Are y'all having problems sending or receiving text messages using your iPhone, iPad or Mac? Have your normally blue speech bubbles turned green? Are letters not showing upwards in the right guild? Is iMessage telling you lot that your text hasn't been delivered? Are y'all wondering why iMessage is not working?

In this feature nosotros await at causes of iMessage failure and offer straightforward troubleshooting tips to help y'all fix the messages app on your iPhone, iPad or Mac. Find out how to tell if iMessage is down, what to exercise if iMessage stops working on your iPhone, and what to practice if iMessage is not working in your Mac. Nosotros volition help you fix all your iMessage problems.

If you simply desire to set upwards the service, see How to ready iMessage on iPhone.

Why is iMessage not working?

In that location are lots of reasons why iMessage can cease working: it could be an issue with Apple tree's iMessage server, a problem with the Letters app, or your settings could need adjusting.

Earlier we move on to specific difficulties, let's work through nine simple troubleshooting steps that will solve the most common issues with iMessage.

i. Cheque if iMessage is down

The first possibility is that the server that iMessage is run from is downwardly - which could mean that iMessage isn't working for anyone. This is rare, but it does happen occasionally.

Y'all tin can bank check if any of Apple tree's online services are experiencing outages by checking the Organization Status page.

How to fix iMessage not working on iPhone, iPad & Mac: System Status

On this web folio Apple gives yous a heads-up virtually whatever services with planned maintenance work, forth with a written report of any recently resolved issues in whatever of its services. However, if your result has simply just appeared, bear in heed that the website'southward update frequency tends to exist measured in minutes, not seconds - possibly every bit many as 30 on occasion - and then the problem may non have been spotted yet.

Even if Apple's Organisation Status site suggests all is well, at that place could be an outage that's local to y'all. As an culling to Apple's folio, yous could endeavor Downwards Detector, which provides a graph detailing outage reports from the by 24 hours, and fifty-fifty an outage map to see whether you're in an affected area.

You could as well search for the word iMessage and related terms on Twitter; if lots of people are talking nearly the problem so information technology's clearly not just you lot.

The set up

The practiced news is that even if iMessage is downwards, you should even so be able to communicate with your friends via normal texts.

If iMessage is failing, your bulletin should automatically be pushed into green-bubble texts instead of blue-bubble iMessages. Green indicates that the message is being sent as a text, rather than an iMessage). (Hither'due south how to tell an iMessage from a standard SMS text.)

If this isn't working for you, read our guide to sending texts when the recipient isn't getting your iMessages. If an iMessage isn't sending if you hard press on the message you should come across an option to "Send as Text".

iphone text

2. Make sure yous've got a connection (and enough data)

iMessage needs a data connexion to work, and then you lot need to make sure you've got 3G or 4G (or 5G) available, or a practiced WiFi bespeak. Without WiFi or a cellular data connection your iMessage won't send.

Check you lot can access the web past performing a quick search in Safari. If yous come across no results y'all've identified the root of your problem.

If you lot don't take a practiced cellular connection you could endeavor turning Aeroplane Mode on and off to meet if y'all can better your reception. Depending on your iPhone either swipe in from the pinnacle correct or swipe up from the bottom of your iPhone or iPad screen, and select and deselect Aeroplane Way - the plane icon.

Fifty-fifty if the cellular connection is groovy, you might not have enough data. Is in that location a gamble you've used up all your data for the month? Are you fifty-fifty sure that data is included in your contract? Contact your network provider to check. (Read most how to save data on your iPhone hither.)

The fix

If you are out of data, or the 3G/4G connexion is poor, try one of the post-obit:

  • In addition to switching the aerials on and off using Plane Fashion, turning your iPhone on and off again may as well assist it find a stronger signal.
  • Log onto a nearby Wi-Fi network to send your iMessage. To find a nearby network, go to Settings > Wi-Fi and accept a await to come across if there is a free Wi-Fi network nearby.
  • If your Wi-Fi connection is the problem then plow off Wi-Fi and employ 3G/4G.
  • If none of those tips works you lot may need to reset your network settings. Tap Settings > Full general > Reset > Reset Network Settings and meet if this fixes the problem.
  • If you still don't get a information connection, and there is no WiFi available, you should be able to press and hold on the undelivered message and choose to 'Ship as text bulletin' from the options that come. A text message should get through fifty-fifty over a GPRS connectedness.

How to fix iMessage not working on iPhone, iPad & Mac: Send as text message

3. Make sure iMessage is on and set upwards correctly

Check you're set to send and receive iMessages by going to Settings > Letters and checking that iMessage is turned on.

If when you go to this folio y'all see a message suggesting that iMessage is "Waiting for activation" or "Activation unsuccessful", and so read this article: What to do when iMessage won't activate on your iPhone.

If iMessage is switched on and there is no bulletin nearly activation, check that your phone is ready correctly to receive iMessages: Become to Settings > Messages and check the addresses and mobile number you have listed in Send & Receive.

