Have you ever seen a mysterious “f” appear next to someone’s name in FaceTime on iOS 17? If so, you’re probably wondering what it means. Don’t worry; you’re not alone.
A ton of people have been asking the same question.
In this article, we will explain what the “f” means on FaceTime iOS 17. We will also discuss some of the other new features and changes in FaceTime iOS 17.
What Does the f on Facetime Mean in iOS 17?
On FaceTime in iOS 17, “F” stands for the front camera. When you switch to the front camera on your iPhone for FaceTime, the f symbol appears at the top. When you switch to the back camera, the f symbol disappears. As a result, the f symbol indicates that you are using the front camera while FaceTime on iOS 17.
On Facebook, the f symbol is frequently misunderstood. Users believe that f is a Facetime reaction, but it is not. It simply ensures that you are using the front camera on FaceTime.
How do I enable FaceTime’s front camera in iOS 17?
Here are the steps to switching between front and rear cameras while on FaceTime.
- Navigate to the Contacts tab.
- Choose your preferred contact.
- Send a FaceTime message.
- To bring up controls, tap on the screen.
- Click the camera option to switch between the front and rear (back) cameras.
- When you rotate the front camera, the f symbol appears at the top of your iPhone’s screen.
How Do I Use the Facetime Controls in iOS 17?
During a FaceTime call, you can use the controls to use a microphone and camera, take a live photo, and many other things. This is how to use FaceTime controls in iOS 17.
- While on a FaceTime call, tap the screen to bring up controls.
- Controls can be found at the bottom of the screen.
- Mute your microphone by tapping the microphone icon.
- Toggle between the front and rear (back) cameras by tapping on the camera icon.
- To enable or disable FaceTime effects, click the effects button.
- To use FaceTime reactions, click the reactions buttons.
- To enable or disable shareplay, click the Shareplay option.
- If you want to end the FaceTime call, click the red hand-up button.
What’s New in iOS 17 Phone and FaceTime?
Apple’s iOS 17 update adds significant new communication features to the Phone app and the FaceTime app. The Phone app now allows you to customize what people see when you call them, while FaceTime now supports video messages and the ability to take FaceTime calls on Apple TV.
#1. Phone
Contact Posters
Apple began allowing you to choose the name and photo you want to share with others in the Messages app, and sharing has now expanded to the Phone app. You can make a Contact Poster for people to see when they call you.
Contact Posters are made in the Contacts app by tapping on your own name, then selecting the Contact Photo & Poster option and pressing the Edit button.
You can share a photo, a Memoji, or just your initials, which will be displayed when you call them. Along with the photo, you can change the font size, style, and color. You cannot change your name from this interface; you must do so by changing your contact information.
There are several image filters available, including black and white, duotone, and color wash in the color of your choice. You can crop the photo and customize your Contact Poster separately from your shared message image.
Contact Posters can be automatically shared with your contacts, or you can be prompted to share with anyone who calls you, ensuring that no one sees your custom imagery without your permission.
Contacts App
The Contacts app’s design has been modified to accommodate Contact Posters. When you tap on a contact, their contact image, Memoji, or initials will now take up a much larger portion of the screen. This also applies to contacts to whom you’ve assigned an image.
You’ll be able to choose whether to update to the most recent information automatically when your contact changes something, such as their profile photo or to turn on manual updates, which will prompt you for the update.
Live Voicemail
Live Voicemail is a new feature that allows the iPhone to transcribe a voicemail as it is being left, allowing you to pick up the phone if it is important.
The voicemail appears on your Lock Screen as the person on the other end speaks, which can help you avoid missing calls if an unknown number turns out to be a call from your doctor or another important person.
For those who are unfamiliar with the feature, Live Voicemail can be somewhat perplexing. Because Apple’s default Live Voicemail wording informs users that “the person you’re calling may pick up,” people have called iOS 17 users and waited for several minutes for the person with Live Voicemail to answer. It’s not entirely clear that this is a standard voicemail sequence.
This can be avoided by recording a custom greeting in the Phone app, then tapping on Voicemail, and then Greeting to make a new recording.
Toggle off Live Voicemail in the Settings app by going to Phone > Live Voicemail and toggling it off.
Updated Call Log
A minor but useful change to the call log notifies you if a missed call resulted in a voicemail. If this is the case, you can access the voicemail from the Recents interface.
Dual-SIM Upgrades
Those who use the Dual-SIM feature can now set different ringtones for each SIM and select a SIM when calling an unknown number. Incoming messages can also be sorted based on SIM.
#2. FaceTime
Audio and Video Messages
When you FaceTime someone and they are unable to respond, you have the option of leaving a video or audio message, depending on the call method you use. You can leave a video message if you were using FaceTime video and an audio message if you were using FaceTime audio.
Following the missed call, you’ll see a “Record Video” option, allowing you to record a message. You’ll see a preview of your video and the option to re-record if it wasn’t successful. The video message is saved in the FaceTime missed call log, where the recipient can watch it and call you back.
Keep in mind that people can save video messages to their Camera Roll, so keep that in mind when sending a video to someone.
FaceTime Reactions
For some time now, the Messages app has had reactions that trigger with specific words, and in iOS 17, Apple is bringing reactions to FaceTime. However, instead of being triggered by words, the reactions are triggered by gestures.
Gestures activate on-screen effects such as hearts, balloons, confetti, fireworks, and more, which flood the display over the FaceTime window.
- Heart – Heart emoji
- Thumbs up – Thumbs up emoji
- Two thumbs up – Fireworks
- Single thumbs down – Thumbs down emoji
- Two thumbs down – Cloud
- Peace sign with one hand – Balloons
- Peace sign with two hands – Confetti
- “Rock on” sign with two hands – Laser
While the reactions are triggered by gestures, you can also bring up a list of options by long-pressing on your FaceTime picture.
These reactions are available by default in FaceTime, and third-party apps can also use them.
FaceTime on Apple TV
FaceTime is now available on the Apple TV with iOS 17 and tvOS 17. There’s a new FaceTime app in tvOS 17, but you’ll need an iPhone running iOS 17 or an iPad running iPadOS 17 to serve as the camera because the Apple TV lacks its own.
You can initiate a FaceTime call on the Apple TV or start one on your iPhone and transfer it to the Apple TV. It functions similarly to FaceTime on an iPhone, iPad, or Mac but with a much larger display. The iPhone must be placed near the TV in order to capture your video, and the person you’re FaceTiming with will be displayed on the TV.
You can use Center Stage to keep you in the frame as you move around, and you can transfer a call from the Apple TV to an iOS device if you need to move to another room and vice versa.
- HOW TO CHECK VOICEMAIL ON IPHONE: THE Complete Guide
- HOW TO WATCH NETFLIX TOGETHER WITH FRIENDS: EASY Methods
- How to Save Voicemail on iPhone in 6 Easy Steps
- How to Change Voicemail on iPhone: Easy Steps to Follow 2023
- How to Use Effects in FaceTime on iOS 17: Simple Guide
References
