Do you have a friend or family member that is always using FaceTime to chat rather than just calling you normally? If you do and don’t want to have to appear on camera, this list of excuses to get off FaceTime is for you.
FaceTime is exclusive to iPhone users, but people with Android devices broadly use the term as well. It’s just a saying when it comes to video calls.
There are many reasons for wanting to avoid being on FaceTime when someone calls. Sometimes we just wish for privacy and don’t want others to know what we’re up to, or we’re not looking our best. Maybe you don’t answer on purpose, hoping the other person will take a hint that you’re not available or don’t want to talk.
However, if you do answer but want to make it a quick chat rather than spending hours FaceTiming with the person, then keep on reading!
Here is our best list of excuses to get off FaceTime
1. All of a sudden, you’re not feeling well
If you really need to get off of FaceTime, then using the excuse of not feeling well should work. It could be your stomach is suddenly upset, or you feel a tickle in the back of your throat, and you think a cold is coming on. There are plenty of illnesses you can use at your disposal as an excuse to get off FaceTime.
2. Someone else is calling you
Another good way to get off a FaceTime call when you don’t feel like talking or being on video is to say someone else is trying to call you. It could be someone you haven’t spoken to for a while or an urgent call you’ve been expecting. Either way, gotta go!
3. Your parents need help with something
“What’s that mom? You need help moving the couch?”
Helping your parents with something around the house is another easy way to get off FaceTime. To make it more believable, try and sound annoyed as if you don’t want to get off the call, but your parents really need help.
4. You have to go look after your younger sibling
Being an older brother or sister is responsible for looking after younger siblings. And not just if your parents go out, but if mom or dad needs to cook dinner or take a shower, you may be on temporary babysitting duty with little to no notice.
5. You have to get back to your homework
This homework is not going to do itself. You’re trying to get into a good College, and that depends on your grades. You don’t want to give your teachers or parents excuses for not doing homework again, so you need to get off FaceTime and crack down on your work.
6. Food is ready, and you need to go eat
You’re starving, and dinner is finally ready. You’d love to stay and talk some more, but your stomach is telling you otherwise. Besides, other people are waiting for you to eat, so it would be rude to bring your phone to the dinner table.
7. You have a headache that’s not going away
You started your FaceTime call with a headache, thinking it would disappear. You’ve even taken Advil and drank lots of water, but your headache is only getting worse for some reason. You should get off the phone because the screen is probably intensifying your headache.
8. Your phone battery is about to die
Your phone battery is under 5% and is declining rapidly. You can’t even charge it either because:
- Someone else is using your charger
- You can’t find your charger
- Your charger is too far away
- Your charger has been acting up and isn’t charging your phone properly
You can’t talk if your phone is dead!
9. You are losing reception
Sometimes you might be FaceTiming when you aren’t home. This can be problematic for your cellphone reception if you’re on the go. There are multiple areas where you can lose reception, such as in an elevator or under a tunnel, and some places even have cell phone dead zones where reception is abysmal. If you’re going to use poor reception as one of your excuses to get off FaceTime, then make sure that you aren’t just sitting on the couch at home!
10. Your dog got loose
Your dog is always getting loose, and you need to stop it from getting into trouble. The last time your dog got out, it wreaked havoc on a neighbor’s property. You can’t let that happen again or it could be problematic for you and the dog. This is definitely a creative excuse to get off FaceTime.
11. Your child needs attention
If you have young children at home, they can be used for all types of excuses for getting out of things! Of course, this includes excuses to get off FaceTime. The reality is, if you do have kids, then it’s most likely not even an excuse but a valid reason. Children need constant attention, so you can’t be on FaceTime for long periods.
12. You have a work meeting you need to join
If you work from home, then using a work meeting as an excuse to get off FaceTime is good. You can time it out well too. For example, if someone FaceTimes you at 10:10 AM, you can say that you have a meeting at 10:15 AM or 10:30 AM. This will limit the time you can spend on FaceTime right from the start. You can also say that you have to prepare for your meeting you need to join shortly as well. Saying that you need to prepare for your meeting will give you additional buffer time.
13. You have errands to run
Everybody understands that life can be hectic and things won’t take care of themselves. That is why using errands as an excuse to get off FaceTime will work. The errands can be anything. Here are some excellent “errands” you can use as an excuse:
- Grocery shopping
- Picking up clothes from the dry cleaner
- Doing laundry
- Cleaning your room or your house
- Driving your kids somewhere
- Getting gas for your car
- Picking up lunch/dinner
- Scheduling an appointment
14. You are late for an appointment
Using an appointment as an excuse to get off FaceTime is another good option. After all, appointments like going to the dentist, doctor, or seeing the veterinarian are all important. So if you say you have a doctor’s appointment, that should be a good enough reason for the other person on your FaceTime to let you go.