The fix

Assuming it's not an activation issue, run through the following:

  1. Plough off your mobile number or e-mail accost in the listing of places where you tin Send & Receive from. Nosotros advise trying a process of elimination to run into if iMessage works with simply your mobile number or simply an e-mail address.
  2. Check at that place is a tick abreast your telephone number in the Showtime New Conversations From section if you're using an iPhone.

How to fix iMessage not working on iPhone, iPad & Mac: iOS Settings

four. Plow it off and on again and restart Messages

As in all skillful troubleshooting manufactures one essential piece of advice is to turn it off and on again. You lot could start off by double-pressing the Home button and swiping upwardly on the Messages app, before relaunching it. If the app was hanging this may well fix the problem.

The fix

If things nevertheless aren't working y'all could try the post-obit:

  1. Reboot iMessage past going to Settings > Letters and turning off iMessage, then turn off your iPhone by pressing and holding the on/off switch, slide to power off, so wait for your iPhone to start upwardly again.
  2. Once you've rebooted, return to Settings > Messages and plough iMessage dorsum on.
  3. Sign out of your Apple ID and and then sign in once more. You can practise this from Settings > Messages so tap on Send & Receive and at the peak of the page tap on your Apple tree ID and choose Sign Out.
  4. Then sign in once more and see if this has stock-still the trouble.

For related advice you lot may also like to read How to transport and receive text messages on Mac and How to employ Messages on the iPhone.

v. Delete some messages

If your Messages app has a lot of photos and videos it might deadening downwards a bit. Deleting some of your iMessages - particularly the ones with lots of photos might solve the problem (but note that images sent via iMessage won't automatically appear in your Photos app).

The set

There are a few ways to reduce the size of your iMessage library.

  • To delete messages you can swipe from right to left on a message in the Letters list and choose Delete.
  • Or you can tap the Edit button in the top left-mitt corner of Messages and delete letters that manner.
  • There is too a 'Keep Messages' option in Settings > Messages. Wait for Bulletin History and tap Proceed Messages - you can select Forever, 1 year or 30 days. Before yous determine to delete messages afterward 30 days, be certain you aren't nearly to lose some important messages! (For related advice, we have a feature about how to call up deleted text messages.)
  • While you're here, you can likewise modify your settings so that you ship low-res images, which take up less space. Go to Settings > Letters and toggle Low-Quality Image Way on. (Information technology'due south the concluding option, correct at the lesser of the page.)

iPhone

half-dozen. Check iOS is upwards to date

If your software isn't up to engagement in that location may be a bug stopping it from working properly.

The set

To check if an updated version of iOS is available (and download and install it if so), go to Settings > General > Software Update.

For more detail on the updating process and the issues information technology may entail, see How to update iOS.

7. Check Network settings

Make certain it's not a problem with your Network settings.

The fix

Here'southward how to reset your Network settings if Messages aren't sending.

  1. Go to Settings > General > Reset > Reset Network Settings. You'll have to enter your passwords once more after you practice this.
  2. You could besides endeavour turning off Wi-Fi Assist. Wi-Fi Aid will switch to a cellular signal when it is stronger than your local WiFi network. Turning it off has worked for some people. Go to Settings > Mobile Data and scroll down to WiFi Assist and switch it off if it's on.

8. Bank check Fourth dimension Zone settings

Some users have constitute that they had bug sending Messages when the fourth dimension zone wasn't prepare to update automatically. It's not clear what was causing the trouble, perhaps it'southward to do with the carrier settings.

The gear up

Hither'due south how to change your time zone settings:

  1. Go to Settings > General > Engagement & Time and make sure your time zone is set automatically.
  2. Set up Automatically to ON.

9. Reset all Settings

Every bit a final resort, y'all could do a full Reset…

In Settings go to General > Reset.

10. Inquire Apple

If you are still having bug and so it's probably fourth dimension to go an appointment with a genius at the Apple Shop, here's how.

Specific problems with iMessage

Below we await at some specific problems with iMessages - permit us know if you experience whatsoever issues with the service, or if you lot notice a fix of your own.

iMessage activation unsuccessful

Setting upwards iMessage on an iPhone or iPad should be a uncomplicated process, merely it can sometimes exist problematic. In some case people are seeing an error message when they try to activate iMessage (or FaceTime) on their iPhone.

You may see one of the following error messages:

  • Activation unsuccessful.
  • An error occurred during activation.
  • Waiting for activation.
  • Could non sign in, please check your network connection.
  • Unable to contact the iMessage server.

The ready:

Nosotros offer lots of advice about how to set this outcome here: What to exercise when iMessage won't actuate on your iPhone.

In summary:

  • Cheque if iMessage has been deactivated in Settings > Messages.
  • Turn Messages off and on again in Settings > Letters. Practice the aforementioned with FaceTime. Then plow your iPhone off and on over again. Once your iPhone is on again get back to Messages and turn it back on.
  • Contact your mobile network about the problem.
  • You may just have to expect - information technology can accept 24 hours to be activated.

Why isn't my friend receiving iMessages?

If you know your friend has an iPhone, iPad or Mac, they should be able to receive iMessages - but they may not accept the iMessage feature activated, or not be registered for it.

