iPhone 4 facetime not working

for me, I did a factory restore. Facetime was working

then I did a data backup with only my messages, photos and settings - Facetime wasn't working anymore.

so I don't think it's a software problem... but something wrong with my settings ?

Hi Gail, I have been following all the posts as I have the same problem. Anyhow yesterday I took my iPod to BestBuy who have an Apple guy working there. He tried accessing my FaceTime with his iPhone and a message came up on his phone saying FaceTime failed. He told me that it doesn't recognize I have FaceTime He signed me out of FaceTime on my iPod and had me change my Apple password. I signed in again and FaceTime worked. I could call him and he could call me. I the. Face timed a friend and it worked.

I returned home happy the problem was fixed. I tried to FaceTime my niece in Australia and if said connection lost again. So why did it work at bestbuy I wonder and not at home!

Jan and Antoine, that is helpful information (I hope?). Here is the status of my problem solving... I worked backwards and deleted the common apps that Gozen and I shared (as I listed previously), rebooted the iphone, and FT still did not work. I have not done a complete restore as I am hoping we can find the culprit. I think Antoine is right - that it is a setting. Speciifically, I am wondering about our passwords (and/or passcodes), here's why:

In an attempt to further examine the software update, I used my mom's iPhone 4 (Verizon is her provider, so no SIM card). She was using ios6.1.2 and FT worked. I upgraded her to 6.1.3 and FT still worked. However, before I upgraded, I clicked on "learn more" and this update corrected two things - and the first thing may be notable: 1) "fixes a bug that could allow someone to bypass the passcode and access the phone app", 2) "improvements to Maps in Japan". I wonder whether there may be something related to our passwords that is causing FT to stop working, particularly since Jan had limited success with changing hers on her iPod. (BTW, Jan, is your niece able to FT with her phone to other people?)

When I went to change my Apple ID password, I learned there are now some requirements for choosing a password and, incidentially, my password does not fit them. Here they are (it's a laundry list):

1. have at least one letter

2. have at least one capital letter

3. have at least one number

4. not contain multiple identical consecutive characters

5. not be the same as the account name

6. be at least 8 characters

7. not be a common password

8. not be used in the past year

So, I think the next step to test the hypothesis that it's password related? The process may look something like this (though I have never done a restore, so Gail/others, please confirm proper process? - change AppleID password to meet requirements, backup everything to icloud, do a factory restore, check to see that FT works, with "blank" phone, then sync with icloud to restore everything - including settings/new password. Then try FT to see if it works. (If not, then keep checking for other posisble "settings" issues?)

This may be my next step, though it's a bit too early where I live for me to FT anyone so it will have to wait until later. But for now, I think we may be getting closer to - something? I find it curious that there are new password requirements for my AppleID and yet I have never been prompted to change it. And I'm hoping it's not coincidental tha tthe latest software update addressed a phone app/passcode issue (I know FT is a different app, and that a passcode and password are different, but it seems related? Maybe also need to consider changing phone passcode, hmmm?) Onward!

It would be great if it is as something as simple as a password. While I haven't tried that yet, I don't think it will affect me as I believe I recently changed my password and it does meet all of the required criteria. I also currently have my FaceTime settings to use just my mobile number and not my Apple ID or an email address. I'm pretty sure, but correct me if I'm wrong, that when using an iPod Touch for FaceTime, you have to use an Apple ID or an email address since it does not contain a mobile phone number.

I am wondering if anyone has tried, Settings -> General -> Reset -> Reset All Settings

I have done 'Erase All Content and Settings' and confirmed that to work from a "clean" phone that was not restored from any backup, but I never tried 'Reset All Settings' and then tested FaceTime. I have also tried 'Reset Network Settings' and had no luck with FaceTime after doing that as well.

I don't currently have the opportunity to try 'Reset All Settings', but if someone had a chance and wanted to try this, then rebooting the phone, then FaceTiming again, I would be curious to see if that does anything as when I restored from my iCloud backup, it did indeed restore all of my previous settings.

Hi hoagie,

Excellent analysis! So, if it is a simple password change, then I would suggest going into Manage Your Apple ID, sign on, change the password, then go into your device and sign off and then back on the following:

FaceTime

Messages

iTunes & App Stored

Also, delete the iCloud account and then sign it back on

See if that works without having to do a Factory restore.

I eagerly await your results!

Cheers,

GB

Hi Gail. Yes, facetime was still working after adding back my songs, apps, books, some movies. I did not add back my photos or MMS, SMS threads. There were a few apps that I did not put back on the phone (sadly, I deleted them and don't have a record of what I didn't install). I believe they were some small game apps and some small utility/productivity apps. But the majority of all my apps are back.

