Solve common Purple Visits technical issues: connection problems, audio/video issues, face recognition errors, app crashes and device compatibility problems.
Technical issues can be frustrating, especially when you’re trying to connect with your loved one in prison, a secure hospital or a secure training centre. This comprehensive troubleshooting guide helps you identify and fix common problems quickly, so you can get back to what matters - your video call.
Before troubleshooting, verify these basics: strong internet connection with 1+ Mbps up and down, Purple Visits app updated to the latest version, device meets requirements (iPhone 11+ or Android 12+), device is fully charged or plugged in, no other apps using camera or microphone, good lighting on your face and you’re logged in to the correct account.
You can test your internet speed at speedtest.net.
If your Connect button stays grey and won’t turn purple, you’re seeing “Connection failed” error messages, the app says “Unable to connect,” or you’re stuck on “Connecting…” screen, here’s what to try.
First, check your internet connection. Test that WiFi is working by opening a web browser and loading a page. Run a speed test as you need minimum 1 Mbps up and down. Try moving closer to your WiFi router. If needed, restart your WiFi router by unplugging it, waiting 30 seconds and plugging it back in.
Switch to WiFi if you’re using mobile data, as mobile connections are less stable than WiFi. Go to Settings, then WiFi and connect to an available network before trying the call again.
Close and restart the Purple Visits app by fully closing it (swipe away, don’t just minimize), waiting 10 seconds, opening the app again and trying to connect again.
Restart your device by powering off completely, waiting 30 seconds, powering back on, opening Purple Visits and trying again.
Check that the Purple Visits app is updated. On iOS, go to App Store, Updates and update Purple Visits if available. On Android, go to Google Play, My Apps and update Purple Visits if available.
Check if others in your household are using high bandwidth for streaming video, large downloads or gaming, as these can affect your connection. Ask others to pause temporarily during your call.
If you still can’t connect, your contact may not be ready on their end yet. Wait a few more minutes and try again. If problems persist, contact support at our Get Help page.
If your call drops unexpectedly with frequent disconnections and reconnections, “Connection lost” messages or the call ends before scheduled time, try these solutions.
Improve your WiFi connection by moving closer to your router, removing obstacles between you and the router, avoiding areas with thick walls or multiple floors between you and router and considering a WiFi extender if your router is far away.
Check for WiFi interference. Move away from microwaves as they can interfere with WiFi. Reduce the number of devices connected to WiFi. Switch to 5GHz WiFi band if available, as it has less interference than 2.4GHz.
Use mobile data as backup if WiFi is unstable. Try switching to 4G/5G, ensuring you have good signal strength (3+ bars), though be aware that video calls use significant data.
Close background apps, especially other apps using internet that can cause issues. Close all unnecessary apps running in background, especially other video apps like Zoom, FaceTime or WhatsApp.
Reduce video quality demands by ensuring adequate lighting (poor lighting requires more data processing), keeping your camera steady (movement increases data requirements) and staying within recommended distance from camera (50-70cm).
If video is choppy or jerky, audio and video are out of sync, there are long delays between speaking and hearing or you’re seeing pixelated or blocky video quality, here’s what to do.
Test your internet speed at speedtest.net. You need minimum 1 Mbps upload and 2Mbps download, ideally 5+ Mbps for smooth performance.
Reduce other internet usage by pausing downloads or uploads on other devices, stopping streaming video on other devices and asking household members to limit internet use during your call.
Use WiFi instead of mobile data, as mobile data speeds can fluctuate. WiFi is generally more stable and faster. Connect to WiFi and try again.
Restart your router by unplugging it from power, waiting 30 seconds, plugging back in and waiting for full restart (2-3 minutes), then reconnecting and trying your call again.
Try a different time if possible, as your internet may be congested at peak times like evenings and weekends and your ISP may experience high traffic during popular streaming times.
If you can see them but there’s no sound, audio is extremely quiet, sound is muffled or distorted or you’re experiencing intermittent audio cutting in and out, check these things.
Check your device volume. On iOS, use the volume up button on the side of your device. On Android, use the volume up button or go to Settings then Sound. Ensure volume is at maximum and check that your device isn’t on silent or mute mode.
Check the app isn’t muted by looking for a mute icon in the call interface. Tap to unmute if it’s showing as muted. Some devices have multiple volume controls, so check all of them.
