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

In this feature we look at causes of iMessage failure and offer straightforward troubleshooting tips to help you fix the letters app on your iPhone, iPad or Mac. Notice out how to tell if iMessage is down, what to do if iMessage stops working on your iPhone, and what to exercise if iMessage is not working in your Mac. We volition assist you lot fix all your iMessage bug.

If you just want to prepare up the service, encounter How to gear up iMessage on iPhone.

Why is iMessage not working?

There are lots of reasons why iMessage can stop working: it could be an event with Apple's iMessage server, a trouble with the Messages app, or your settings could need adjusting.

Before we move on to specific difficulties, permit's work through ix uncomplicated troubleshooting steps that will solve the about common bug with iMessage.

1. Bank check if iMessage is down

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

You tin can check if whatsoever of Apple'southward online services are experiencing outages past checking the System Status page.

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

On this web page Apple gives you a heads-up about any services with planned maintenance piece of work, forth with a report of any recently resolved problems in whatever of its services. However, if your result has only just appeared, bear in mind that the website's update frequency tends to exist measured in minutes, not seconds - perhaps as many equally 30 on occasion - then the trouble may not have been spotted yet.

Even if Apple tree's Arrangement Status site suggests all is well, at that place could be an outage that's local to you. As an alternative to Apple tree's page, you could endeavour Downwardly Detector, which provides a graph detailing outage reports from the past 24 hours, and even an outage map to see whether you're in an affected area.

You could likewise search for the discussion iMessage and related terms on Twitter; if lots of people are talking near the problem then it's clearly not just you lot.

The fix

The good news is that even if iMessage is downwardly, you should all the same be able to communicate with your friends via normal texts.

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

If this isn't working for yous, 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 pick to "Send equally Text".

iphone text

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

iMessage needs a data connection to piece of work, so you demand to make sure you've got 3G or 4G (or 5G) bachelor, or a good WiFi betoken. Without WiFi or a cellular information connection your iMessage won't send.

Check you can access the spider web past performing a quick search in Safari. If yous see no results you've identified the root of your problem.

If you don't have a skilful cellular connectedness you lot could try turning Plane Mode on and off to run across if yous can improve your reception. Depending on your iPhone either swipe in from the top correct or swipe upward from the bottom of your iPhone or iPad screen, and select and deselect Airplane Way - the plane icon.

Fifty-fifty if the cellular connection is keen, y'all might non have enough data. Is there a chance you've used up all your information for the month? Are you even sure that data is included in your contract? Contact your network provider to check. (Read virtually how to save information on your iPhone here.)

The fix

If you are out of data, or the 3G/4G connection is poor, effort ane of the post-obit:

  • In addition to switching the aerials on and off using Aeroplane Style, turning your iPhone on and off once more may also aid it notice a stronger signal.
  • Log onto a nearby Wi-Fi network to ship your iMessage. To find a nearby network, go to Settings > Wi-Fi and have a look to run into if in that location is a free Wi-Fi network nearby.
  • If your Wi-Fi connection is the problem then turn off Wi-Fi and use 3G/4G.
  • If none of those tips works you may need to reset your network settings. Tap Settings > Full general > Reset > Reset Network Settings and encounter if this fixes the problem.
  • If y'all notwithstanding don't get a data connection, and there is no WiFi available, you should exist able to press and hold on the undelivered message and cull to 'Send as text message' from the options that come. A text message should get through fifty-fifty over a GPRS connection.

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

3. Brand certain iMessage is on and set correctly

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

If when you get to this page you encounter a message suggesting that iMessage is "Waiting for activation" or "Activation unsuccessful", then read this article: What to do when iMessage won't actuate on your iPhone.

If iMessage is switched on and there is no bulletin about activation, check that your phone is set up correctly to receive iMessages: Go to Settings > Letters and check the addresses and mobile number yous have listed in Transport & Receive.

The fix

Bold it's not an activation issue, run through the post-obit:

  1. Plough off your mobile number or e-mail address in the list of places where you can Ship & Receive from. Nosotros suggest trying a process of elimination to come across if iMessage works with but your mobile number or but an e-mail address.
  2. Cheque there is a tick abreast your phone number in the Get-go New Conversations From section if you're using an iPhone.

