How To Improve Facetime Video Quality

Thanks to the pandemic we've all been using FaceTime and other video calling apps more always before. In these hard times, when we have either been forbidden from seeing family and friends, or we determine that a video phone call is much less risky than seeing them in person, the frustration that comes when our FaceTime video call lags or suffer connection issues is pregnant. In this article nosotros volition discuss how to avert FaceTime lag and fix connection issues.

Nosotros promise that the new changes coming to FaceTime in macOS Monterey this autumn will improve the issues we are experiencing with Apple's video calling software, but it seems likely that these new features are going to exist even greater bandwidth hog, which could simply exacerbate the issue.

If y'all are experiencing lagging FaceTime calls, frozen video, poor or blurry video quality, and or poor connection error messages what tin be done? We investigate.

"The video volition resume automatically when the connectedness improves" "Poor Connection. The video volition resume automatically when the connexion improves."

This message greets me every few minutes during my Dominicus FaceTime calls with my aunt. I've even had to argue with the dreaded "Connection Lost" mistake and await for the telephone call to resume – or more than likely shut FaceTime and call back.

When the "Poor Connection" message appears the video usually disappears and all I can hear is the sound – although some times it's even worse and I tin can't even hear the sound.

Why is this happening? Is information technology his broadband connection or my connection? Or is it my Mac that'south the problem? In order to address the issue I followed the steps below and I recommend you do the same.

1: Check FaceTime status

Earlier we start making changes to your Mac and net gear up upward it'due south a good idea to cheque that in that location isn't a trouble with FaceTime. Apple's services have been known to go downwards in the by. To find out if FaceTime is down visit Apple'due south System Status site – more information hither: Is Apple FaceTime down?

2: Close any apps running in the background

If you are having trouble with FaceTime check what else is running on your Mac. Perchance YouTube is also running and gobbling up that much needed bandwidth.

You should close your other apps, or at least pause whatsoever downloads that are happening in the background to free upwardly your bandwidth.

You tin can see which apps are running by looking at the Dock at the bottom of your screen. Any apps that are running will have a dot underneath them. To close them chop-chop right click with your mouse (or control-click) and cull Quit.

three: Plug in your MacBook

If the problem is with a Mac laptop then it might help to plug it in. There is a new Low Power Fashion coming in Monterey and we'll be watching out to run into if this affects FaceTime performance. If it does information technology may be worth plugging your Mac in if it'due south on battery ability.

4: Restart the Mac

Obviously you might not want to finish the call straight away, but when you lot practise, it might be a expert thought to restart your Mac. Information technology may exist that the reason why the call was lagging is that you have retentivity issues or an issue with an app running in the groundwork. Restarting your Mac can set many problems.

For example, shutting down your Mac can complimentary upwards RAM. Alternatively, there are apps that make it like shooting fish in a barrel to accost problems when besides much RAM is beingness used upward. For example, CleanMyMac X and Parallels ToolBox both offer a simple fashion to free retention.

It may exist helpful to plow FaceTime off before you shut downwardly you Mac. Y'all can hands practice this past pressing Command K (alternatively click on FaceTime in the FaceTime menu and choose Turn FaceTime off. This is dissimilar to endmost the app.

When you restart your Mac you will need to log into FaceTime again, so click on Turn On and log in to your account.

5: Check your Broadband connection

If you are seeing poor connection warnings chances are your Wi-Fi is to blame, so checking your internet connection is key. Considering it streams both video and audio FaceTime uses a lot of bandwidth and requires a fast Wi-Fi connection. And then clearly the quality of your broadband connection will exist significant.

You may find that moving closer to your router helps – this means that the WiFi doesn't have to travel through whatsoever thick walls for example.

Cheque to see if in that location are other devices competing for bandwidth – are the kids streaming videos? Is cyberspace radio playing in the kitchen? Is the microwave on? (That's the biggest reason why the internet goes down in our house!)

With the above options ruled out, restart your router. Turn information technology off, wait for about a minute and so turn it back on again.

What if that doesn't improve your connexion? We have various recommendations in this article (read: How to gear up WiFi issues, we besides have this: How to improve WiFi.

It's also worth running a speed exam on your broadband to notice out if yous are getting what your supplier is promising you. Nosotros utilize Speedtest. If you are below what you retrieve you should be getting and so contact your supplier and ask them to check your line – you lot might want to practice this anyway.

half dozen: Check your software is upward to appointment

It's possible your issue is beingness caused by either the FaceTime software or the version of macOS yous are running. Apple ofttimes bug software updates to fix bugs and other bug and information technology may be that this is something information technology has addressed – so make certain your software is upwards to appointment. Here'due south how to update the software on your Mac.

1. Click on System Preferences and Software Update.
2. If at that place is an update bachelor click on Update Now.

seven: Brand some space

Another possibility is that your Mac is running out of space. Generally speaking if you have less than 10% of your hard bulldoze space free you will encounter issues, so we advise y'all to delete or archive some stuff if yous are shut to capacity.

Click on the Apple logo and choose About This Mac > Storage to see how much space you have gratuitous. If yous demand to delete some stuff read this for communication: How to salvage space on Mac.

If you are struggling to find annihilation to delete endeavour CleanMyMac X, or MacCleaner Pro which can unremarkably find a few GB or files, cache and other unneeded items to remove. Nosotros look at a number of Mac cleaner apps separately.

eight: Fix your DNS

If you take done all the in a higher place and yous are all the same having problems if could be related to your network. One slightly complicated style to try to rectify this is to change your DNS settings.

The Domain Proper noun System (DNS) is a chip similar a phonebook for the Internet, information technology'due south commonly operated past your Isp. If your Internet access provider's DNS isn't the best you lot tin can actually switch to another 1, for example Google's DNS service.

To do this follow these instructions:

1. Open System Preferences.
2. Click on Network.
3. Select WiFi.
4. Click on Advanced.
5. Click on the DNS tab.
6. Click on the + button to add Google'southward DNS and type in 8.viii.8.8 and eight.8.iv.4.
7. Now click OK.
8. And Apply.

Another option is to flush the DNS cache, which can fix network and connectivity bug.

To brand this process easier yous could try CleanMyMac X's Maintenance feature which can Affluent DNS enshroud for you:

1. Open CleanMyMac Ten.
2. Click on Maintenance.
3. Choose Flush DNS enshroud.
4. Click Run.

Y'all may likewise discover How to improve video call quality on a Mac helpful.

Source: https://www.macworld.com/article/677692/how-to-fix-lags-during-facetime-calls.html

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