Test with and without headphones. If using headphones, try without them and use device speakers. If not using headphones, try plugging in headphones. Faulty headphones can cause audio issues.
Check your headphone connection. Ensure headphones are fully plugged in, clean the headphone jack if using wired headphones and for Bluetooth, disconnect and reconnect. Try different headphones if available.
Close other apps using audio, as music apps, podcasts and other call apps can interfere. Close all other apps completely and restart Purple Visits.
Restart the call by ending it if you can, waiting 30 seconds, rejoining the call, as audio may work on reconnection.
If they’re telling you (via gestures) they can’t hear you, your microphone isn’t working or audio is very quiet on their end, try these fixes.
Check your microphone isn’t muted by looking for a microphone or mute icon in the call interface. Tap to unmute if muted and the icon should show microphone is active.
Check the app has microphone permission. On iOS, go to Settings, Privacy & Security, Microphone, Purple Visits and toggle ON. On Android, go to Settings, Apps, Purple Visits, Permissions, Microphone and allow.
Remove anything covering your microphone. Phone cases can block the microphone, so remove your case and try again. Don’t cover the microphone with your hand or fingers.
Test your microphone in another app by opening a voice recorder app, recording yourself speaking, playing it back and checking if you can hear yourself clearly. If not, your device microphone may have a hardware issue.
Clean your microphone, as dust or debris can block it. Gently clean the microphone opening with a soft, dry brush. Don’t use liquids or insert anything into the microphone hole.
Try headphones with built-in microphone. Use a headset or earbuds with microphone, as your device microphone may be faulty and a headset microphone provides an alternative.
Speak louder and more clearly. Hold your device 15-20cm from your mouth, speak at normal to slightly elevated volume (don’t shout as it can cause distortion) and ensure you’re not too far from your device.
If you hear your own voice echoing back, there’s a loud feedback or squealing noise or audio sounds doubled or delayed, here’s how to fix it.
Use headphones or earbuds, as echo is usually caused by speaker feeding back into microphone. Headphones prevent this feedback loop. Plug in headphones and echo should disappear.
Reduce device volume by lowering it until echo stops. Balance between hearing clearly and preventing echo.
Move your device away from speakers. If you’re near computer speakers or other audio devices, move away as other audio sources can cause interference.
Ensure only one person has audio on. If you have multiple participants, avoid multiple devices with audio active. Use one device for video and audio and mute others or turn off their volume.
If your video isn’t showing on their end, they see a black screen or frozen image or there’s a “Camera not available” error, try these solutions.
Check your camera isn’t blocked. Remove any case or cover blocking the camera, clean the camera lens with a soft cloth and ensure there are no stickers or tape over the camera.
Check the app has camera permission. On iOS, go to Settings, Privacy & Security, Camera, Purple Visits and toggle ON. On Android, go to Settings, Apps, Purple Visits, Permissions, Camera and allow.
Close other apps using the camera. FaceTime, Zoom, Instagram and Snapchat can block camera access. Close all other apps completely and restart Purple Visits.
Try switching cameras. Most devices have front and rear cameras. Tap the camera switch icon if available, switch to rear camera then back to front, as this can reset the camera connection.
Restart the app by closing Purple Visits completely, waiting 10 seconds, reopening the app and rejoining your call.
Check lighting, as very dark environments may cause your camera to appear black. Add lighting and check if video appears.
If you’re seeing blurry or pixelated video, choppy or laggy video or low resolution images, here’s what to do.
Improve your internet connection, as video quality automatically reduces with slow connections. Test your speed at speedtest.net, move closer to your WiFi router and use WiFi instead of mobile data.
Improve your lighting. Poor lighting causes grainy video. Face a light source like a window or lamp, avoid backlighting where light is behind you and more light equals better video quality.
Clean your camera lens, as fingerprints or smudges reduce quality. Gently wipe the lens with a soft, clean cloth and check both front and rear cameras.
Reduce movement. Moving quickly can cause blur and lag. Sit still and stable and position your device on a stable surface rather than holding it.
Close background apps, as other apps use processing power. Close all unnecessary apps and restart your device for best performance.
If the image is stuck or frozen, you can hear audio but video doesn’t move or you’re seeing a still image instead of live video, try these steps.
