iPhone 12 not receiving texts messages? Fix

If your iPhone 12 is not receiving SMS messages, it could be because there aren’t just any text messages sent to your device/number at the moment or something in your iPhone is blocking incoming SMS messages. If it is the former, then there’s nothing to troubleshoot, otherwise, you’ll need to figure out the barrier and eliminate it. This post will attempt to address the latter. Continue reading to find out what to do if your iPhone 12 cannot receive SMS messages in iOS 14.

Troubleshooting an iPhone 12 that cannot receive SMS messages after the latest iOS update

There are many possible reasons why your iphone 12 can’t receive text messages. Some users states that the problem started after installing the recent update and so it’s very likely that an iOS bug is the underlying cause. Nonetheless, it’s important to eliminate other common factors that can prevent an iPhone 12 from getting SMS messages as it should. Feel free to refer to this troubleshooting guide.

Fix #1: Restart your iPhone.

Your iPhone may be just enduring some minor post update glitch and it so happened that the incoming services, particularly SMS are adversely affected. To clear out random issues like this, performing a soft reset will possibly resolve your issue. As such, this should be among the first potential solution you should try. Here’s how it’s done:

1. Press and hold both the Side button and Volume Up button for a few seconds.
2. Let go both buttons when you see the Slide to Power off slider.
3. Swipe or drag the slider to turn your device off.
4. After about 30 seconds, hold down the Side button and then release when the Apple logo appears.

Wait for your iPhone to finish rebooting and then re-establishes cellular network signal. Once the signal is stable, retry sending a sample SMS from another device and see if you can receive it on your iphone 12.

Fix #2: Refresh cellular network connections on your iPhone.

Another reason why iPhone 12 can’t receive sms is due to cellular network problems. This is very possible, especially if the network system tends to become a bit shaky from the recent update. To fix the problem, refreshing your iPhone’s cellular feature can help. You can do this by turning Cellular option on your phone off and on or carry out the Airplane Mode trick instead. Here’s how it works:

1. Start the settings app on your iPhone
2. Now, tap on Airplane Mode.
3. Toggle the Airplane Mode switch to turn the feature ON. Doing so will disable your iPhone’s wireless radios and associated features like Wi-Fi and Bluetooth.

While Airplane Mode is turned on, reboot or soft reset your iPhone to clear out network cache.
After it reboots, go back to Settings-> Airplane Mode menu.
Then toggle the Airplane Mode switch to turn it OFF again.
Performing this trick can help rectify random errors affecting the iPhone’s wireless functions including cellular services. That said, there’s a good chance that it will be able to fix random post-update cellular errors that caused problems to your phone’s SMS functions.

Fix #3: Install carrier settings updates to fix your iPhone 12 that cannot receive SMS messages.

Carriers typically address widespread network problems by rolling out carrier updates containing the required fix patch. These updates are different from the updates released by Apple periodically. To check if there are any new updates released by your carrier for your device, Here is how:

1. Connect your iPhone to a computer and launch iTunes. Be sure to use the latest version of iTunes app to avoid bumping into some system conflicts.
2. Wait for your device to sync and back up with iTunes.
3. Click to select your iPhone 12 when it appears in iTunes.
4. Navigate to the Summary section and then hold down the Shift key on the keyboard and click Check for Update. Doing so will prompt iTunes to install an iOS image (*.ipsw).
   Change the file type to iPhone/iPad Carrier Configuration File (*.ipcc).
5. Select the desired file and then follow the rest of the onscreen instructions to complete the process.

If your iPhone doesn’t have any trouble connecting to the internet, then you can use this simpler method to check for any available carrier settings updates for your device:

1. Start the settings app on your iPhone
2. Tap General.
3. Tap About.
4. An option to update your carrier settings will show up if an update is available. You can view the version of carrier settings on your iPhone by going to Settings-> General-> About menu then scroll down to the Carrier section.

Fix #4: Reset all settings on your iPhone 12.

Some system updates would end up ruining system configurations or customization on your device. As a result, adverse symptoms will arise depending on which system component has been directly affected. To clear this out, try to reset all settings on your device. This doesn’t affect any saved data on your iPhone storage so you won’t lose any personal information afterwards. Just follow these steps whenever you’re all set for the reset:

1. start the settings app on your iPhone 12
2. Tap General.
3. Scroll down and tap on Reset.
4. Select Reset all settings from the list of options.
5. Type in your passcode if prompted to continue.
6. Tap on Reset all settings again to confirm action.

Wait for your iPhone to finish resetting all settings and then restarts when done. After the restart, you can start re-enabling individual features that you want to use on your device, particularly those that are disabled by default.

Last resort: Remove then reinsert the SIM card on your iPhone.

Some SMS problems are attributed to SIM card issues from a corrupted SIM card system or worse, damaged SIM card in use. To rule out SIM card system corruption, reinstalling the SIM card on your iPhone can help. Please follow these steps:

1. Power off your iPhone completely.
2. While your phone is turned off, insert the SIM ejector tool into the small hole on the SIM tray located on the side of your device. If you don’t have the SIM ejector tool, you can use a bent small paper clip instead.
3. Gently push the SIM ejector or paper clip into the hold until the tray pops out.
4. Remove the SIM card from the tray.
5. Check the SIM card and tray for any indications of damage like scratches or liquid traces.
6. If everything looks fine, place the SIM card back into the tray in the same orientation before removing it.
7. Secure the SIM card in place and then push the tray back into the phone.

When the SIM tray is secured in place, you can turn the phone back on and see if the problem is gone.

Inserting the SIM card to another phone (that uses the same SIM card type) can also help you determine whether or not the problem is due to a faulty SIM card. If your other device is able to receive SMS using the same SIM card, then the SIM card is working and the problem is more likely from within your iPhone system. Otherwise, you may need to consider asking your carrier for a new SIM card replacement.

What to do if your iPhone 12 still cannot receive SMS messages?

An alternative temporary solution you can try is to set up and use text message forwarding on your iPhone. Doing so allows you to view all SMS and MMS messages that were sent to your iPhone on your other Apple devices like an iPad, iPod touch, and Mac computers. You can also continue the conversation from any of your preferred device. Just follow these steps to set up text message forwarding on your iPhone 12:

1. Start the settings up on your iPhone
2. Scroll down and tap Messages.
3. Tap Send & Receive.
4. Then verify and ensure that you are signed into iMessage using the correct same Apple ID used on all your devices.
5. After verifying your Apple ID, go back to Settings-> Messages menu and then tap the Text Message Forwarding option.
6. Select which devices you’d want to send and receive text messages from your iPhone 12.
7. If prompted with a verification code on each of your other devices, enter that code on your iPhone 12.

By then, you can start sending and receiving SMS and MMS messages on your devices for as long as your iPhone 12 is turned on and connected to Wi-Fi or cellular network.

For further assistance and recommendations, you can contact your network service provider or contact Apple Support instead.