14 Best Ways to Fix iMessage Not Working On iPhone and iPad

iMessage is a major selling point of the iPhone, particularly in countries like the US. If all your family and friends also have an iPhone, you wouldn’t want to be the only green bubble. However, even if you have an Apple device, iMessage may not work on your iPhone, leaving you disconnected from your close ones.

If your messages appear green when texting someone with an iPhone, or if your iPhone isn’t sending messages, don’t worry. We have solutions to help you fix Apple iMessage issues on your iPhone or iPad. Here are some of the best ways to resolve the problem.

Why Is My iMessage Not Working

iMessage is an online service that relies on your phone’s internet connection. There may be an issue preventing your iPhone or iPad from connecting to the network. Even if your network is fine, certain settings on your iPhone may be preventing iMessage from working properly. We’ll address all possible issues and provide resolutions for each.

Top 12 Fixes for iMessage Not Working on iPhone and iPad

1. Check if iMessage Is Down

Before we get to any solutions, make sure the problem is not on Apple’s end. Sometimes, the iMessage servers are down, causing issues with your iPhone’s iMessage. If you’re wondering why your iMessage isn’t working despite all parameters being fine, check Apple’s server status. Go to Apple’s System Status website and look for the light next to iMessage to see if it’s down or online.

If the light is red, iMessage is down and you’ll have to wait for it to come back online. If the light is green, everything is fine with iMessage’s servers. Proceed with further steps to fix it.

If you’re wondering why my iMessage is not working, one primary reason is a patchy network. To restore network connectivity on your iPhone quickly, toggle Airplane mode on and off. This will force your iPhone to establish a connection to the nearest tower, beneficial if you’re using mobile data.

To open the Control Center on your iPhone or iPad, swipe down (or swipe up, depending on your iPhone model) from the top-right corner of your screen. Enable Airplane mode and wait a few seconds before turning it off. Your iPhone/iPad will then connect to mobile data or Wi-Fi as before, and iMessage should be working properly.

iMessage operates using an active internet connection on your iPhone or iPad. Therefore, it is crucial to be connected to a Wi-Fi network or use mobile data to send messages, photos, or any data via iMessage. It is recommended that you use a stable Wi-Fi connection with good speeds for seamless connectivity.

If iMessage is not working on your iPhone using mobile data, ensure that you’re using 4G or 5G networks and that the area has good signal strength. Alternatively, try connecting to a public Wi-Fi network to temporarily send your messages. A poor connection can also prevent you from sending photos and videos via iMessage.

Your iPhone has a limited number of phone numbers and email IDs for iMessage. If your current contact information is not included, iMessage won’t function on your device. To resolve issues with sending messages, follow these steps:

1. Open the Settings app.

2. Scroll down and tap on Messages.

Step 2: Tap on Send & Receive.

Here, you can find phone numbers and email IDs for iMessage. If your details aren’t up to date, your iCloud and iMessage accounts may not match. Follow the guide at the provided link to correct your iMessage settings. This is how you can fix iMessage when it’s not working due to a Send & Receive address mismatch.

If you don’t have a mobile number and your iPhone isn’t sending text messages, you can also use iMessage on an iPhone or iPad without a SIM card.

Another solution for when iMessage on iPhone is not working: Remove your SIM card and reinsert it. This will reset iMessage. When you insert your SIM card again, iMessage activation will begin after the iPhone registers to a network.

6. Reset iMessage and Restart the iPhone or iPad

This step extends the previous method. If reinserting your SIM card didn’t work, or if iMessage is disabled on your phone, here’s how to reactivate the iMessage service.

Step 1: Open the Settings app on your iPhone or iPad. Scroll down and tap on Messages.

Step 2: Tap on the iMessage toggle to turn it off.

Step 3: Wait a few seconds and turn it back on. This will re-enable the service.

Step 4: Restart your iPhone/iPad-

• For iPhone X and Above/iPads without a Home Button: Press and hold the volume up button + side button until you see the power off slider. Slide it to turn off your iPhone. Then, press and hold the side button to turn it on.
• For all other iPhones and iPads with a Home Button: Press and hold the power button until you see the power off slider. Slide it to turn off your phone. Then, press and hold the side button to turn it on.

Once your iPhone/iPad restarts, it should automatically start the iMessage registration.

7. Ensure You Have an Active Plan on Your SIM

This is mainly for when iMessage is not working on a new iPhone. When you insert a SIM into your iPhone, Apple sends an automatic SMS to activate iMessage for the first time. Failure to send this SMS will result in iMessage not working.

Ensure you have an active plan on your SIM to send text messages. For prepaid connections, have sufficient balance to send a text message. Recharge with the bare minimum amount to activate iMessage on your iPhone.