It's likewise possible that they take recently changed networks and demand to activate iMessage.

Alternatively, it's possible that your friend has switched to using an Android or Windows device? They may still be able to receive iMessages on their iPad and Mac, but they won't receive them on their new handset. If they no longer want to receive iMessages they need to deregister from iMessage.

The Fix

If you know your friend has an iPhone, it may just be that they need to turn on the service. In which case, tell them:

  • Go to Settings > Messages.
  • Turn on iMessage.

However, information technology may not be that uncomplicated, so we have a divide tutorial almost the steps they need to take to make sure iMessages will get through.

If your friend no longer has an iPhone it'south still possible that you tin can send iMessages - only they won't be delivered to their new handset. If they would prefer to turn off iMessage to avoid missing out on texts, they tin do the following:

  1. If they withal take the sometime iPhone they can go to Settings > Letters.
  2. Switch off iMessage.
  3. It'due south too possible to deactivate iMessage using a web tool here.

Later on turning off iMessage, the text messages you transport on an iPhone volition be greenish rather than blueish.

iPhone Messages

iMessage visual effects aren't working

Dorsum in iOS 10 Apple introduced some fun animated effects that you can use to enhance your iMessages.

For case, you can printing and hold on a voice communication chimera to add a thumbs upwardly or a heart, you tin transport sketches, and if yous printing and concord the pointer that you normally tap to send a message you will get access to fun effects like Transport with Repeat, Spotlight, Balloons, Confetti, Love, Lasers, Fireworks, Shooting Stars, and Celebration.

The fix

If the problem is that some of these visual furnishings aren't being received by your recipient, try the following:

  1. Check that your recipient has installed iOS x or iOS 11.
  2. Some furnishings besides won't piece of work if your friend has Reduced Motion activated on their iPhone (they may have changed the setting to save battery power every bit per the advice in this characteristic). In that example, they need to Go to General > Accessibility > Reduce Motion > Off.

Note, your effects won't work if they're not sent every bit an iMessage; if your friend doesn't accept an iPhone iPad or Mac they won't see them.

Can't send a group iMessage

If you're having trouble sending messages to groups of people, ane reason could exist that one of your contacts no longer has an iPhone.

How to fix iMessage not working on iPhone, iPad & Mac: Group message

When you ship a group message in iMessage all your contacts will prove up equally blue, until you add together someone who doesn't have iMessage, then they volition all plow green as the iMessage grouping will not be supported.

If yous had a grouping iMessage and ane of your contacts stopped using their iPhone this would break the group iMessage. To find out if this is the example, start a new grouping bulletin rather than continuing with the one-time ane.

It's too possible that you can't transport a group message to an existing thread because you lot left the conversation.

The prepare

If you remember you've shut yourself out of a group message, as we described above, you lot volition need to exercise the following:

  1. Open the Messages app and tap the group message yous're trying to reply to.
  2. If you've left the conversation a bulletin will tell you so.
  3. You tin can't unilaterally rejoin a conversation: you lot'll need to have one of the remaining participants add you over again.
  4. Alternatively, you lot could just start a new conversation with all the same participants and go from there.

What if you are intent on group messaging your friends and non all of them have iPhones? In that case, your best selection is to use Whatsapp. We accept this tutorial about using Whatsapp hither.

Lost or accidentally deleted Messages

If you've accidentally deleted important messages, or if you've updated your iPhone and realised that some messages have disappeared, don't worry: you may be able to get them back.

The ready

There are five main ways of getting dorsum lost or deleted iMessages:

  • Call up from an iCloud backup.
  • Retrieve from the iCloud website.
  • Contact your telephone provider.
  • Retrieve from an iTunes backup.
  • Retrieve using a tertiary-political party app.

We encompass all of these in a separate article: How to remember deleted text messages.

Messages on iPhone not appearing (or out of order) on Mac/iPad

The matching Messages apps on iOS and Mac should permit you to hands and conveniently acquit on iMessage conversations beyond the 2 platforms. Only sometimes the two apps fail to sync properly, and iMessages sent from (or received on) the iPhone fail to announced on the Mac, or vice versa.

The gear up

Practice not worry. This is such a common complaint that Apple tree has made it possible to store all your in iCloud - which means that they will e'er be in sync on all your devices. For more than information, nosotros have this tutorial nigh using iMessages in iCloud.

If y'all aren't corking on turning on iMessages in iCloud (it may impact your available storage) you could try the following:

  1. Become to Settings > Messages > Send & Receive. Brand sure all the email addresses (not just phone numbers) that you want to associate with that iMessage account have been ticked. (You may demand to tap 'Employ your Apple ID for iMessage' at the top to brand the addresses announced.)
  2. Now open the Messages app on your Mac. Click Letters in the top carte du jour bar, then Preferences. Click Accounts, and then tick the appropriate electronic mail addresses over again. You may need to enter more details for some of them.
  3. Finally, restart Messages on each device and (hopefully) you'll find that the issue is solved.

For more than particular, come across How to sync iMessage conversations on iPhone, iPad and Mac.