Facetime Active Call window can't be moved

In previous version of Mac OS (Sierra, Yosemite etc.) one could move or minimize the FaceTime audio call. This is important when working remotely with a team on screen share (such as WebEx).

This new behaviour in High Sierra is terrible, because the FaceTime audio window now blocks all content (such as apps, icons on the desktop etc) which I'm trying to work with on the call. Previously one could just minimize it or move it, but now that section of the screen is "dead".

Even worse - when presenting my own desktop to a remote team, I can't hide that FaceTime call window.

Here's my bug report: https://bugreport.apple.com/web/?problemID=35010219 - if we all report it then perhaps the engineers at Apple might notice that this new design is badly broken for those who use FaceTime in a professional capacity.

Hi,

iOS is iPhones, iPads, iPod touches.

macOS or OS X for earlier versions is for Macs (computers).

I can grab the FaceTime window on my Mac and move it around the Screen.

I am using the grey space above the search field and under the Favourite and Recents list. In fact I can click and hold my own Video and move it about.

Try a NVRAM reset https://support.apple.com/en-gb/HT204063

8:36 pm Tuesday; September 26, 2017

Ahh,

In that case the fixed Audio window top left seems to be the position of the normal function.

That same place is use for Notifications and the like.

It used to be the position for Audio Chats in iChat.

I had not used Audio chat on my computer for some time so I can't tell you when it became fixed.

I have only ever worried about lining up the Video chat with the Camera so it looks like I am looking at the person.

7:44 pm Sunday; October 1, 2017

Hi,

Seems FaceTime does not have a dedicated page Product Feedback - Apple

10:05 pm Monday; October 16, 2017

I quite agree, but not only "in a professional capacity". The banner is in the way even when trying to look something up on the internet and trying to make a new tab in Safari via the plus + tab. Especially with smaller screens (<15 inch) this change is a huge hinderance.

But trying to search for the issue here on the discussions, doesn't seem to yield many results. I had expected an outcry. But seeing this, I would not hold my breath about it changing.

PS. I'd reported it too, for what it's worth.

I contacted tech support and they said the box should still be moveable. Maybe they misunderstood which box I was referring to. It's driving me nuts - I like being able to make and take calls on my MacBook, but when I do I am often multi-tasking and where that active phone call info box shows up in the upper right corner of my screen it is blocking access to tabs in Safari. Apple told me to boot in Safe Mode and see if the problem is there. So I did and the box still could not be moved. Then the advice was to reinstall the OS which I just did and still, the box does not move. Even if right clicking the FaceTime icon and choosing to Hide it would work that would be great, but you can't even hide it. I want to be able to make calls on MacBook, but do not want to have the call box in a fixed spot all the time while on a call.

Hi,

The FaceTime .plist is in ~/Library/Preferences

It can be opened in both TextEdit and Xcode (Xcode is free from Apple)

The Xcode version is easier to read.

I have compared the on in Sierra and the one in High Sierra.

Both list the last window position of the Video chat window but not the Audio Chat one (even when you create an new Audio chat with your iPhone.

Both the .plists seem to be the same accept for the Video Window which I do have set differently on each computer.

Some .plists are also in ~/Library/Containers/com.apple.AppName/Data/Library/Preferences

Most of these are Aliases pointing to the originals in ~/Library/Preferences

No are no loose ones in the com.apple.facetime folder

Some are in com.apple.soagent that helps the Messages and the FaceTime app.

The ones in here don't throw any light on the FaceTime issue.

Ergo the comment from the Apple person would seem on the face of it to be true but something is obviously holding it in place.

I am at a loss at the moment to think what that might be.

9:56 pm Tuesday; November 14, 2017

Hi,

If it were an Notification Banner then it could be turned Off.

I tried this yesterday when I did consider it myself after the post above.

It still appears if Notifications is Off.

It also does not have any other of the Notification attributes.

It is in the one place where iChat used to put the Audio Chat (although that was moveable afterwards).

What iChat also did was even though you may have dismissed an earlier Audio Chat was the next window would be just lower then the first when it appear (like opening multiple documents).

I am not sure what to check next though

9:18 pm Wednesday; November 15, 2017

Hi,

I Did call from my iPhone.

