iOS 26

How to Fix iPhone Not Receiving Calls After iOS 26 Update

Wednesday August 6, 2025 4:30 pm EAT by Dave Johnson

In iOS 26, Apple has introduced multiple new features to the Phone app that are designed to prevent unwanted calls and to save you time. If your iPhone is not receiving calls in iOS 26, the problem is fixable.

Usually some quick troubleshooting will do the trick. It works for most of us – a quick software update and you’ll be yammering away like there wasn’t a problem in the first place.

We spent some time searching and narrowing down the issue, so we thought we’d compile this quick and easy troubleshooting guide for what to do if an iPhone can’t receive calls after iOS 26 update. If it works for you, feel free to pay it forward – send it along to someone else in need and collect your good karma. And so, without further ado, here’s what to do if your iPhone isn’t receiving phone calls in iOS 26.

1. Check Your Mobile Plan Status

The first thing you should do if your iPhone is not receiving calls after iOS 26 update is to check that you have an active mobile plan. If your plan has been suspended for more than three to four weeks, your iPhone won’t receive incoming calls because most carriers only allow expired accounts to receive calls for a limited number of days.

If this is the case, simply reload and reactivate your mobile plan, and your iPhone will ring when you get calls again.

2. Disable Airplane Mode and Focus

This worked for me. Turning off Airplane Mode and Focus mode fixed my problem when I was not receiving calls after iOS 26 update.

If Airplane Mode is activated, your iPhone can’t receive any kind of communications signal. It also means you’ll have to switch it off if you want to receive calls. Open the Settings app, and if you see that Airplane Mode is on, tap to turn it off. If Airplane mode is already off, turn it on, wait five seconds, then turn it back off.

Focus is another feature that affects calls. It helps you control incoming calls, texts, and app notifications so that you can avoid distractions while working or resting. Unless you customize its settings, Focus modes such as Do Not Disturb and Sleep will disable incoming calls by default.

To check if this is the cause of your problem, open the Control Center and see if you have one of your Focus modes enabled. If yes, simply tap the mode’s icon to turn it off. Now, you should start hearing the ringtone when you get any calls.

3. Connect Your iPhone to the Internet

This fix applies if you intend to receive calls on your iPhone through FaceTime and third-party apps like WhatsApp and Messenger. For these apps, calls can’t come through if your iPhone is not connected to the internet.

So, all you need to do is enable cellular data or connect your iPhone to a Wi-Fi network to receive calls on such apps again. To turn on mobile data, go to Settings > Cellular and toggle on Cellular Data. To connect to a Wi-Fi network, go to Settings > Wi-Fi and select a Wi-Fi network from the list.

4. Check Your Phone Signal

If you’re at a remote outdoor location, or if it’s raining or snowing in your area, you may experience poor cell reception. Check the cell signal icon in your iPhone’s status bar to find out if this is why your iPhone is not receiving calls.

If you’re expecting a call at a particular time but notice that the icon only displays one or two filled bars, you can try going outdoors (if you’re in an indoor building) to obtain a stronger signal.

5. Disable Screen Incoming Calls setting

Call screening is an iOS 26 feature that is designed to eliminate interruptions by gathering information from the caller and giving users the details they need to decide if they want to pick up or ignore the call. If Screen Incoming Callsis on, any caller who is not in the list of your contacts will be required to provide their name and reason for calling before iPhone rings. Turning this setting off can help avoid missing important calls.

So, if you are not receiving calls after iOS 26 update, you can try disabling the feature to solve the problem.

Go to Settings > Apps > Phone
Under Screen Unknown Callers, select Never.

6. Disable Call Filtering setting

Go to Settings > Apps > Phone. Scroll down to Call Filtering section. If Move to Unknown Callers is on, any calls and voicemails from numbers not in your contacts will be silenced and moved to Unknown Callers list.
- Tip: Doctors, banks, and delivery services may not call from their listed numbers. Keeping this setting off can help avoid missing important calls.
- Some users report that toggling this setting off and back on again can resolve the problem.

7. Disable Call Forwarding setting

Still in Settings > Apps > Phone, check if Call Forwardingis on.
Even if it appears to be off, some carriers can override this setting—so it’s worth double-checking with your carrier.

8. Check if You’ve Blocked the Caller

If you’re expecting a call from a particular number, but it never comes (even when the other person tells you they’re trying to phone), you may want to check if you’ve previously blocked it. Blocking a number on your iPhone prevents that person from calling you, so if you want to receive calls from the number, it’s time to unblock. Here’s how to check your block list and unblock them.