15. You need to go to work
You are running out of excuses for being late to work, so you must get off FaceTime to ensure it doesn’t happen again! Telling the person you are FaceTiming with that you need to get to work and can’t be late again will make them feel guilty if they are the reason you get in trouble at work.
16. The game is about to start
If you’re a sports fan, you’ll know how important it is not to miss the game’s start. With this excuse for getting off FaceTime, you’ll need to time it accordingly around the schedule of the game that is on TV.
17. Your partner wants to spend time with you
If you’re FaceTiming with a friend or family member, this is a great excuse to get off the phone. You can simply say that your partner is telling you to get off so you can spend time with them. The other person on the phone may not like it, but they probably won’t argue. This excuse is excellent because it passes the blame to someone else!
18. Your eyes are hurting from looking at the screen too long
Using hurting eyes is an excellent excuse to end your FaceTime call if you’ve been on the call for a while. It may not work if you’ve only been on the call for a few minutes, but if it’s been 15+ minutes and you can’t think of anything else, just say that your eyes are hurting and you need to rest.
19. Someone is at the door
With all the Amazon and other delivery services making our lives easier, using someone at the door is a likely excuse for getting off the phone. You could always say something like, “I’ll text you after the person is gone just so you know I am safe,” as an added layer to the excuse.
20. You spilled your drink
You’re so clumsy! You are always spilling food on yourself or a drink on your laptop or phone. Spilling a drink is another one of those great excuses to get off FaceTime, especially if the other person has been seeing you with a drink in your hand. Simply just say, “Dang! I’ve spilled my drink… I need to clean up this mess. I’ll talk to you later.”
21. You’re tired and need to go to sleep or take a nap
This excuse can be used during most times of the day but works better in the afternoon or evening. Claiming you need to take a nap at 9 AM might work, but it is highly questionable. So if you’re going to use this as one of your excuses for getting off FaceTime, then make sure the timing works.
22. Something is burning!
You can say that you smell something burning as well. This is a good excuse if it’s known that you like to cook. You can claim that your food is burning and must ensure that it is not ruined. If you’re feeling more creative, you can say something else is burning, and you need to ensure your house doesn’t burn down. If you choose this path, it’s a good idea to text the person back afterward and tell them that everyone is safe. Otherwise, they might worry and call you right back.
23. You need to shower
If you want a good excuse to get off FaceTime and gross the person you’re talking to out at the same time, tell them you really need to shower because it’s been a couple of days. Your own smell has finally caught up to you, and it’s about time you rinse off in the shower.
24. Your cat needs attention
Okay, this is a bit of a lame excuse, but it might work if the person you’re talking to is also a pet owner. Cats and dogs can be very needy; sometimes, they just need your undivided attention and a good belly rub.
25. You’re trying to spend less time on your phone
This is an underrated item on our list of excuses to get off FaceTime. Everybody should re-evaluate how much time they’re spending on their phones. It’s good to disconnect occasionally and go outside, read a book, or spend quality time with a loved one face-to-face.
If you know that you’re going to get off FaceTime shortly into your conversation, you can start the conversation by telling the other person that you’re really trying your best to limit your screen time.
26. You just don’t feel like talking anymore
Sometimes the truth is the best way to get off FaceTime. Although saying that you don’t feel like talking anymore may hurt the other person’s feelings, at least you’re being honest. Also, depending on your relationship with the person you are FaceTiming with, saying that you don’t feel like talking anymore can be perfectly fine. If you think the person you’re talking with is too sensitive, then maybe this isn’t the best direction.
Additional funny excuses to get off FaceTime
If you’re a goofy person, then using funny excuses to get off FaceTime might be the best way to end your call. Although these excuses are not believable in the slightest, they may be effective in ending your call while getting a laugh out of the person you’ve been talking to.
- Your cat is on fire
- You held it too long, and now you’ve peed your pants
- You smell poop! You need to go investigate
- The secret service is here
- You lost your phone; you need to go find it
And there you have it! This concludes our list of excuses to get off FaceTime when you don’t feel like being on video or talking to someone. But, of course, with all excuses on this website, we recommend using one with some truth.