8:23 pm Thursday; November 16, 2017

Hi,

Most odd.

I set Mail on my High Sierra computer to have No Banners or Alerts and then started up Mail. (I normally read Mail on my Sierra computer at the moment)

It showed no Banners or Alerts

I then double checked calling from my iPhone to my Apple ID

The sound was heard on my iPad but not the Sierra or High Sierra versions as the app was not on.

It caused the Dock icon to display number badges but no accept button.

I turned the App On on both my Sierra and High Sierra computers.

This time I got the Banner on the Sierra version and could answer there.

I could not answer on my High sierra version because I now seem the same response you are talking about.

The only thing I have changed in between time is I did an update that I cannot talk about due to an NDA.

8:04 pm Sunday; November 19, 2017

Hi,

Ignoring your tirades in the follow up to this I will say I will continue to work towards fully understanding the issue.

If you are not longer interested in following up the debate or trying out ideas then you can Unsubscribe from the Thread.

If the window for the Audio Chat of FaceTime has been turned into a Notification Banner then it would seem to me to make sense and check out other possibles that might also be effected by this.

I noted your earlier post of the 14th

I have also made a remote session with Apple Care (Apple Case 100346658858) and presented the issue.

I was told it is not a bug, but a "modification" and because they have a lot of complains it might be changed back...

There is no specific page for FaceTime Feedback so this link will have to do Product Feedback - Apple for those wishing to Report it as a problem.

Testing would have shown the locked-in-place "Banner" blocking the screen so I doubt the quote myself - in so much as the person may not have had all the facts rather then you misquoting them.

9:06 pm Wednesday; November 22, 2017

Hi,

Redarm has got to Level 4 and 2,00 or so points, at the time of writing, so some people are liking his (I am going by the icon) answers.

The info they have given has been clear and there have been attempts to keep the mood light despite the annoying nature of the issue.

Moderators on this site are called Hosts.

They rarely appear in Threads.

You can see their actions sometimes as the remove from public view Post that break the rules or they Edit them and a tag line saying it was done is added to the post.

There is no Host in this Thread.

The issue is to do with the way Apple have now coded the Alert/Banner/Window that appears top right of the screen.

Audio Alerts in iChat were windows.

Windows can be moved.

It seems (we know through testing) that the item is Now a Banner linked to notifications as you can make not appear (not useful) by turning Off Notifications for FaceTime.

Apple do need to Change this back.

Some Fixes (bigger picture stuff) do get solved in these forums and find their way in to Updates and sometimes Apple Documents.

But broadly speaking unless a Level 6 (or above) brings it to the Hosts attention in the Lounge > New Technical issue the engineers don't get to hear about it other than the reporting methods listed in various Posts in this Thread.

It appears that this is your first Post and you have chosen to criticise another poster and have offered no help for the issue yourself.

8:23 pm Friday; December 15, 2017

HI,

Apple supply the web space and the Hosts to make sure the rules are adhered to.

More recently Community Specialists were added so that each and every post was supposed to get a reply.

In most cases a forum will run at a posting speed that is about 1 page a day. Community Specialists pick up on those that fall off the "front" pages so to speak. In faster areas of Posting the "front" pages tends to be the marker they use.

Community Specialists will post links to Apple Documents and help items without posting a direct answer.

The Terms of Use Doc is here Apple Support Communities Use Agreement that the Hosts work by.

One view is that the Communities are one big research base which has an element of truth about it.

8:02 pm Monday; December 25, 2017

Hi,

Previously thee were alert type windows.

Windows can be moved.

Now it seems they have been made the way Notifications puts up Alerts and Banners on the Screen and are not moveable.

From there it seems that there is little, if anything at all, the end user can do to mitigated this.

8:43 pm Saturday; January 6, 2018

Hi,

Apple, in terms of Engineers and application writers don't read these posts.

The Hosts (moderators) who are paid for by Apple only read them to see that they don't break the Terms of Use for users to post on the pages.

The Community Specialists only reply to Posts that might not have had an answer before "falling Off the first page" in a forum.

There is the Feedback page or the Bug Report page if you have a developer account.

8:11 pm Thursday; January 11, 2018