Wait 10-15 seconds, as it may be temporary buffering. The connection may be catching up and often resolves itself.
Check your internet connection. Poor connection causes video freezing. Test speed and connection stability and move closer to router or switch to better connection.
Restart the call by ending it and waiting 30 seconds, then rejoining. A fresh connection often resolves freezing.
Reduce internet usage elsewhere. Pause downloads and streaming on other devices and ask household members to limit usage temporarily.
If your call pauses frequently with “Face not detected” or “Please position your face” messages, you can’t complete security selfie or face recognition isn’t working, here’s how to fix it.
Improve lighting - this is the number one cause. Face a light source like a window or lamp. Add more lights if room is dark. Avoid backlighting with windows or lights behind you. Even, diffused lighting works best. Avoid harsh shadows on face.
Position yourself correctly by looking directly at the camera, facing forward rather than at an angle, keeping your face at eye level with camera, maintaining distance of 50-70cm from camera and not moving your head around excessively.
Keep your face fully visible. Move hair away from your face - this is very common. Hair covering forehead, eyes or cheeks triggers pauses. Tie back long hair, keep hair behind ears and ensure your full face is visible from forehead to chin.
Remove anything covering your face including sunglasses, regular glasses if causing issues, hats, caps, hoodies, scarves or masks and hands (don’t lean on hands).
Stay still and centered by sitting calmly and steadily, not leaning too far left, right, forward or back, staying centered in the camera frame and minimizing excessive movement.
Check your camera lens is clean, as a dirty lens can affect face recognition. Clean with soft cloth and remove any case blocking camera.
Learn more in our During Your Video Call guide for best practices.
If you can’t complete pre-call selfie verification, you’re seeing “Selfie not accepted” messages or you’re stuck in waiting room unable to join call, apply all the face detection solutions above, plus these additional tips.
Look directly at the camera, not at the screen, but at the camera lens itself. Make direct “eye contact” with the camera and don’t look away or to the side.
Keep a neutral expression. Don’t smile too widely, don’t make extreme expressions, keep eyes fully open and maintain relaxed, natural facial expression.
Hold your device steady using both hands to hold device, brace elbows on table for stability, don’t move while taking selfie and wait for it to capture (don’t rush).
Try a different location. Move to a room with better, more even lighting, face a window (but not with window behind you), try near a bright lamp, as a different angle or position may work better.
Remove glasses temporarily, as they can cause glare. Try selfie without glasses and you can put them back on for the actual call.
Make sure you are the only person in the pre call security selfie, no additional participants even if they are approved to be on the call should be in this security selfie. Also check that you do not have a TV or pictures in the background, this could cause an issue.
If your call pauses saying someone unauthorised is in frame, but only approved participants are present, check these things.
Check for reflections. Mirrors in background can show additional people. Shiny surfaces reflecting faces and TV screens or computer monitors showing faces can all trigger detection. Move to eliminate reflective surfaces from background.
Check no one is behind you. Someone walking past in background, people visible through doorways or windows and pets with faces visible (can sometimes trigger detection) all cause issues. Close doors and blinds.
Ensure all participants are fully visible. Partial faces can trigger “additional person” detection. Everyone must show their full face clearly with no one hiding behind another person. Arrange so all faces are clearly visible.
Remove pictures or posters of faces from background. Photos of people, posters or artwork showing faces and calendar photos with people can all trigger detection. Move or cover these items.
If the app closes unexpectedly, freezes and becomes unresponsive, you can’t open the app or it crashes during calls, try these solutions.
Update the app. On iOS, go to App Store, Updates and update Purple Visits. On Android, go to Google Play, My Apps and update Purple Visits. Crashes are often fixed in updates.
Restart your device by powering off completely, waiting 30 seconds, powering back on and trying app again.
Clear app cache (Android only). Go to Settings, Apps, Purple Visits, Storage, Clear Cache. Don’t clear data as it will log you out. Just clear cache and try app again.
Reinstall the app. Delete Purple Visits app, restart device, download fresh from App Store or Google Play and log back in with your credentials.
Check device storage. Full storage causes crashes. Delete unused apps, photos, videos, as you need at least 1-2GB free space. Go to Settings, Storage to check.
Update your device operating system. On iOS, go to Settings, General, Software Update. On Android, go to Settings, System, System Update. Outdated OS can cause compatibility issues.
