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How to the Fix iMessage not Working Issue on iPhone and iPad

This article explains what iMessage is and how to diagnose and fix problems with iMessage on your iPhone, iPad, and iPod.

Daniel Barrett
Aug 30, 20226674 Shares162788 Views
Is iMessage not working on your iPhone, iPad or Mac? Are you having problems sending or receiving texts via iMessage? Have your usually blue speech bubbles turned green? Are messages not showing up in the right order? Is iMessage telling you that your text hasn’t been delivered? Are you wondering why iMessage is not working?
If you’ve been trying to send iMessages using your iPhone and all of your messages are suddenly appearing in green bubbles, then iMessage isn’t working correctly on your iPhone. This article explains what iMessage is and how to diagnose and fix problems with iMessage on your iPhone, iPad, and iPod.

What is iMessage and How Does it Work?

iMessage was Apple’s answer to Blackberry Messenger, and it is fundamentally different than traditional text messaging (SMS) and multimedia messaging (MMS) because iMessage uses data to send messages instead of the text messaging plan through your cellular service provider.
iMessage is a great feature because it allows iPhones, iPads, iPods, and Macs to send messages that transcend the traditional 160-character limit of text messages and data limits associated with MMS messages. The primary drawback of iMessage is that it only works between Apple devices. It’s impossible to send an iMessage to someone with an Androidsmartphone.

Why is iMessage Not Working?

There are lots of reasons why iMessage can stop working: it could be an issue with Apple’s iMessage server, a problem with the Messages app, or your settings could need adjusting.
Before we move on to specific difficulties, let’s work through these simple troubleshooting steps that will solve the most common issues with iMessage.

Check if iMessage is Down

The first possibility is that the server that iMessage is run from is down – which could mean that iMessage isn’t working for anyone. This is rare, but it does happen occasionally. You can check if any of Apple’s online services are experiencing outages by checking the System Status page.
Also read:iMessages Not Syncing Between Mac and iPhone? Here’s The Fix

Make Sure iMessage is Set Up Correctly

Head to Settings -> Messages and tap to open the menu item called ‘Send & Receive’. Here, you’ll see a list of the phone numbers and email addresses that are configured to send and receive iMessages on your device. Look under the section titled ‘Start New Conversations From’, and if there isn’t a checkmark next to your phone number, tap on your phone number to activate iMessage for your number.

Turn iMessage Off, Reboot, And Then Back On

Head to Settings -> Messages and tap the button next to iMessage to turn iMessage off on your iPhone or iPad. Next, hold the power button down until you see ‘Slide to Power Off’ and slide your finger across the bar to turn off your iPhone or iPad. Turn your device back on, head back to Settings -> Messages, and turn iMessage back on. This simple fix works a lot of the time.

Check Your Internet Connection

iMessage needs a data connection to work, so you need to make sure you’ve got 3G or 4G available, or a good WiFi signal. Without WiFi or a cellular data connection, your iMessage won’t send. Check if you can access the web by performing a quick search in Safari. If you see no results you’ve identified the root of your problem.
If you don’t have a good 3G or 4G connection you could try turning Airplane Mode on and off to see if you can improve your reception.

Delete Some Messages

If your Messages app has a lot of photos and videos it might slow down a bit. Deleting some of your iMessages – especially 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).
To delete messages you can swipe from right to left on a message in the Messages list and choose Delete. Or you can tap the Edit button in the top left-hand corner of Messages and delete messages that way.

Sign Out Of iMessage and Sign Back In

Head back to Settings -> Messages and tap to open ‘Send & Receive’. Next, tap where it says ‘Apple ID: (your Apple ID)’ and choose ‘Sign Out’. Sign back in using your Apple ID and try sending an iMessage to one of your friends with an iPhone.

Check for an iOS Update

Head to Settings-> General-> Software Updateand check to see if there is an iOS update for your iPhone.

Reset Network Settings

Make sure it’s not a problem with your Network settings.
Here’s how to reset your Network settings if Messages aren’t sending.
Go to Settings> General> Reset> Reset Network Settings. You’ll have to enter your passwords again after you do this.

Contact Apple Support

If you are still having problems then it’s probably time to get an appointment with a genius at the Apple Store. If you do decide to visit an Apple Store, do yourself a favor and call ahead to make an appointment with the Genius Bar so you don’t have to wait around to get help.
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