Facetime I can contact him but he can't contact me

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Level 1

6 points

Facetime I can contact him but he can't contact me

I have facetime 3.0 (1638) and my brother has 3.0 (2600). I can call him up and it works fine. But he can't call me. The two builds seem different so I can't talk hime through troubleshooting. I have a contacts section but apparently it's accessed differently on his build so I could not figure out how he would access it. I'm in California and he's in Oregon so I can't just walk over there. He has both my email and phone number inputed and when he calls me he says it rings, and it eventually says I'm not answering. I hear or see no indication that he is calling, and my facetime is definitely up and running.

iMac, OS X Mavericks (10.9.3)

Posted on Sep 21, 2016 9:01 PM

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Answer 1

chuck_3rd

Community Specialist

Sep 22, 2016 7:59 PM in response to BobGitzen

Hi BobGitzen,

I understand you are able to contact your brother using FaceTime, but he can't contact you. Your profile indicates you are running OS X Mavericks. Is that correct? What OS X is your brother using? FaceTime is built into the operating sytem of your Mac. The resource below provides some basic troubleshooting steps for this issue. I've highlighted some key information. Click on the link for complete details.

FaceTime for Mac: Troubleshooting FaceTime

Ensure that you have an active Internet connection.

Verify that you are using a valid Apple ID at appleid.apple.com. You can also create an Apple ID or reset your password from this website.

Check that your email address is verified in FaceTime > Preferences.
If FaceTime > Preferences shows your email status as "verifying," follow the instructions in the verification email that was sent to complete the process.

Toggle FaceTime off and on in FaceTime > Preferences.

Troubleshooting FaceTime for Mac

You can make FaceTime calls using the FaceTime app. You can call FaceTime users whose contact information is in Contacts. You can add contacts and edit contact information in either FaceTime or Contacts. To place a video call, you may use a phone number or email address.

If you encounter issues making or receiving FaceTime calls, try the following:

Verify that FaceTime is enabled in FaceTime > Preferences.
If the issue persists, or if you see the message "Waiting for Activation", try toggling FaceTime off and then on.

Verify that the Date, Time, and Time Zone are set correctly:

From the Apple () menu, choose System Preferences > Date & Time > Date & Time.

Enable "Set Automatically".

Click the Time Zone tab and confirm the closest city is correct.

Verify that both parties are connected to an active broadband Internet connection.

See Mac OS X: Troubleshooting a cable modem, DSL, or LAN Internet connection.

Consult Using FaceTime behind a firewall for necessary ports to open in firewalls, security software and routers.

If you encounter issues using a Wi-Fi network, use standard Wi-Fi network troubleshooting to resolve interference and other issues.

Verify the phone number or email address being used is the correct one activated for FaceTime.

You can verify that you are using a valid Apple ID at appleid.apple.com. You can also create an Apple ID or reset your password from this website.

Verify that both parties have installed the latest software updates for their Mac and/or device. See:

Mac OS X: Updating your software

Take care.

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