Go to Settings > Apps > Phone > Blocked Contacts. In the list of blocked contacts, swipe left on the desired entry and tap Unblock. Alternatively, tap Edit, then hit the red minus (–) button and tap Unblock.

9. Restart Your iPhone

If your iPhone doesn’t receive incoming calls even after trying the above solutions, try restarting your iOS 26 device. A simple reboot often clears up temporary glitches.

Hold the side button and either volume button until the power slider appears.
Slide to power off, wait a few seconds, then press and hold the side button again to turn it back on.

10. Review Third-Party Call Blockers

Suppose you’re waiting for a call from your bank. Any third-party call identification and spam-blocking apps you have installed may think the customer service number is a robocall or spam and thus block it.

To fix this, open any of those apps on your iPhone and whitelist any numbers you keep missing calls from. You may also want to turn off all call blocking from inside the app or by going to Settings > Apps > Phone > Call Blocking & Identification. Then, turn off any call identification apps you see here.

11. Update Your iPhone and Other Third-Party Apps

By this point, one or more of the above solutions should have fixed your iPhone not receiving calls after iOS 26 update issue. But in case you’re still having problems, make sure your iPhone is running on the latest iOS 26 software. Go to Settings > General > Software Update to see if an update is available for your device.

You should also update apps like WhatsApp, Messenger, or Zoom if you intend to receive calls through them. It may be a bug that’s been causing call reception issues, so updating the respective iPhone app might resolve the problem.

12. Remove and reinsert SIM card

If your iPhone has a physical SIM card, try removing your SIM card and reinserting it again. Doing this effectively de- and reactivates the card, hopefully removing any issues that were preventing your iPhone from receiving calls.

Locate the SIM card tray on your iPhone. Open the SIM card tray by pressing a SIM card ejector tool, straightened-out paperclip, or an earring backing into the hole in the SIM tray. Push the tray back in to reseat the SIM card.

13. Reset Network Settings

The last troubleshooting step you can try if you’re not receiving calls on iOS 26 is to reset the network settings on your iPhone. Go to Settings > General > Transfer or Reset iPhone > Reset > Reset Network Settings. This will erase all current saved settings, including Wi-Fi passwords, preferred networks, and VPN and APN settings that you’ve used before.

Receive Calls on Your iOS 26 Device Again

When you can’t receive calls at all on your iPhone, it’s usually due to three main reasons. One is software bug, the second is phone signal issues, and the third is that there’s a setting on your iPhone that’s blocking the call from coming through.

By applying the fixes above, you should be able to receive calls normally again. However, If you’ve tried all of the above steps and you still can’t receive calls in iOS 26, you you should contact your mobile carrier service provider or Apple Support for further assistance.

Tags: iOS 26, Phone

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How to Fix iPhone Not Sending Messages After iOS 26 Update

Wednesday August 6, 2025 3:55 pm EAT by Dave Johnson

If your iPhone is not sending messages after iOS26 update, first make sure your phone has service, as the issue may be with the Wi-Fi or cellular network, not your device itself.
Check in your iPhone’s Settings app that various messaging options are turned on so that your phone can dispatch texts if iMessage fails.
Turning your iPhone off and back on again can usually refresh the software and restore better signal connections, enabling your messages to send once again.

There are few sadder phrases than those two little red words your iPhone displays when a message fails to send: “Not Delivered.” Those words, along with that exclamation point in a circle, mean your charming photo or witty comment didn’t go through.

Fortunately, as in life, with the iPhone: the simplest answer is usually the correct one. If your iPhone is not sending messages after iOS 26 update, first make sure you have a connection to either a Wi-Fi or cellular network, and make sure your phone is not set to Airplane Mode.

How to troubleshoot your iPhone if it isn’t sending messages after iOS 26 update

Try these fixes to get your iPhone messages sending smoothly again.

But, before you start troubleshooting your iOS 26 messages issue, try just tapping that exclamation point beside your failed message and then tap “Try Again.”

Check your network connection

SMS and MMS messages send in green iPhone text bubbles, while iMessages send in blue iPhone text bubbles. SMS and MMS require a cellphone network to send a text, and iMessage requires an internet connection through data or Wi-Fi. Be sure you are sending the right type of message.

