Apple and Zoom have introduced digital animations and reactions for gestures like the thumbs-up in real life. FaceTime Reactions is a feature released by Apple with iOS 17 in September 2023, where reactions mimic your gestures by reading your body movements. For instance, making a heart with your hands during a FaceTime call will result in a heart emoji animating on the screen. While this feature may be fun for personal calls, it can be distracting for work or telehealth calls. Reactions are automatically enabled, so users will have to manually turn them off. The process is simple and involves opening FaceTime, starting a call with the camera on, accessing the control center, selecting effects, and unselecting reactions.
To turn off FaceTime Reactions on an iPhone or iPad, users need to open FaceTime, start a call with the camera on, access the control center by swiping down from the top right corner of the screen, select effects, and unselect reactions. On Macs running MacOS Sonoma, users can turn off reactions by opening FaceTime, clicking the camera icon in the menu at the top of the screen, and clicking reactions to disable them. This feature is currently available on the iPhone 12 and newer models running iOS 17, as well as on Macs running the latest operating system, MacOS Sonoma. Users can check and update their software version by going into Settings > General > Software Updates.
For those who find FaceTime Reactions unnecessary or annoying, it is important to know how to turn them off. By following the steps outlined above, users can easily disable reactions during their calls. It is worth noting that while these digital animations can add a fun element to personal calls, they may not be suitable for professional or medical interactions. Being able to control and customize these features allows users to have a more tailored and focused FaceTime experience. Stay updated with the latest features of iOS 17 by exploring CNET’s cheat sheet, which includes guides on live voicemail, Check Ins, Reminders, and more.
Overall, the introduction of digital animations and reactions in FaceTime adds a new dimension to our communication experience. While some users may appreciate the fun and interactive nature of these features, others may find them distracting or unnecessary. Knowing how to turn off FaceTime Reactions can help users customize their calling experience based on their preferences and needs. By following the steps provided for both iPhone/iPad and Mac devices, users can easily disable reactions during their calls. Stay informed about the latest updates and features of iOS 17 by referring to CNET’s comprehensive cheat sheet, which offers guides on a variety of functionalities.
