on your phone.
Switch off your phone and wait for a few seconds to one minute.
Turn on your phone and enable internet connection like Wi-Fi or cellular data.
Please make sure that internet is active on your iPhone.
Go to facetime settings page and enable facetime on your device.
Wait for it to activate automatically.
Make sure that facetime is activated on your iPhone.
Now call your facetime using another facetime(phone) and answer the call.
Cut the call right away.
Go to contact app and search for the contact you used in calling your facetime.
From the contact app, check if you will see facetime call options for that very contact.
Go ahead and make the call.

If you happen to see the facetime call option on the recipient contact I for as shown below as an example, you should be able to call someone on FaceTime.

As long as you’re seeing the facetime option for that very recipient, you should be able to call the person.

Why can’t I FaceTime someone even though they have an iPhone?

It is may likely to be caused by you not having the person’s facetime information, or the recipient disabled facetime, or the recipient don’t have an active internet connection.

I always say this, if you’re able to call people on facetime, but have a certain number or two persons that you can’t call on facetime irrespective of the fact that they are using an iPhone, the problem may not necessarily be from your side.

Maybe they disabled facetime, or you don’t have their facetime information.

Meaning that you don’t have the phone number or Apple ID they are using for their facetime.

So you can call to inquire.

Asking why can’t i facetime certain contacts i can facetime everyone but one person, please note that the person may have disabled facetime on his device.

And this is where I come to the conclusion of today’s question of the day, why can’t i facetime someone but i can call them on cellular calls.

Why can’t i facetime someone but i can call them?