How to Fix Poor Connection on Facetime Error? 10 Easy Solutions

If you’re dealing with a poor connection error on FaceTime, you probably have a bad network connection. You could either disconnect and reconnect back to your WiFi, or reset your router to get rid of any WiFi problems. The problem can also be due to a minor glitch. You should be able to restart your device and take care of it. Although I haven’t faced the problem before, my close friend did on his iPhone 12. He asked me for help, and I figured that it was due to his iPhone’s internet speed. I not only discussed how I fixed it, but solutions you can try on iPads and Macs.

How Do You Fix Poor Connection On Facetime Calls?

There are many fixes to try, and they include:

Solution 1: Restart Facetime App

Facetime may not be working properly because it’s bugging out. You should be able to close and reopen the app to take care of this. So hang up the call you’re on, then exit the Facetime app and wait a couple of seconds before you reopen it. Related Reading

Solution 2: Check Your WiFi Connection

The issue usually pops up due to a bad internet connection. You should be able to disconnect and reconnect back to your WiFi to take care of it. Otherwise, you will have to reset your router. The error may be due to a more complex router glitch that you’re not aware of. If you’re not using WiFi but cellular data, make sure that your cellular connection is running. You may have accidentally switched it off.

Solution 3: Enable and Disable Airplane Mode

The connection error might be due to a network glitch. Usually, enabling and disabling Airplane Mode helps. Just remember that when Airplane Mode is switched on, this will stop you from connecting to the internet, and texts and phone calls stop coming in as well. This is a fix that you should only try on iOS devices. Mac computers don’t come with a way to turn Airplane Mode on. On the iPad and iPhone system:
  • Open the Settings app
  • Select Airplane Mode (should turn grey to green)
  • Wait around 30 seconds and switch it off again
  • Reboot your device

Solution 4: Disable WiFi Assist

WiFi Assist helps iPhones and iPads improve their internet speeds. However, it can act up and cause the Facetime app error. Taking care of this is easy. Just switch WiFi assist off. Here’s what iPad and iPhone users can do to fix the poor connection problem:
  • Open the Settings app
  • Go to Cellular
  • Toggle the WiFi assist button on the bottom off

Solution 5: Check iPhone Restrictions

You may have meddled with your iPhone or iPad settings and restricted Facetime. The connection error could pop up due to this. To fix this on your iOS device:
  • Open the Settings app
  • Go to Screen Time
  • Click on Content & Privacy Restrictions
  • Tap on Allowed Apps
  • Remove Facetime and the Camera app if they’re on the list

Solution 6: Restart Apple Device

You could be dealing with a system glitch. If it’s minor, you can try restarting your device. If it’s a more complex glitch, you will have to take things up a notch and do a force restart. It’s essentially a more comprehensive restart method for iPhones and iPads. To force-reboot the iPhone 8 and later models, as well as the SE 2 and 3:
  • Press and let go of the Volume Up button, then do the same for the Volume Down button
  • Long-hold the Power button until you see Apple logo
iPhone 7 and 7 Plus:
  • Long-hold the Power and Volume Down buttons until the Apple logo appears
iPhone 6, 6S and SE (1st gen):
  • Press the Power and Home buttons at the same time, and release them when the startup screen appears
On iPads with Face ID:
  • Press and quickly let go of the Volume button near the Top button
  • Press and quickly let go of the Volume button furthest away from the Top button
  • Press and hold the Top button until you see the Apple logo pop up
On iPads with Home buttons:
  • Press and hold the Top and Home buttons until you see the startup screen

Solution 7: Software Update Apple Device

If you haven’t updated iOS or MacOS in a while, this could cause the Facetime error too. Your OS is probably outdated and bugging out. To update iPhones and iPads to the latest iOS version:
  • Tap Settings app > General
  • Click on Software Update
  • Tap Install Now
  • Wait for the latest firmware file to install
To update Mac computers:
  • Click on the System Settings menu
  • Go to General in the Sidebar
  • Tap on Software Updates from the right
  • Wait for the latest MacOS version to install

Solution 8: Reset DNS

Your DNS settings allow your phone and computer to read IP addresses. However, these settings may connect to a slow server at the same time, and show the poor connection message. To fix this, connect to Google’s DNS server. For iPads and iPhones to fix Facetime poor connection error:
  • Launch Settings > Wlan > ‘i’ symbol next to your current Wifi name
  • Tap Configure DNS and change Automatic to Manual
  • Swipe right to delete the server, then click on the Add Server button
  • Enter 8.8.8.8
  • Confirm the changes
On Mac computers:
  • Click on the Apple menu bar > System Preferences > Network
  • Select your WiFi network > Advanced > DNS
  • Select the Add Button at the bottom of the DNS servers list
  • Enter 8.8.8.8 > Ok
  • Click Apply to confirm

Solution 9: Reset Network Settings

Faulty network settings could be behind the error. You may have meddled with your network settings and not changed them back. If you remember what you changed, undo them. Otherwise, reset your network settings. Keep in mind that you will lose all saved WiFi passwords, VPN settings, and Bluetooth connections in the process. On iPhones and iPads:
  • Open the Settings app
  • Go to General
  • Click on Transfer or Reset iPhone > Reset
  • Click on Reset Network Settings
  • Enter your device passcode to confirm
On Mac computers to fix your poor connection errors:
  • Click the Apple icon
  • Select System Preferences, then Network
  • Select your WiFi network from the connections list
  • Click the minus icon
  • Choose the Apply button

Solution 10: Check Apple System Status Page

If all else fails, Apple’s servers might be down. Visit their system status page to check whether this is the case. You could also contact Apple support and ask when the servers will be back up again.

Final Thoughts

There are many reasons why you might be dealing with the Facetime poor connection error. However, they’re easy to fix and you can do a Facetime video call without worrying about a connection lost error message if you follow the above tips. Hopefully you found all the points discussed useful.