Sometimes bad weather, internet hackers, or a rural location can affect your service connection. One simple way to check if your cell signal is bad is by looking at the number of network bars in the top-right of your iPhone’s status bar, next to the battery icon. Less filled bars mean poor connection. If you see “Searching,” “No Service,” or “SOS,”that means you don’t have a signal.

Try moving to an area with better reception if it’s weak or nonexistent. If you’re in an area that usually has a good signal, contact your mobile network operator.

Make sure you are not in Airplane Mode

Airplane Mode prevents your iPhone from sending and receiving cellular signals. Unless you’re connected to a Wi-Fi network, you won’t be able to send or receive text messages via iMessage when you enable Airplane mode.

And even then, you can’t send or receive SMS and MMS messages since they rely on cellular signals. Because of this, you should make sure that you’ve turned off Airplane Mode before trying to send text messages.

You can do this by opening your iPhone’s Control Center and tapping the Airplane toggle in the top left. This symbol is grayed out whenever Airplane Mode is off. As a bonus, sometimes toggling Airplane Mode on and off can clear up temporary signal hiccups, too.

Check your iPhone’s Messages settings

When you message another contact with an Apple device, your iPhone sends it via iMessage by default.

Because iMessage texts sometimes fail to send, your iPhone might instead try sending SMS (Short Message Service) messages, even to other iPhone users. However, you need to switch this feature on in Settings for it to work.

In the Settings app, scroll to and tap Apps. Scroll to and tap Messages, then make sure the switches next to iMessage and Send as SMS are toggled on (to green).

If your iPhone won’t Send picture messages after iOS 26 update, make sure the switch next to MMS Messaging is turned on (to green).

Make sure your Mobile Plan is active

If your iPhone won’t send text messages on iOS 26, you should check whether you currently have an active mobile service plan. If you don’t have one, you won’t be able to send texts.

While the vast majority of phone plans offer standard unlimited texting, you might have exceeded your monthly limit of text messages if you have a limited plan.

In either case, you should contact your network provider to ensure there are no issues with your account services.

Make sure you are texting the correct phone number

Sending text messages to inactive or unused numbers is a recipe for failure and frustration. Confirm that you are texting the right number. If you entered the number wrong or the intended recipient now has a new number, you may be prevented from sending the text. So take your time when entering numbers.

If you continue to have trouble, contact your intended recipient by other means to confirm the number.

This last point is important. Sometimes, your contacts may change their numbers, or their mobile operator may disconnect them. The issue may be with someone else’s phone and not yours.

Restart the Messages app

If your iPhone still can’t send text messages on iOS 26, try closing the Messages app and opening it again. Sometimes applications get lost or stuck trying to perform a certain action—like sending a text. Often, refreshing the app can clear out the action, allowing the app to once again function properly.

Swipe up from the very bottom of the screen to the middle of the screen to open the app switcher. Once the app switcher is open, swipe the Messages app up and off the top of the screen. Now open the messages app and see if you can send messages successfully. If messages can’t send, move onto the next solution.

Restart your iPhone

If you’ve tried all of the above, you can restart your iPhone next. Restarts clear temporary memory, so they can be a good way of removing any iOS 26 issues affecting how your iPhone works.

To restart your iPhone, hold down the Side button on the right side and one of the volume buttons on the left side. When the power slider appears, drag it to power down. When you turn it back on, it may well be able to send messages again.

Update iOS

You should always keep your iPhone updated with the latest version of iOS. New iOS 26 update can iron out software issues and bugs. So if your iPhone still can’t send text messages, it’s a good idea to update your device to the latest iOS 26 update.

To update, you need to have your iPhone connected to a Wi-Fi network and a power source. You should then do the following:

Head to Settings, tap “General,” then tap Software Update.
You’ll see a Update Now button if a new iOS 26 update is available. Select it to download the latest version and install it on your iPhone.

If your iPhone says, “iOS is up to date,” you have the latest version installed and don’t need to do anything else.

Reset your network settings

Resetting your network settings is a last-ditch attempt before seeking help from your carrier or Apple, but it might be your last chance for getting those messages out.

Head to Settings, tap “General,” then tap “Transfer or Reset iPhone.”
Tap “Reset”, then select “Reset Network Settings.”

Contact your carrier or Apple

If your iOS 26 device still won’t send SMS messages after all this, your last option is to contact your carrier or Apple. First, try calling the customer service line. If they can’t help you, it’s likely a hardware issue, and you should contact Apple or an authorized service provider for expert assistance.

Depending on your location, you can book an Apple Store appointment at a Genius Bar. You may have to eventually replace the iPhone, but that should be the last case scenario.