I did not change any passwords if that helps. It just seems easier to go back to the factory settings than work backwards from the "problem" phone. I'm glad FT is working again!

FYI, I restored the networks setting

changed my itunes password

start again facetime

still doesn't work

Here are a few other things I have yet to try, that I would like to do at some point to help further troubleshoot. I wold recommend trying one thing at a time, rebooting the device, and then testing FaceTime. If it doesn't work, move on to the next item. Please note that I have items listed in no particular order. The reason I listed the items below is I becuase they are being restored for me from my iCloud account (Contacts, Calendars, Reminders, Safari, Passbook, Photo Stream, Documents & Data, Find My iPhone) and my iCloud backup (Camera Roll, App Data, accounts, documents, and settings) which in turn causes FaceTime to stop working

Settings > General > Reset > Reset All Settings

Settings > General > Reset > Reset Location & Privacy

Messages > Delete every single message thread one by one

Settings > General > Usage > Photos & Camera > Swipe each item to delete the entire contents of the camera roll, photo library, and photo stream

Settings > General > Usage > Music > Swipe to delete all music

Settings > Safari > Clear history, and then, clear cookies and data

Settings > Safari > Advanced > Website Data > Scroll down and select remove all website data

Settings > Mail, Contacts, Calendars Select each account you have set up one by one, scroll down and select delete account

Phone > Voicemail > Swipe to delete every voicemail

Voice Memos > Swipe to delete every voice memo

Notes (If stored on the device itself) > Swipe to delete every note

Deleting apps off of the device itself and testing FaceTime

Hi All,

Yes, I too have all-of-a-sudden lost the ability to FaceTime from my AT&T iPhone 4 ios 6.1.3. 😟

I am willing and have tried the suggestions here so far to no avail. Gozen, I have tried a "Reset All Settings" ...nope.

Add me to the list! Facetime on my iPhone 4 quit working a couple of weeks ago after I updated the software to 6.1.3. I am on AT&T also. Prior to the update my Facetime worked perfectly every time I tried to use it. I've tried many of the suggestions, all to no avail. There has to be a bug in the software update or settings since there are so many people having the same exact problem using the same iOS and the same carrier. Ugh!

kenniebee - or anyone, was facetime working on ios 6.1.2?

Has anyone tried to downgrade the ios? I am working on trying to downgrade mine and report success or failure here. It would be nice to know what ios facetime stopped working. I was planning on going all the way back to 5.1.1. Thoughts?

I don't remember the iOS mine was running before I updated it to 6.1.3, but it would have been the latest iOS before 6.1.3 because I regularly update my iOS as soon as updates are available. My Facetime stopped working as soon as I updated to iOS 6.1.3 though. I am really curious as to what the solution is to this problem, but I have a strong suspicion Apple is going to have to send out a fix. The problem is 'when' that will happen.

Hi RipY,

Downgrading is not an option unless you want to jailbreak your phone, which will undoubtedly lead to worse problems (not to mention which will also void your warranty).

Restoring to Factory Settings and adding back things one at a time as spideymd did is the way to go.

It is clearly a combination of things, not just the IOS version. We have not been able to pinpoint the common issue, but the majority of people with this problem are on IOS 6.1.3, and also have AT&T as their provider. spideymd restored pretty much everything manually except photos and messages.

I would suggest you try the same thing rather than jailbreaking your phone. If you do that, you will no longer get any help from this forum.

Sorry,

GB

Hi Guys

Just to provide a bit more info to the debate, I currently have exactly the same problem with my iphone 4 which as with everybody else started between 4 to 8 weeks ago. I believe this issue completely to be a direct result of updating to iOS 6.1.3.

I am based in the UK and from the launch of the iPhone 4 have been with O2 and have never modified or changed my contract.

Apple need to acknowledge they have caused this problem and resolve ASAP

Regards

Barry

Hi Gail, earlier I had mentioned that I went to Best Buy and the apple guy suggested I change my Apple password which I did and then Facetime worked in the store. I had mentioned that when I came home I still couldn't contact my niece in Australia, who by the way is on Facetime (I am in Canada) and it still said Connection Lost. Well yesterday I tried calling a friend in Ontario and it worked so I tried reaching Australia again and it did go through No Connection lost. Somehow my Facetime Connection Lost issue has been resolved, at least for now but we'll see! All I had done was sign out of Facetime picked a new password for Apple and signed back into Facetime this was all a few days ago at Best Buy. Anyhow thanks everyone for your advise and I'll see how it goes.