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

four. Plough it off and on once more and restart Messages

As in all expert troubleshooting articles one essential slice of advice is to plow it off and on again. You could starting time off by double-pressing the Home push button and swiping upwards on the Messages app, before relaunching it. If the app was hanging this may well fix the problem.

The fix

If things however aren't working you could try the post-obit:

  1. Reboot iMessage by going to Settings > Letters and turning off iMessage, so plow off your iPhone by pressing and holding the on/off switch, slide to power off, and then look for your iPhone to start up again.
  2. One time y'all've rebooted, render to Settings > Messages and turn iMessage dorsum on.
  3. Sign out of your Apple tree ID and then sign in again. You lot tin do this from Settings > Letters and so tap on Send & Receive and at the top of the page tap on your Apple ID and choose Sign Out.
  4. Then sign in once again and see if this has fixed the problem.

For related communication you may too similar to read How to send and receive text letters on Mac and How to apply Messages on the iPhone.

5. Delete some messages

If your Messages app has a lot of photos and videos it might ho-hum downwardly a bit. Deleting some of your iMessages - especially the ones with lots of photos might solve the trouble (merely note that images sent via iMessage won't automatically announced in your Photos app).

The fix

In that location are a few ways to reduce the size of your iMessage library.

  • To delete letters you can swipe from right to left on a message in the Messages listing and cull Delete.
  • Or you can tap the Edit push in the summit left-hand corner of Letters and delete letters that mode.
  • There is likewise a 'Proceed Messages' selection in Settings > Messages. Look for Message History and tap Go on Messages - you can select Forever, 1 year or 30 days. Before you lot make up one's mind to delete messages after 30 days, exist certain you aren't virtually to lose some important messages! (For related communication, we take a feature about how to retrieve deleted text letters.)
  • While you're here, you can besides alter your settings so that you lot ship low-res images, which take upwards less infinite. Go to Settings > Messages and toggle Low-Quality Image Mode on. (It'due south the last option, right at the bottom of the folio.)

iPhone

6. Check iOS is up to engagement

If your software isn't upward to date at that place may be a bug stopping it from working properly.

The fix

To cheque if an updated version of iOS is bachelor (and download and install it if so), become to Settings > Full general > Software Update.

For more item on the updating process and the problems it may entail, see How to update iOS.

7. Check Network settings

Brand sure information technology'due south not a problem with your Network settings.

The set

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

  1. Go to Settings > General > Reset > Reset Network Settings. Y'all'll have to enter your passwords over again after you do this.
  2. You lot could also effort turning off Wi-Fi Assistance. Wi-Fi Assist will switch to a cellular signal when information technology is stronger than your local WiFi network. Turning it off has worked for some people. Go to Settings > Mobile Data and whorl down to WiFi Help and switch it off if it's on.

8. Check Time Zone settings

Some users accept found that they had problems sending Messages when the fourth dimension zone wasn't ready to update automatically. It's not articulate what was causing the problem, perhaps information technology'south to practice with the carrier settings.

The fix

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

  1. Go to Settings > General > Date & Time and make sure your time zone is prepare automatically.
  2. Ready Automatically to ON.

9. Reset all Settings

As a terminal resort, y'all could practise a full Reset…

In Settings get to General > Reset.

10. Ask Apple

If you lot are all the same having problems so it's probably time to get an appointment with a genius at the Apple Store, here'southward how.

Specific issues with iMessage

Beneath we look at some specific problems with iMessages - permit us know if you experience any issues with the service, or if you discover a prepare of your own.

iMessage activation unsuccessful

Setting upwards iMessage on an iPhone or iPad should be a simple procedure, but it tin sometimes exist problematic. In some instance 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 letters:

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

The fix:

We offer lots of advice about how to fix this issue here: What to do when iMessage won't actuate on your iPhone.

In summary:

  • Check if iMessage has been deactivated in Settings > Letters.
  • Turn Messages off and on again in Settings > Letters. Do the same with FaceTime. Then plow your iPhone off and on again. Once your iPhone is on again go back to Messages and turn it dorsum on.
  • Contact your mobile network about the problem.
  • You may but have to wait - information technology tin can have 24 hours to be activated.

