iOS 17 FaceTime Gestures Not Working? How to Fix

Part 1. What are the Reaction Features on iOS 17?

iOS 17 introduced fun new ways to interact during FaceTime video calls using gestures and animoji reactions. Some of the reactions you can now trigger in FaceTime by using hand gestures include:

• Heart gesture - Sends heart emojis floating across the screen
• Thumbs up - Sends thumbs up emojis
• Two thumbs up - Triggers fireworks animation
• Thumbs down - Sends thumbs down emoji
• Double peace sign - Sends balloons floating across the screen
• Two hand "rock on" gesture - Activates a laser light show animation
• Double peace sign - Triggers confetti animation

Part 2. How Do You Trigger a Reaction on FaceTime?

There are a few simple hand gestures you can make to activate different reactions during a FaceTime video call in iOS 17:

1.Thumbs Up - Hold one thumb up to the camera

1.Fireworks - Hold two thumbs up to the camera

2.Hearts - Make a heart shape with your hands

3.Balloons - Make a peace sign or "V" gesture with one hand

4.Confetti - Make two peace signs or double "V" gesture

5.Thumbs Down - Hold one thumb down to the camera

6.Rain Clouds - Hold two thumbs down to the camera

7.Lasers - Make the rock-n-roll gesture with both hands

Make sure to hold the hand gestures up clearly to the camera so FaceTime can detect them and trigger the corresponding reaction animation or effect to liven up your video calls.

Part 3. How to Fix iOS 17 Facetime Gestures Not Working

Solution 1. Check Devices Compatility

The new FaceTime reactions gestures feature is only available on certain iPhone and iPad models running iOS 17. It only works with the front-facing camera during FaceTime calls.

Specifically, these iOS devices support FaceTime reactions when using the front camera:

• iPhone 12 and later
• iPad Pro 12.9-inch (3rd gen and newer)
• iPad Pro 11-inch (1st gen and newer)
• iPad 8th generation and later
• iPad Air 3rd gen and later
• iPad mini 5th gen and later
• Apple TV 4K 2nd gen and later

Solution 2. Force Restart Your iPhone

A simple restart can often resolve minor bugs that may be preventing FaceTime reactions from working properly in iOS 17. Follow these steps to force restart your iPhone and fix iPhone 15 reactions:

1.Press and hold the Power/Side button until the power slider appears on the screen.

2.Tap the power slider and drag it to the right to turn off your iPhone.

3.Wait about 30 seconds as your iPhone restarts. Don't press any buttons until you see the lock screen.

The restart process only takes about 30 seconds. Once your iPhone has rebooted, try using the FaceTime reactions gestures again. A force restart often clears up minor glitches, so the gestures work properly in iOS 17.

Solution 3. Ensure Clear Gestures Execution

For the FaceTime reactions to work properly, you need to make sure you are performing the hand gestures clearly and positioning them so the camera can detect them. Follow these tips:

• Hold your hand gestures up close to the camera and position them centrally in the frame.
• Make sure there is good lighting on your hands so the camera can see them clearly.
• Perform each gesture distinctly - hold the gestures for a few seconds so FaceTime can register it.

Solution 4. Check FaceTime Settings

FaceTime settings being incorrectly configured can also prevent iOS 17 facetime reactions not working. Double-check these FaceTime settings:

• Make sure FaceTime is enabled in your Settings app.
• Confirm FaceTime is available and supported in your country/region. It won't work if not launched in your area.
• Check that all permissions are enabled for FaceTime in Settings > Privacy > Camera/Microphone.
• Ensure you are signed in with your Apple ID in FaceTime.
• Verify FaceTime is up to date, and you have the latest version installed.

Solution 5. Adjust Touchscreen Accommodations

The Touch Accommodations setting in iOS Accessibility settings can sometimes interfere with FaceTime reaction gestures. Follow these steps to check your settings:

1.Go to Settings > Accessibility > Touch

2.Tap into Touch Accommodations

3.Make sure the toggle is turned OFF for Touch Accommodations

Part 4. Final Solution for Fixing iOS 17 Facetime Gestures Not Working

If you still can't get iOS 17 facetime gestures not working iphone 11 after trying all the troubleshooting steps, your best option may be to use a dedicated iOS repair tool like UltFone iOS System Repair . This powerful software can fix over 150 different iOS system issues without erasing your data.

Key benefits of UltFone iOS System Repair:

• Repairs iOS problems like facetime hand gestures not working, frozen screens, Apple logo, boot loops, etc.
• Downgrades from iOS 17 or upgrades to the latest iOS version.
• Fixes iPhone system issues without any data loss.
• No technical knowledge is needed - repairs are done in a few clicks.
• Compatible with all iPhone models and iOS versions, including iOS 17.

For FaceTime reaction gestures not working, UltFone can refresh the entire iOS system and reconfigure the FaceTime app without deleting your data. This gives it the best chance of resolving even tricky issues like facetime reactions iphone 11 not working.

Here is how to fix iOS 17 facetime gestures not working using UltFone iOS System Repair:

• Step 1Download and install the UltFone iOS System Repair software on your computer. Connect your iPhone running iOS 17 to your computer via a USB cable.
• Step 2Open UltFone and enter Repair Mode. It will detect your iPhone model and iOS version automatically.
• Step 3UltFone will download the correct iOS 17 firmware for your iPhone model. Wait for this download to finish.
• Step 4Once downloaded, click "Start Standard Repair" to begin the repair process. This will put your iPhone into recovery mode and reinstall iOS 17 system files.
• Step 5After several minutes, the repair will be complete, and your iPhone will reboot back to normal. Get notified by the program when finished.
• Step 6Now, when you open FaceTime and make a test call, facetime reactions not working should be triggering properly again in iOS 17!

Final Word

The new FaceTime reaction gestures in iOS 17 add a fun and engaging way to interact during video calls. However, some users found these new features just don't work properly on their devices. After trying all the troubleshooting tips in this article, you should have gotten to the bottom of why your FaceTime gestures may not be working and fixed the issue.

The best way to fix iOS 17 facetime reactions not working on iPhone 15 is by using the UltFone iOS System Repair tool.