My iPhone 11 disconnects from WiFi while using FaceTime (video)

Fun fact for all of those who experience this issue: The issue often happens on both sides of the conversation most of the time - even at the same time/moment, while both iPhones are connected to different wireless networks ("AVM Fritzbox" on one side, "Enterprise-grade Wireless" on the other side - both internet connections 20 mbps+)

Here is how you can workaround the issue for now:

• Option A: Have both iPhones in airplane mode, so the iPhone has no option to take its stupid "roam to 3G/4G"-decision
• Option B: If both iPhones have a good 4G connection (and your data plan allows), disable Wi-Fi and run the call through 4G

I can rule out the Wireless APs as I tried many different locations across vendors (Ruckus (Hotel in London, ibis Earls Court), Cisco (Guest Wireless at an Enterprise customer of ours), Aruba/HPE (another customer site), my own AVM Fritzbox, my own Alcatel-Lucent Enterprise Stellar Wireless solution).

Making some progress...

• On home Wi-fi: FaceTime audio calls work fine over Wi-fi.
• On a pocket Wi-fi: FaceTime audio calls work fine over Wi-fi.
• On my friend's pocket Wi-fi: FaceTime audio calls work fine over Wi-fi.
• On work Wi-fi: iPhone flips to 4G for FaceTime audio calls, back to Wi-fi when the call is done.

I installed and control my office Wi-fi (plugged into an ethernet jack), but I don't have access to the main router/gateway in the building. I suspect ports are blocked and causing FaceTime not to work. Screen sharing has never worked using my work internet - I suspect that's a port problem as well.

Found this article on FaceTime and ports: https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT202078

Of course, can't speak for everyone, but it's leaning toward blocked ports for me and nothing hardware or iOS related.

Hi Chriscampbell98,

Thanks for reaching out in Apple Support Communities. I understand that while you're using FaceTime the Wi-Fi on your iPhone is disconnected. I'll be happy to help.

Is Bluetooth on? If so, go to Settings > Bluetooth and disable it and then test your Wi-Fi connection.

Then go to Settings > Cellular and disable LTE and test. After testing, don't forget to reenable your LTE.

Let me know how things go.

Best regards.

Hi! I got my iphone 11 a week ago or so and have been having this same issue. Whenever I facetime my wifi drops and it goes to LTE. As soon as I’m done the call, WiFi picks right back up. I first tried “leaving” my wifi network and rejoining but that didnt work. I stumbled on this and when I tried it, I facetimed my mom and wifi stayed on for about 30 seconds and then changed over to 4G. So now why wont my wifi stay on during facetime? Thanks!

I am also having this issue. I call my wife and kids every morning and I’m on Wi-Fi or standing next to a Wi-Fi access point and it won’t show connection to Wi-Fi during the call and the picture is very choppy (my wife is also on Wi-Fi (very strong Wi-Fi at home)) this is a huge problem and needs to be fixed. Are you “APPLE” seeing this issue in testing?? Please help us.

Same issue. Wifi works fine until I Facetime someone. Seconds into the Facetime call Wifi drops to LTE. Seconds after I end the Facetime call, my phone reconnects to Wifi. I have a iPhone Xs Max, IOS Version 13.1.3. Wifi works fine at all times until Facetime.

I am having the same issue and it’s so bad that the quality is heavily impacted on FaceTime. Does anyone know if there any steps we can take to fix or do we need to wait for a patch fix? I FaceTime a lot with family and it’s so bad because it goes on LTE and I have only one bar in my house.

I did all the toggling of settings but the only thing that finally worked was this solution from DLK0808:

Feb 27, 2020 8:55 AM in response to Chriscampbell98

I had the identic same issue and performed every imaginable fix. The problem is the new iphone software only works on 5Ghz; therefore, the fix is to disable 2.4Ghz on the WiFi router. Very simple to do. (For AT&T customers) Go to http://192.168.1.254/cgi-bin/home.ha and login with your credentials; go to Broadband; then under that go to wifi; you may need your router access code printed on the router; then advanced options; click disable on the 2.4Ghz; scroll to the bottom and click save. That‘s it. 

Hope this helps.

i have this problem,..

the unique issue is that if my spouse calls me, we drop to LTE.

if I call my spouse, we stay on wifi.

There is something with the device (even though they are both iphone 11 pro max) running now 13.4.1 and updated directly via a macbook through cable not via the air with a minor update file, this should have been the full update.

I have also

• toggled facetime
• logged out of icloud and back in
• reset network settings
• deleted and reinstalled the facetime app

When we try this we are within 6 feet of the router, that is WiFi 6 and working with strong signal quality. on my internet service provider, I get atleast a solid 350-400 MB per second download speed and upload is good.

The device with the issue (my spouses) when making a call stalls and thinks about the process... Its like its sampling the service and continues on with wifi until we connect. then it drops to LTE...

For me if I call my spouse the call immediately rings the device and we stay on wifi indefinately.... So there is something within the software I feel that has sampled service that is not registering it correclty causing the phones to drop to LTE. My hardware is working 100% perfect, here the other has this issue and impacts all callers.

I'm not sure what other options I have to have the phone do a item without wiping the phone (which I really don't want to do).

Somewhere there must be something that apple can clear out but with stores closed to review this its really confusing and complex. Unless they have different modems or chipsets which is leading to the issue of select devices having issues and others not... As the models only differ by color. Mine space gray, the other gold. Again same model, same memory specs (256 GB) , on the same wifi and running the same iOS version.

So this has to be a software glitch for speed and performance testing for which I see the delay occur when making the outbound calls on the impacted versus non-impacted device within our home

Me and my wife have the same issue. iPhone XS Max & iPhone XS both running iOS 13.2.3.

Every time we Facetime each other which is a lot WiFi drops then reconnects after we hang up.

Totally unusable, so we are using the inferior FB Messenger as a last resort.

It would be great if Apple would respond with either working on this issue or with a solution. I have seen hundreds of posts with the same issue with no solution or response from an Apple employee. bryanr14's instructions above did not work.

Same problem. Latest iOS on a brand new 11 Pro Max.

Rang support and they advised to reset network settings. That hadn’t fixed it.

I also noticed that if I go to Settings > Mobile Data, the phone will partially crash.

Agent suggested it might be to do with having Wi-fi calling enabled. Haven’t tried disabling that to see if it helps.

Frankly an appalling bug.

I have turned off wifi calling and it still happens. I am wondering if its a hardware issue with certain serial #'s and not OS. Others that have same model phone as mine aren't experiencing the same issue.

I have the exact same issue. Brand new IPhone 11 pro max and it automatically disconnects from WiFi when using FaceTime. As soon as FaceTime call ends, it reconnect to the WiFi right away. This makes the quality of the calls awful. I have already tested everything enable/disable Bluetooth and enable/disable cellular ... it just doesn't work

Same here.

im using iPhone 11 Pro Max on latest iOS and Wi-Fi automatically drops to 4G/3G when on a FaceTime call. It automatically reconnnect back the Wi-Fi after I dropped the FaceTime call.

this does not happen on my Wi-Fi-only iPad. SO ANNOYING.