How to Fix iMessage Not Working on iPhone After iOS 18 Update

Is iMessage not working on your iPhone after iOS 18 update?

Apple brings a range of new features to the Messages app with iOS 18. One of those is the handy capability to schedule messages to Send Later. Despite all these new features, some iOS 18 users are experiencing issues when they try to send iMessages. For instance, some users are seeing a red exclamation mark next to an iMessage they want to send, meaning their message was not sent. Also, some users are receiving an alert saying “not delivered”. Sometimes, their messages are being delivered as regular text messages (green bubbles), rather than iMessages (blue bubbles). Other users are having problems receiving iMessages. Actually, some users have complained that they are completely not receiving iMessages after iOS 18 update.

Another common problem in iOS 18 is iMessage activation. Some people are seeing a “waiting for activation” when they want to turn on iMessage.

In this article, we will show you how to easily fix iMessage problems after iOS 18 update, step by step.

How to fix iMessage not working after iOS 18 update

If your iMessage is not working after iOS 18 update, trive the troubleshooting steps below in order. Keep in mind to test iMessage to see if your issue was fixed after performing each step.

iMessage not delivered

Are you getting a “not delivered” alert saying “this iMessage was not delivered” when you try to send iMessages? Try to tap the red exclamation mark and tap Try Again. When you resend, was your iMessage delivered? If you are still experiencing this problem, try the next solution.

Check your settings

Please check the settings below:

Go to Settings > Apps > Messages and ensure that iMessage is turned on.
Go to Settings > Apps > Messages > Blocked Contacts and ensure that the sender is not on your block list. Because you will not receive iMessages from contacts that are on the list.
Ensure that your recipient owns an Apple device. Ensure that iMessage is enabled on your recipient device.
If you are experiencing problems with group iMessages,
ensure that Group Messaging is turned on: Head over to Settings > Apps > Messages.

System status for iMessage

If you are still not receiving iMessages on iPhone after iOS 18 update, you may need to check the system status for iMessage. It’s a good idea to do this in case you start having this problem all of a sudden. There is a high possibility that Apple is experiencing downtime with its iMessage services. Please follow these steps to check if iMessage is down:

Launch your web browser.
Navigate to Apple’s System Status page.
Look for iMessage in the list of services.
If there is a green dot next to it, this is an indication that iMessage services are up and running. This means that the iMessage problem is on your end.
If you see a red, blue, or anything other than green dot next to iMessage, this means that iMessage services are down. The problem is on Apple’s end. You just need to wait and Apple will fix it.
On all your Apple devices, head over to Settings > Apps > Messages > Send & Receive and then ensure that your Apple ID and your phone number (if applicable) are set to send and receive iMessages.

Restart your device

Restarting your iPhone may fix iOS 18 iMessage problems. Simply follow these steps to restart your device:

To restart iPhone XR, iPhone 11, iPhone 12, iPhone 13, iPhone 14, iPhone 15 or newer, Press and hold down the Side and volume up (or down) buttons together until you see the power off slider. Then drag onscreen the slider. Wait for about a minute then press and hold down the power button until you see the Apple logo.
To restart iPhone SE (2nd or 3rd generation): Press and hold down the power button until the power off slider appears. Drag the slider. Then wait For about one minute then press and hold down the power button until the Apple logo appears.

Turn iMessage off and back on

On your iOS 18 device, head over to Settings > Apps > Messages and turn off iMessage. Now, restart your iPhone. And then when your device is turned on, head over to Settings > Apps > Messages and turn iMessage back on.

Check your Internet connection

A network connection (cellular or Wi-Fi) is necessary for you to be able to send or receive iMessages. Check to ensure that your iPhone is connected to a cellular data or Wi-Fi network. To check this, follow these steps: Launch Safari on your device and load geeksmodo.com.
Does our website load? If not, it means that your iPhone is not connected to the Internet, leading to iMessage problem. Please do the following:

If you are experiencing issues with your Wi-Fi connection, pleas see the following article

iPhone Wi-Fi problems: fix

If other devices are unable to connect to a Wi-Fi network, there are two possibilities

You may need to restart your Wi-Fi router:

Disconnect your router or modem from the power source.
Wait for about ten seconds.
Reconnect your router or modem.

There is a possibility that your Internet service provider is having issues. You may want to contact your service provider for more help.

You can send iMessages over cellular. If you see a No Service or Searching alerts on your device, meaning that you can’t connect to a cellular network. Please do the following:

Try to turn on Airplane Mode, wait about ten seconds, and turn it off. To do this, head over to Settings > Airplane Mode.
Turn Celluar Data off and wait for about ten seconds and turn it on again. To do this, head over to Settings > Cellular Data or Cellular.
Head over to Settings > General > About. This will check for a Carrier Settings update. If an update is available, a popup will appear.
Again there could be some issues with your cellular company. Contact your carrier.

iOS update

Make sure that your iPhone is running the latest version of iOS 18. Check for an iOS update and if an update is available, update your device. Follow these steps:

On your iPhone or iPad, tap Settings.
Go to General.
Tap Software Update.
If an update is available, download and install.

Check the date and time

Please make sure that the date and time are correct for your time zone. On your iPhone, Go to Settings > General > Date & Time. Are the date and time correct? If not. Update them so that they are correct. Also, consider turning on Set Automatically option.

Sign out and back in to iMessage

Follow these steps:

On your iPhone, go to Settings.
Now, scroll down and tap Apps then select Messages.
Next, tap on Send & Receive.
Next on, tap on Apple Account and sign out.
Finally, sign back in by going to Settings > Apps > Messages > Send & Receive.

Reset your Network Settings

Before you reset your network settings, make sure you have your Wi-Fi password handy as doing so will erase your Wi-Fi passwords, VPN settings, and more. Follow these steps to reset network settings on your iPhone:

On your iPhone or iPad, go to Settings.
Now, tap on General.
Tap on transfer or reset iphone
Scroll down and tap Reset.
Tap on Reset Network Settings.

iMessage still not working after iOS 18 update?

If iMessage is still not working after trying the above steps, contact Apple Support.. You can chat with an Apple Support team representative.