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What Does FaceTime Photos Must be Enabled on Both Devices Mean

Quick Tips
  • The error message means that the FaceTime Live Photos feature is disabled either on your or the other participant’s device.
  • On your iPhone, go to Settings > FaceTime and enable FaceTime Live Photos.
  • On your Mac, click on FaceTime in the toolbar, go to Settings, and check the box for Allow Live Photos to Be Captured During Video Calls.

What Is The FaceTime Photos Must be Enabled on Both Devices Message

  • This message means that the FaceTime Live Photos feature is disabled either on your or the other participant’s device.
  • This message will also appear if you are on a FaceTime call with someone from an Android or Windows device. That’s because the feature isn’t supported on those devices.
  • If you are getting this error, check your FaceTime settings and enable FaceTime Live Photos on your iPhone, iPad, or Mac, as shown below, and also request the other participant to enable the same feature.

Also Read: 15 best FaceTime tips and Tricks for iPhone and iPad.

How to Turn on FaceTime Live Photos

On iPhone

Step 1: Open Settings on your iPhone.

Step 2: Go to FaceTime and enable the toggle next to FaceTime Live Photos. If it’s already on, turn it off and enable it again.

Step 3: Request your friend to check the same settings and enable the FaceTime Live Photos toggle on their iPhone, iPad, or Mac as shown below.

Facetime live photos enable iphone

Note: If the FaceTime Live Photos toggle is greyed out if you are on a FaceTime call, disconnect the call, enable the setting, and then call the person again.

On Mac

If you or the other person is using FaceTime from a MacBook, follow these steps to enable Live Photos on FaceTime:

Step 1: Open the FaceTime app on your MacBook.

Step 2: Click on FaceTime in the menu bar and select Settings.

FaceTime Mac Settings

Step 3: Check the box next to Allow Live Photos to be captured during video calls present under the General tab. If already enabled, disable and enable again.

Step 4: Now, request the other participant to enable it on their iPhone or Mac.

Facetime Photo enable mac

Also Read: How to share your screen in FaceTime on iPhone, iPad, and Mac.

How to Fix FaceTime Photos Must be Enabled on Both Devices to Use This Feature

If you see the same message even after enabling the feature, follow these fixes to resolve it:

  • Restart devices: Try restarting all the concerned devices, i.e., iPhone, iPad, or Mac, that are being used for FaceTime video calls.
  • Change FaceTime Caller ID: Changing the FaceTime caller ID to an iCloud email address can help you fix the problem. On iPhone, go to Settings > FaceTime and select your iCloud email address under Caller ID.
  • Check requirements: This feature will only work on devices that are running above a specific software version.
    • One-to-one FaceTime Calls
      • iPhone with iOS 12.1.4 or later
      • iPad with iPadOS 13 or later
      • macOS 10.13.16 or later
    • Group FaceTime Video Calls
      • iPhone with iOS 13 or later
      • iPad with iPadOS 13 or later
      • MacOS 10.15 or later.
  • Turn off FaceTime Temporarily: You should also try to disable FaceTime temporarily and enable it again. Go to iPhone Settings > FaceTime, turn it off, wait for a few minutes and turn it back on.

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Last updated on 29 May, 2024

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