Why isn't my friend receiving iMessages?

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

Information technology'due south besides possible that they have recently changed networks and demand to actuate iMessage.

Alternatively, information technology'southward 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, only they won't receive them on their new handset. If they no longer desire to receive iMessages they need to deregister from iMessage.

The Fix

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

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

However, it may not exist that simple, so nosotros have a split tutorial almost the steps they need to take to brand sure iMessages will become through.

If your friend no longer has an iPhone it's withal possible that you can transport iMessages - but they won't exist delivered to their new handset. If they would prefer to turn off iMessage to avoid missing out on texts, they can exercise the post-obit:

  1. If they still have the old iPhone they tin get to Settings > Messages.
  2. Switch off iMessage.
  3. It's also possible to conciliate iMessage using a spider web tool here.

After turning off iMessage, the text messages y'all send on an iPhone volition be green rather than bluish.

iPhone Messages

iMessage visual effects aren't working

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

For case, you tin can press and concur on a speech bubble to add a thumbs upward or a eye, you tin ship sketches, and if you press and concur the arrow that you usually tap to send a message you will become access to fun furnishings similar Send with Echo, 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 past your recipient, try the post-obit:

  1. Check that your recipient has installed iOS ten or iOS 11.
  2. Some effects also won't piece of work if your friend has Reduced Motion activated on their iPhone (they may have changed the setting to save bombardment power equally per the advice in this feature). In that case, they need to Go to General > Accessibility > Reduce Motility > Off.

Annotation, your effects won't work if they're non sent equally an iMessage; if your friend doesn't have an iPhone iPad or Mac they won't see them.

Tin can't transport a group iMessage

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

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

When you lot send a group message in iMessage all your contacts will show up as blue, until yous add someone who doesn't take iMessage, then they will all turn light-green as the iMessage grouping will not be supported.

If you lot had a grouping iMessage and one of your contacts stopped using their iPhone this would suspension the grouping iMessage. To find out if this is the case, start a new group message rather than continuing with the former one.

Information technology's likewise possible that y'all tin can't send a grouping message to an existing thread because you lot left the conversation.

The ready

If you remember you've close yourself out of a group bulletin, as we described in a higher place, you will need to do the following:

  1. Open the Messages app and tap the group message you're trying to reply to.
  2. If you've left the chat a message will tell you and so.
  3. You can't unilaterally rejoin a conversation: you'll need to take i of the remaining participants add you lot once again.
  4. Alternatively, you could just start a new conversation with all the aforementioned participants and become from there.

What if you are intent on grouping messaging your friends and not all of them accept iPhones? In that case, your best pick is to utilize Whatsapp. We take this tutorial nigh using Whatsapp here.

Lost or accidentally deleted Messages

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

The fix

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

  • Retrieve from an iCloud backup.
  • Retrieve from the iCloud website.
  • Contact your phone provider.
  • Retrieve from an iTunes backup.
  • Recollect using a third-political party app.

We cover all of these in a separate article: How to recall deleted text messages.

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

The matching Messages apps on iOS and Mac should permit yous to easily and conveniently deport on iMessage conversations beyond the two platforms. Only sometimes the two apps fail to sync properly, and iMessages sent from (or received on) the iPhone fail to appear on the Mac, or vice versa.

The fix

Do not worry. This is such a common complaint that Apple has made it possible to store all your in iCloud - which ways that they will always be in sync on all your devices. For more information, we have this tutorial about using iMessages in iCloud.

If you aren't keen on turning on iMessages in iCloud (it may touch your available storage) y'all could endeavour the following:

  1. Go to Settings > Letters > Send & Receive. Make sure all the email addresses (not just phone numbers) that yous desire to acquaintance with that iMessage account take been ticked. (Y'all may need to tap 'Use your Apple ID for iMessage' at the top to make the addresses appear.)
  2. At present open the Messages app on your Mac. Click Letters in the top carte du jour bar, then Preferences. Click Accounts, then tick the appropriate email addresses once again. You may demand to enter more details for some of them.
  3. Finally, restart Messages on each device and (hopefully) you'll observe that the result is solved.

For more detail, see How to sync iMessage conversations on iPhone, iPad and Mac.