8. Check if the Recipient Is Using iMessage

To send an iMessage, the recipient needs to use iMessage too. In other words, your text bubbles will turn blue only if they have an iPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac, or any Apple product with iMessage registered. To make sure, follow these steps:

Step 1: Open the Messages app on your iPhone and tap New Message.

Step 2: Enter the recipient’s contact information.

If their name appears in blue, it means they’re using iMessage. If it appears in green, they’re not using iMessage, and whatever you send will be delivered as SMS.

9. Disable the ‘Send As SMS’ Toggle

The iPhone and iPad can automatically send messages via SMS if iMessage isn’t available. Enabling this option could cause your messages to be sent via SMS instead of iMessage, even with a slightly erratic network connection. Disable this option to ensure all messages are sent through iMessage exclusively. Step 1: Open the Settings app on your iPhone or iPad. Scroll down and tap on Messages.

Step 2: Disable the Send as SMS toggle.

iMessage should now work on your iPhone and iPad as intended.

10. Delete Old Messages

If you’re able to send iMessages but unable to receive them, it could be that your iPhone has run out of storage. The best way to tackle this issue is to delete older messages to make way for new ones.

Step 1: Open the Messages app on your iPhone. Tap on the three-dot menu in the top-right corner.

Step 2: Choose the Select Messages option.

Step 3: Select all messages to delete. Hit the Delete button in the bottom-right corner.

statement made.

Most of us spend a significant portion of our day on smartphones. It’s become a daily habit for many. Whether it’s checking social media, browsing the internet, or texting friends, our smartphones have become an essential part of our lives. As a result, our message inboxes can quickly fill up with countless conversations, oftentimes cluttering our devices and making it difficult to find important messages. Therefore, it is crucial to regularly clean up our message inboxes to keep them organized and ensure we don’t miss any important information or notifications. Here are some steps you can follow to delete multiple messages on your smartphone quickly and efficiently.

You should start receiving new messages now.

Sometimes, a software version can cause issues with iMessage. Updating your iPhone/iPad to the latest iOS/iPadOS version can fix the iMessage not working issue.

Step 1: Open the Settings app on your iPhone. Go to General.

Step 2: Tap Software Update.

Step 3: Check for updates. If available, install the update.

12. Set the Date and Time to Automatically Update

Switching on an old iPhone or setting an incorrect date and time can cause iMessage to stop working. To fix this issue, set the date and time on your iPhone according to the automatic setting. Here’s how:

1. Open the Settings app and go to the General option.

2. Choose ‘Date and Time’.

Step 2: Turn on the toggle Set Automatically. If it’s already on, turn it off and then back on again.

13. Try Using iMessage on a Mac or a Different Device

Having multiple Apple devices means you probably logged in with the same Apple ID on your Mac, iPad, and Apple Watch. If so, try sending an iMessage from your Mac or Apple Watch to check if it works. If it does, it means there may be an issue with your iPhone’s network settings and a reset is needed. Follow the steps below to reset your iPhone’s network settings and then try enabling iMessage again.

If none of the solutions worked, reset network settings on your iPhone/iPad. This will reset all parameters such as saved Wi-Fi networks, Bluetooth devices, data plans, etc. You will need to set them up again manually, but it can fix the iMessage issue.

Step 1: Open the Settings app on your iPhone and go to the General section.

Step 2: Scroll down. Tap ‘Transfer or Reset iPhone’.

Step 3: Select the Reset option.

Step 4: Select Reset Network Settings. Avoid selecting any other option as it may wipe your iPhone’s storage completely.

Connect to your Wi-Fi network again and try using iMessage. The above fixes should get your iMessage running again. Have more questions? Move to the next section.

1. The reason iMessages are green is when one fails to send, it’s delivered as an SMS, which is indicated by a green bubble instead of blue.

2. iMessage automatically syncs whenever you connect to Wi-Fi, so there’s no need to manually refresh it.

3. If your network is experiencing issues, your iPhone’s messages won’t update.

4. It’s possible to have multiple iMessage accounts by linking more than one phone number or email ID to your Apple account.

Both parties must be connected to the internet and registered on iMessage for it to work. If the contact you’re texting is offline, hasn’t registered for iMessage, or uses an Android device, iMessage will not work.

6. Does sending an iMessage as a text mean I’m blocked?

No, sending an iMessage as a text doesn’t necessarily mean you’re blocked. It could just be that iMessage isn’t working correctly on your iPhone. Follow the steps mentioned above to fix it.

If iMessage is not working on your iPhone or iPad, you may become disconnected from friends and family. However, you can easily fix this issue by following these instructions. Get back online and join the conversation without feeling excluded with green bubbles.