If you’re seeing “Incorrect password” errors, “Account not found” messages, the login button doesn’t work or the app won’t accept your credentials, here’s what to do.
Check you’re entering correct details. Ensure email address is correct with no typos, password is correct (check caps lock) and try typing slowly and carefully.
Use “Forgot Password” by tapping it on login screen, entering your registered email address, checking email for reset link (check spam folder), creating new password and trying again.
Check your internet connection. You can’t log in without internet. Switch to WiFi if on mobile data and test internet is working in browser.
Update the app, as outdated app versions can have login issues. Update to latest version and try logging in again.
Clear app and restart by closing app completely, waiting 30 seconds, reopening and trying again.
If you still can’t log in, contact support with your registered email address. Support can check account status and may need to verify your identity to regain access.
If you’re not receiving call reminders, no notifications for booking confirmations or missing important updates, check these settings.
Check notification permissions. On iOS, go to Settings, Notifications, Purple Visits, Allow Notifications and toggle ON. On Android, go to Settings, Apps, Purple Visits, Notifications, Allow and toggle ON.
Check Do Not Disturb is off. On iOS, check Control Center and ensure moon icon is off. On Android, check notification shade for DND icon.
Check notification settings in app by opening Purple Visits, going to Settings or Account and checking notification preferences are enabled.
Reinstall the app, as deleting and reinstalling can reset notifications. Log back in and enable notifications when prompted.
If iOS won’t grant camera or microphone access, go to Settings, Privacy & Security, Camera and toggle Purple Visits ON, then Settings, Privacy & Security, Microphone and toggle Purple Visits ON. Restart app after changing permissions.
If app won’t update, go to App Store, tap Your Profile (top right), pull down to refresh, find Purple Visits and tap Update.
Battery draining fast is normal with video calls as they use significant power. Keep device plugged in during calls, close background apps and lower screen brightness.
If app is draining battery, go to Settings, Apps, Purple Visits, Battery, Unrestricted to prevent system from limiting app in background. Keep device plugged in during calls.
If permissions aren’t working, go to Settings, Apps, Purple Visits, Permissions and allow Camera, Microphone, Storage. Restart app after changing.
If notifications aren’t showing, go to Settings, Apps, Purple Visits, Notifications and enable all categories. Check battery optimization isn’t blocking notifications.
Avoid issues before they happen by following these practices.
Update Purple Visits app, update device OS if pending, charge device to 100% or plug in, test internet speed (1+ Mbps required upload and 2+Mbps required for download), close all other apps, restart device if it’s been on for days and test camera and microphone in another app.
Keep Purple Visits updated, keep device OS updated, clear app cache monthly (Android), restart device weekly, clean camera lens regularly and ensure 2+ GB free storage space.
Stay still and face forward, keep hair away from face, maintain good lighting, don’t switch apps during call, keep device plugged in and stay close to WiFi router.
Contact support if issues persist after trying all solutions, error messages you don’t understand appear, account is locked or suspended, serious technical problems occur during multiple calls, app crashes repeatedly despite troubleshooting or you can’t complete identity verification due to technical issues.
You can get help by visiting our Contact Support page or emailing [email protected]. Include your registered email, description of issue and what you’ve tried.
Be ready to provide device type and model (e.g., “iPhone 13” or “Samsung Galaxy S21”), operating system version (iOS 17.2, Android 14, etc.), app version (found in Settings within app), description of problem, when problem started and what you’ve already tried.
| Problem | Quick Fix |
|---|---|
| Can’t connect | Check internet, restart app, restart device |
| Call pauses - face not detected | Improve lighting, move hair away from face |
| No audio | Check volume, check mute, try headphones |
| Microphone not working | Check permissions, remove case, clean microphone |
| Poor video quality | Improve lighting, move closer to WiFi |
| App crashes | Update app, restart device, clear cache |
| Security selfie rejected | Better lighting, look at camera, hair away from face |
| Call disconnects | Use WiFi not mobile data, move closer to router |
Check our related help articles including Preparing for Your Video Call, During Your Video Call, and Getting Started with Purple Visits.
Still need help? Browse our Frequently Asked Questions or Contact Support.
Remember that most technical issues have simple solutions. Work through this guide systematically and you’ll likely fix the problem quickly. We’re here to help make every call as smooth as possible.