iMessage Not Working? Check the Fix

iMessage not working on iPhone, iPad or iPod touch? No problem. In this article, I’ll tell you exactly why iMessage is not working and how you can fix the issue.

You may experience issues when you try to send
iMessages.
For instance, you might see a red exclamation mark next to an iMessage you want to send, meaning your message was not sent. Also, you may receive an alert
saying “not delivered”.  Sometimes, your messages might be delivered as regular text messages (green bubbles), rather than iMessages (blue bubbles). Also,
you may have problems receiving iMessages that your friends send to you. Actually, you may not receive iMessages at all.

Another common problem is iMessage activation. Some people may see a “waiting for activation” when they want to turn on iMessage.

Are you experiencing any of the above problem? Try 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 > Messages and ensure that iMessage is turned on.
• Go to Settings > 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 > Messages.

System status for iMessage

If you are not receiving iMessages on iPhone, 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:

1. Launch your web browser.
2. Navigate to
   Apple’s System Status page.
3. Look for iMessage in the list of services.
4. 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.
5. 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.
6. On all your Apple devices, head over to Settings > 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 device may fix iMessage problems. Simply follow these steps to restart your device:

• To restart iPhone X, 11, or newer and iPad models with Face ID, Press and hold down the power (side or top) 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 other iPhone, iPad models, and iPod touch: Press and hold down the power button (side or top) 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 Apple device, head over to Settings > Messages and turn off iMessage. Now, restart your device. And then when your device is turned on, head over to Settings > 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 Apple device 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
device 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 articles:
  • iPhone Wi-Fi problems: fix
  • iPad Wi-Fi problems: fix
• If other devices are unable to connect to a Wi-Fi network, there are two possibilities:
  1. 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.

See also:
Cellular Not Working on iPhone? Fix

iOS and iPadOS update

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

• On your iPhone, iPad or iPod touch, 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, iPad or iPod touch, 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 or iPad, go to Settings.
• Now, scroll down and tap Messages.
• Next, tap on Send & Receive.
• Next on, tap on your Apple ID and sign out.
• Finally, sign back in by going to Settings > 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, iPad, or iPod touch, go to Settings.
• Now, tap on General.
• Scroll down and tap Reset.
• Tap on Reset Network Settings.

iMessage still not working?
Contact
Apple Support.
You can
chat with an Apple Support team representative.