There can be many reasons for this issue. We are going to list them all so by the end of this article, you should be able to send messages through your iPhone. Let’s begin.
Fix: iPhone Not Sending Text Messages
1. Force Reboot
This is perhaps the oldest trick in the book but one that could possibly solve a lot of problems for you. Worth a try and simple to follow. Just hold the power and home button at the same time for a couple of seconds. If you have iPhone X series with no home button, press the Volume Up button once, then do the same for the Volume Down button and then press and hold the power button for few seconds until the display suddenly gives you the shutdown option.
2. iMessage Is Down
This is possible and has happened before in the past. The messages that you are sending via iMessage goes through Apple servers. While Apple takes a lot of care to make sure they stay up and working 24×7, every system can fail. To check whether iMessage is down or not, you need to check the system status here.
This handy link will not only show the system status of iMessage but pretty much every other service that Apple provides like iTunes, Music, iCloud, Beats and more. I suggest you bookmark this link for future references, especially if you are heavily invested in the Apple ecosystem. Also Read: Best AR Apps For iPhone Xs Max
3. Check Network Settings
The messages app on the iPhone depends on a lot of third-party services to function correctly. The first one is the telecom signal. Are you getting a strong enough signal to send a text message? If not, try moving to an area where the network is stronger. Make sure that Airplane mode is not toggled on. In fact, some of our users have reported that toggling Airplane mode on and off once helped resolve the issue, so you may want to try that once. Access the control center to quickly check the Airplane mode status.
While text message depends on the cellular network to send an SMS, you will need an active Internet connection like WiFi or data plan to send an iMessage. Check your WiFi connection and make sure it is working or disconnect momentarily to see if cellular data is working. This will help you narrow possible issues.
4. Checking Block List
It is possible that you might have blocked the contact that you are trying to send an iMessage/SMS to by chance or intentionally and forgot about it. People can be annoying sometimes, isn’t it?
To check if the recipient is on your block list, go to Setting > General > Messages > Blocked. If you find the recipient’s name or number there, unblock him/her by tapping on the entry. Also Read: How to Transfer Files From Android to iPhone Without SHAREit
5. Update iPhone
This is what happened recently. Apple pushed an update and all hell broke loose when a user discovered a bug in Facetime that allowed the caller to hear your audio while the phone is still ringing. Bugs are common and when the Cupertino giant discovers one, it will push an update.
Updating your OS can also help fix a lot of errors and issues in general so it is recommended to check whether there is an update pending and if yes, update your iPhone to the latest version ASAP. Maybe this is why your iPhone was not sending messages.
6. Regular Message
As mentioned earlier, iMessage uses the Internet to send and receive messages via the Apple server. If it is not working, you can try sending a regular text message using your cellular plan. Note that unlike iMessage, these messages are not free and charges will depend on your chosen carrier plan so make sure to check that in advance.
7. Recreate the Group
A lot of us use iMessage to send and receive group messages. It saves a lot of time and hassle. If you are unable to send group messages, then I would recommend you to delete the group and also delete all old conversations you had with the group. Then recreate the group with the same recipients. Now try sending group messages again and see if it works.
8. iMessage & MMS Setting
iMessage is nothing but a form of MMS so it is possible that the setting for the same has been turned off. To check that, go to Settings > Messages and check whether iMessage option is toggled on or not.
While you are there, also check if the option to Send as SMS (when iMessage is not available) is toggled on. This way, your smartphone will make the best call and use SMS as a backup when iMessage is not working. A regular message is denoted by a green bubble while iMessage is denoted by a blue one. Knowing the difference can help you understand which settings to tweak first. In the same screen, if you scroll a little, you will find MMS Messaging which should also be toggled on.
Also Read: How to Customize Home Screen on iPhone without Jailbreak
9. Reset iMessage
Some of our readers have reported that resetting the iMessage settings helped them bring sanity to their life. This will not delete your iMessages but will reset settings to default. To do this, go back to Settings > Messages > Send & Receive. You should be logged in to your Apple ID here.
Sign out here, toggle iMessage off in the previous screen and reboot your iPhone. Wait for 10 minutes and then toggle iMessage back on and sign in using your Apple ID. You should see your email IDs and mobile number here. See if your iPhone is sending messages now.
10. Reset Network Settings
Just like iMessage, you can also reset your network settings. This will affect your cellular tower data, WiFi settings like names and passwords and even VPN details. You can always enter them back manually so no harm in following this step. Resetting network settings can solve all sorts of network related issues and is often recommended by Apple support.
To do this, go to Settings > General > Reset > Reset Network Settings. Tap on Yes if asked to confirm your action. Your iPhone might experience a quick reboot as well.
11. Date & Time Settings
Smartphones are smart devices and so you don’t have to worry about setting date and time. Your mobile will pull this data from your cellular network automatically. Sometimes, the smartphone can fail to pull this data which may result in your mobile showing the wrong date and time instead. This will impact a lot of services including iPhone not sending text messages.
Check if the date and time are set correctly and if not, go to Settings > General > Date & Time. Make sure the time zone is set correctly here to automatic. You may toggle Automatic off to set it manually if the date and time are showing incorrectly on your iPhone.
12. Update Carrier Settings
It is possible that your carrier settings are not up to date. In most cases, these settings are automatically installed the first time you insert your SIM card. You can manually view these settings by going to Settings – General – About. Tapping on the Carrier name will reveal more information like whether SMS/MMS settings are enabled or not.
If there is an update available for carrier settings, you will see it on the same screen. If you want to update carrier settings manually, there is no direct way, however, there is a hack available. Insert a new SIM that is registered to a different carrier than the one you are currently using. This will prompt you to install new carrier settings that will be delivered via an SMS. Once updated, remove the SIM and insert your old SIM back again thereby forcing your iPhone to reinstall the original carrier settings all over again.
Messages Not Sending on iPhone
As you can see, there are a number of reasons why the iPhone is not sending messages on your iPhone. One or more of the above solutions may work for you so try them and let us know in the comments below. Did you find a new way to resolve this error? Do share with us below in the comments.
