FaceTime not showing other person? Fix it easily

by Milan Stanojevic
Milan Stanojevic
Milan Stanojevic
Windows & Software Expert
Milan has been enthusiastic about technology ever since his childhood days, and this led him to take interest in all PC-related technologies. He's a PC enthusiast and he... read more
Affiliate Disclosure
  • Not being able to see the other person in your FaceTime call on MacBook can be frustrating.
  • To fix this issue, try not using the iCloud address for calling, and make sure you have the latest updates installed.
  • You can find more information about Mac issues in our dedicated Mac issues section.
  • Don't hesitate to bookmark our extensive Mac page for more up-to-date information on the subject.
Internet connection on laptop Mac

FaceTime is a great application for video calls and it has proved extremely useful during social distancing times.

Unfortunately, many users reported that FaceTime is not showing the other person on MacBook. This can be a problem, but today we’ll show you how to fix this problem.

What can I do if FaceTime isn’t showing the other person?

1. Make sure you’re using a stable Internet connection

Internet connection on laptop Mac

In order for FaceTime to work properly, it’s necessary that both you and your caller have a stable Internet connection.

If there’s streaming or heavy download going in the background, that can cause issues during the video calls, so keep that in mind.

To boost your Internet connection and correct any connection lags, we recommend using a network assistant such as Advanced Network Care.

This tool provides excellent results when it comes to diagnosing Wi-Fi speed issues or network problems.

It can also help with optimizing certain apps, FaceTime included, so that they connect quicker and better.

As a result, at least you can rule out that the other person isn’t visible in a call due to a poor connection.

Advanced Network Care

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2. Make sure you have the latest updates installed

  1. Head over to the Apple menu, then to  System Preferences.
  2. Navigate to the Software Update section.
  3. If any updates are available click the Update Now button to download and install them.
    update now macbook facetime not showing other person

In addition, it’s advised to update the FaceTime app as well by doing the following:

  1. Open App Store and go to the Updates section.
  2. Locate FaceTime and click the Update button to download the latest updates.
    updates macbook facetime not showing other person

Bear in mind that the caller also has to have their operating system and FaceTime up to date in order to avoid any potential issues.


3. Don’t use the iCloud address for video calls

video call on laptop

One user reported that they experienced this issue if the caller was using the iCloud address for video calls. If you’re having this problem, try using your phone number or email address instead of the iCloud address and check if that solves the problem.

This is just a workaround, but it can come in handy until you find a permanent solution.


These are some solutions that should help you if FaceTime isn’t showing the other person during the video calls.

If you found our solutions helpful, let us know in the comments below.

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