The Walkie-Talkie app on the Apple Watch is a great app in theory. It lets me get in touch with my family and friends without having to drop in texts and calls. However, sometimes this app might not work as well as expected.
If I do say so myself, this app is especially buggy. Sometimes it doesn’t let me start a chat or even add contacts, and sometimes the sound that a message is incoming is glitchy and keeps repeating itself. But that’s when you perform the potential fixes given below.
Fix 1: Check if Walkie-Talkie is enabled
As easy as it sounds, checking if the Walkie-Talkie is on in the Control Center is all it takes. In the midst of a busy day, you might have forgotten to turn it on. Simply click the side button to access Control Center and look for the walkie-talkie sign is in yellow or not. If it is, that means it is enabled.
Another thing that could be causing this issue is that the person you’re trying to connect with via Walkie-
Talkie has made their Apple Watch unavailable.
Fix 2: Check Your FaceTime Settings
The way that Walkie-Talkie works is by using FaceTime audio. Toggling the FaceTime off and on again could resolve the connectivity issue on the Walkie-Talkie app. On your iPhone, head to Settings and tap Apps > FaceTime. Toggle FaceTime Off and then On again.
Fix 3: Check the FaceTime app
If you can’t find the Walkie-Talkie app on your Apple Watch, it could be because you may have deleted the FaceTime app on your iPhone. Be it for a reason or accidentally, deleting the FaceTime app on the iPhone will automatically delete the Walkie-Talkie app on your Apple Watch.
Simply reinstall the FaceTime app on your iPhone, and the Walkie-Talkie app will appear.
Fix 4: Check if you’re sharing your Apple ID
A lot of times, members of the same family share an Apple ID, and since the Walkie-Talkie app uses FaceTime as a mode of communication. The Walkie-Talkie app doesn’t work if two Apple Watches are logged in with a shared Apple ID.
For FaceTime and the Walkie-Talkie app to work, you will need to create a separate ID to be used for each Apple Watch.
Fix 5: Restart the Apple Watch
A trick as old as time and works like a charm in most cases- the restart. A simple turning on and off of the Apple Watch can do the trick in most cases; if not, try these other fixes.
Fix 6: Remove and Add Contacts That Aren’t Working Properly
The Walkie-Talkie app works via invitation to other Apple Watch users as it avoids getting bombarded with random message requests. However, certain contacts can be a little difficult to converse with.
If your issue is with a specific contact, swipe left on their name in the Walkie-Talkie app and tap ‘X’ to remove. This will remove them from your contact list, and you can add them back again by tapping ‘Add Friends’ and they accepting your invite again. Just restart your Apple Watch once before adding them back.
Fix 7: Remove and Reinstall the Walkie-Talkie App
Another possible solution to fix the bugs in the Walkie-Talkie app is to remove the app from the Apple Watch completely and reinstall it. To do this, tap and hold on any icon in the apps view of your watch face, be it in grid mode or list mode. The icons will start jiggling and have a cross sign on top.
Tap the cross sign on the Walkie-Talkie app and tap ‘Delete App’. Head to the App Store and reinstall the app.
Fix 8: Reset Network Settings
Resetting network settings is a great way to refresh your devices without erasing the entire device. This is an especially useful fix for when the contacts on your Walkie-Talkie app are not displayed. While the Apple Watch reset involves completely erasing all content and settings, the iPhone it is connected to has the ability to reset network settings.
On your iPhone, head to Settings and then tap General. Scroll down and tap Transfer or Reset iPhone > Reset Network Settings. This will refresh the connection between your iPhone and your Apple Watch. However, it will erase all saved Wi-Fi networks and paired Bluetooth devices.
Fix 9: Check for updates
As a general rule, devices with updated software are less likely to have bugs. Check for any pending updates on both your iPhone and your Apple Watch and update them if available.
Wrap Up
The Walkie-Talkie app is probably the most hormonal app in the entire Apple Watch, and therefore, if it glitches, these fixes can be helpful but also temporary. There has never been a fix to permanently keep the Walkie-Talkie app working. It somehow always returns after some time.
But you’re not alone. I, like many more people, have had complaints about this app. But these fixes definitely helped my case. Let me know if there was something else you tried to fix the Walkie-Talkie app on your Apple Watch that worked for you.
