Commons Issues with the Walkie-Talkie Feature
One common issue is the inability to send or receive invitations, accompanied by a notification stating that the contact is unavailable. Interestingly, this problem may occur with only a single contact. It has been reported across various generations and models of Apple Watches. It has been observed that an update to the WatchOS can trigger the Walkie-Talkie malfunction. Additionally, there are cases where the Walkie-Talkie feature stops working when the Apple Watch moves out of range from the paired iPhone. Moreover, some individuals have encountered situations where making a call through Walkie-Talkie results in the call getting stuck on the connecting screen. Another reported issue is the limited call duration of 5 to 10 seconds, after which the push-to-talk button is automatically released. Curiously, in certain cases, the problem only occurs in one direction, meaning that either you can contact the individual or they can contact you, but not both.
Prerequisites to the Troubleshooting
Navigate to the System Status page of the Apple Website. Make sure FaceTime and Walkie-Talkie services are up and running.You are trying to use the Walkie-Talkie feature in a supported country.Your Apple Watch and iPhone meet the minimum requirements to use the Walkie-Talkie feature on the watch.
1. Restart the iPhone and Apple Watch
If the communication modules of both the Apple Watch and its paired iPhone are experiencing errors, the Walkie-Talkie feature will not function correctly. To resolve this issue, reboot both the iPhone and Apple Watch.
Force Restart
Switch off the Paired iPhone Only
2. Update the Apple Watch and iPhone
To ensure the proper functioning of the Walkie Talkie app on your Apple Watch, it relies on various modules, including FaceTime, on both the watch and its paired iPhone. If either of these two is outdated, it will not meet the latest communication requirements of the other, leading to issues. Additionally, a bug in the phone’s iOS and watch’s OS can also cause issues. In either case, updating the Apple Watch and iPhone will solve the problem. Before proceeding with the update, create a backup of your iPhone and Watch, ensure they are fully charged, and connect them to a Wi-Fi network.
Update iPhone
Update Apple Watch
On the Watch
Through the Watch App
3. Change the iPhone’s Country to a Supported One
The Walkie-Talkie feature is available in supported countries. If your phone’s country is set to an unsupported one, the feature will fail to operate. Changing the iPhone’s country to a supported country will solve the problem.
4. Re-invite the Contact
A Walkie-Talkie invitation will not work if a previous invitation got stuck in the operation memory of the related modules and is failing to relay it correctly to the contact. Re-inviting the contact after deleting the previous invite will solve the problem.
5. Disable ‘Tap to Talk’ in the Walkie-Talkie Settings
When the Tap to Talk feature in the Walkie Talkie Settings is enabled, it allows you to initiate a conversation by pressing the screen on your phone. However, if there are errors or bugs present in these modules, it can lead to abrupt disconnections during Walkie Talkie calls. To resolve this issue, disable the Tap to Talk feature in the Walkie Talkie Settings.
6. Disable Bluetooth on the Watch
Bluetooth and Walkie Talkie both use Radio signals. If the Bluetooth signals or modules interfere with the Walkie-Talkie signal or modules, it can badly affect the Walkie Talkie operation. Additionally, a bug in the Bluetooth modules of the Apple Watch can also cause this problem. In either case, disabling Bluetooth on your watch will resolve the issue.
7. Remove Beta Profile on the iPhone and Watch
Participating in the Apple Beta Software Program with your phone and watch might be the root cause of the Walkie-Talkie issues. During the Beta phase, the software is being tested and may contain unpatched bugs. Removing the Beta profile on the iPhone and watch will solve the problem.
On the iPhone
For the Apple Watch
8. Reset the Network Settings of the iPhone
The Walkie-Talkie app relies on the network settings of the Apple Watch to operate correctly, which in turn relies on the network settings of the paired iPhone. If there is an incorrect or invalid entry in the network settings of the iPhone, it will disrupt the functioning of the Walkie-Talkie app and lead to issues. To solve this problem, reset the network settings of the iPhone. Before proceeding with the reset, take note of any essential network information as it will be wiped clean from devices.
9. Reinstall the Walkie-Talkie App
The Walkie-Talkie app will not work on the Apple Watch if the core components of the Walkie-Talkie app are damaged or not functioning correctly. In such a case, reinstalling the Walkie-Talkie app will resolve the issue.
10. Edit the Facetime Settings
The Walkie-Talkie communications on the Apple Watch are based on FaceTime audio. You will experience this problem if your FaceTime settings are incorrect or failing to apply properly. Editing the FaceTime settings will resolve the issue.
Initiate a FaceTime Audio Call on the Watch
Set the Caller ID
Re-Log into the FaceTime
Re-enable FaceTime
Reinstall the FaceTime App
11. Edit the Contacts Settings
Proper configuration of your contact settings is essential for the Walkie-Talkie functionality on the Apple Watch. If these settings are incorrect, you will be unable to connect with your desired contacts using the feature. For instance, if a contact is saved as a regular phone contact instead of an iPhone contact, you won’t be able to communicate with them on Walkie-Talkie. By appropriately adjusting your contact settings, you can resolve this problem.
Change the Contact Label to iPhone
Re-add the Contact
Remove Multiple Phone Numbers from Your Contact Info
Contact With Multiple Phone Numbers
If the above looks complicated, simply delete the other numbers from the contact details or delete any duplicates of the contact.
Add Email Under the Contact Name
12. Disable Family Sharing
The Walkie-Talkie feature relies on a direct and secure connection between devices, whereas Family Sharing introduces additional restrictions to ensure privacy. These complexities introduced by Family Sharing can interfere with the proper execution of Walkie Talkie communications and result in issues. To solve this problem, disable Family Sharing on your Apple ID.
13. Re-pair the Apple Watch with the iPhone
The proper operation of the Walkie-Talkie feature is highly dependent on the pairing between your iPhone and Apple Watch. If this pairing is no longer valid, you will face problems when using Walkie Talkie on the watch. To solve this, re-pair the Apple Watch with the iPhone. If none of the previous solutions worked for you, try resetting both your iPhone and Apple Watch. If the problem persists, reach out to Apple Support for further assistance. If your Apple Watch is still under warranty, you may be eligible for a replacement.
