I had the same. I have started learning barre chords on my old acoustic guitar and it was a nightmare and it sounded very bad - no clean notes. After a while I bought my first electric guitar and it was a game changer. String action was lower and the feeling was very different. Of course at the beginning it was also hard but I was able to strum at least one F chord correct. Then… 6 months later I was able to play F chord, not so perfect every time but it sounds like F chord at least.
What I have found useful is to try barre chords up the neck ( e.g. 5th fret like other guys here suggests).
Moreover, try to learn it on electric or on a guitar with low string action, for me it was way better. (I even went to a luthier with my old acoustic cause string action was too high for me - even after practicing on electric) so this is also something that you might consider. Just try it on the guitar with a low string action and check how does it feel for you.
I didn’t like such comments when I was starting woth barre chords but it also takes time for muscles to learn it… So take your time and keep strumming! You will do that!
Hi Jon,
I think a setup by a luthier could help with that problem by lowering the action and adjusting the neck relief.
Yep, found it easier on an electric, but still seem to be struggling. Had the guitar set up with action lowered etc. Am going back to basics and really honing in on the precise mechanics of barring. Hopefully can change any potential bad habits and crack it.
Yep, have had the guitar set up, action lowered, ,lighter gauge strings etc. I think it is the mechanics of my hand placement. Back to the drawing board!
dont know if it will help you but my teacher told me to try to apply strength with my biceps rather than forcing on the fingers and wrist
as if you want to break the neck by pulling on it ( but dont actually break it 
)
Hi guys,
Sharing my F… chord experience until now.
I took the F chord in a bit over a week on my acoustic. Besides having big hands, one of the key things was finding the place on 1st finger that was hard enough to press the B string. I ended up finding it and developing a callus near my 2nd join of the 1st finger.
Now the fast changes are something different and harder, specially from the G → F.
I’ve seen other players who are able to kind of bend the index finger so they only barre the strings needed rather than laying the finger flat and rolling it over slightly to barre all six
Is that aspirational or should I try that way now, I usually do the lay finger flat and roll it slightly method
Hi Paul, disclaimer: I’m a fellow beginner, hanging out in Grade 3. I’ve tried both methods, and both work for me in different situations (heh, and neither work in some!). The one downside with only barring the necessary strings (at least on the E-shaped chords) is when you play the 7th. For example: you form the F7 by playing the F barre chord and lifting your pinky. Getting that resulting Eb to ring out requires, I think, the rolled-flat-finger approach. It’s a real challenge for me!
Been struggling a bit with how to place my index finger, specifically holding down the 5th string so that it rings out properly. I assume it’s a per-person thing but it feels like I’m relying on the 2nd knuckle of my index to push down the 5th string. This cause my index finger to poke out of the neck by quite a bit, not sure if that’s recommended to do.
Hi Sam @szed1, welcome to the community! And welcome to the F chord challenge. 
: You’re correct that we each have unique anatomy. Could you post one or more photos of your current positioning? That will help folks here give you guidance. You might be doing fine, but you’re correct that it’s best to avoid the index finger hanging over the neck too much.
While you’re at it, consider heading over to the Introduce Yourself topic and tell us a bit about your guitar journey!
Are you having trouble with the A string (5th string), or the B string (2nd string)?
I ask, because difficulty with the B string Is far more common. And confusion about how the strings are numbered on the guitar is also quite common.
Oops, yeah I meant the B, so the 2nd string not the 5th string.
That’s absolutely brilliant! Am on day 1 of F chord.
The mini F Chord is harder than the barre! At least on the bar I am only having issues on the B string, but the mini F the B and high e. After a few weeks am I okay if I move to the next module I. Grade two if I am still struggling?
If you play the F as a full barre, try to place your index finger cleanly from the start. I also have played the F as a barre for years, but it was also a mini F except that I played the high E and B strings with the middle knuckle of my index finger. The tip of the index finger muted the low E string somewhere and it sounded reasonably good. Now I’m trying to learn the F cleanly and get the bass string to sound good and the bad index finger placement habits are annoying now.
I tried that knuckle and I got it to ring out a few times. Tried my Epiphone Prophecy and had no issues including the mini. Electric is definitely easier.
Hello @Jassent and welcome to the Community.
That amount of rotation is necessary and normal.
The need to make so much movement is one big reason that people often choose to play F-mini barre or the 5-string version F/C of the mini-barre when moving between C and F chords.
Long term, if your thumb allows, you can work towards fretting the low root note on 6th string with thumb and fingering a 4 or 5 string mini barre with fingers.
That means much less hand movement and wrist rotation between the C and F.
Roll your index finger anticlockwise a little so you have some of the bony outer edge and less of the fleshy middle fretting the strings.
Have you been rolling to the outer edge of your index or trying to press with the flat fleshy part? It is difficult but is not a power and strength technique but a finger manipulation task. 
The F Chord! AArrgg! Seems impossible right now. I can’t get my index finger to press down on strings 1, 2 and 6 at the same time… How is this possible?
WHOOPEE!
I got my new (8 months old) guitar set up professionally, and that EFin’ barre chord rang out.
I COULD NOT get the full barre F chord down, except with a capo. Two months in and at least one string would be a-buzzin’. Somewhere in the community I read (THANK YOU community) that if the action were too high, that that could be contributing to the suffering.
I decided drop the $$ to have a professional set up.
POST PROFESSIONAL SET UP: BARRE CHORDS POSSIBLE!
BONUS:
I can use a much lighter touch on all the open chords (now to un-train the unnecessary pressure…)
thought I’d share in case you too might have too high action contributing to troubles.
I just get luck. I think it’d make me struggling for weeks but I can play this chord in the first time =]]] Dont know why, maybe my index finger has something different from others.