Fix Your iPhone Messaging Issues

Unfortunately, it can take a little bit of time to figure out exactly what the source of your iOS 26 texting issues may be. However, if you’re patient and willing to try a couple of different techniques, you should have no problem getting your iPhone working again.

If you’ve tried everything we listed above but still can’t send text messages on iOS 26, it may be time to get another phone.

Tags: iOS 26, Messages

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How to Fix iPhone Not Receiving Texts After iOS 26 Update

Wednesday August 6, 2025 3:57 pm EAT by Dave Johnson

If your iPhone isn’t receiving text messages after updating to iOS 26, it can feel like a big problem. After all, you could be missing out on something important. With most people communicating by text nowadays, not getting a text can be a big deal. If you’ve missed out on a text before, you know exactly what this feels like.

There are many reasons why your iPhone might not be receiving text messages on iOS 26—from software bugs, to incorrect settings, to poor internet connection. So, try the troubleshooting steps below, and you’ll receive texts again in no time!

1. Make Sure Messaging Is Enabled

There’s a chance iMessage was disabled during iOS 26 update. If this is the case, you won’t receive texts from other iPhones. To turn this on, head to Settings > Apps > Messages and turn on the switch next to iMessage.

Below iMessage, tap Send & Receive. There, you’ll see a list of numbers and email addresses under the heading “You can receive iMessages to and reply from.” You can then select which ones you want to use with iMessage. Tap to go back to main Messages settings. Make sure both MMS Messaging and Group Messaging are enabled. If you scroll down, you will see the options for these.

Sometimes, certain emojis will be sent as an MMS message. If you have this off, you won’t receive the text. There are also cases where someone might tag another person in the text and make it a group text. If this option was off, you wouldn’t have received that text either.

If you’re receiving messages from other iPhones but not Android phones, this could be the reason. If that still doesn’t help, but you are receiving iMessage texts, you can learn more about what to do if you’re not receiving texts from Android after iOS 26 update.

2. Edit Send & Receive Settings

If your iPhone isn’t receiving picture messages after iOS 26 update, or if you’re having an issue with iMessage, there is a simple solution. The solution is to edit your Send & Receive settings to include your email.

To do this, open Settings, scroll down and tap Apps. Scroll down again and tap Messages. Tap Send & Receive, and select your Apple account email address. This will allow you to send or receive messages over the internet using this email address.

Some people might be sending you messages to your email address unknowingly, so changing this particular setting will make it possible to receive these messages.

3. Make Sure You Have Cellular or Wi-Fi for iMessage

If you are waiting for an iMessage from another iPhone user and aren’t getting it on your iPhone, you could have a bad internet connection. iMessage requires Wi-Fi or cellular data to work.

If you have cellular data turned off or aren’t connected to Wi-Fi, you won’t receive iMessage texts on your iPhone. Also, if you are getting texts from some people and not others, you might be having issues with iMessage in general.

To solve this issue, reconnect to Wi-Fi or cellular data. And if you don’t have a good connection, you can try the next step.

4. Turn Off Screen Unknown senders

In iOS 26, you can screen messages from unknown senders. While this is off by default, you may have accidentally turned it on. If that’s the case, you could be missing text messages from numbers you don’t have saved on your iPhone.

To resolve this, turn off Screen Unknown Senders on your iPhone. You can do this by heading to Settings > Apps > Messages and disabling Screen Unknown Senders. You should start receiving text messages again if it was enabled all this time.

Once you turn it off, head to the Messages app to find any unread messages that the message screening feature hid. Messages from unknown senders are not deleted. Instead, they get stored in another folder. Once you turn off Screen Unknown Senders, you’ll see them in the Messages app.

5. Check for a Carrier Settings Update

Not many people know this, but your carrier settings sometimes need updating. This doesn’t happen often, but when it does, it means that updating it will fix many carrier problems. This includes not getting SMS on your iPhone.

Thankfully, updating your carrier settings is easy. Make sure your iPhone is connected to the Internet, then head to Settings > General > About to view your carrier settings. Wait for a few seconds; if your carrier requests an update, you’ll get a pop-up to install a carrier settings update.

It’s important to note that you should be careful with your carrier settings. This page contains information that should be kept private to avoid it getting into the wrong hands. Only share this information with your carrier or Apple.

6. Reset Your Network Settings

Sometimes, third-party apps, updates, and bugs can cause your network settings to malfunction. If this happens, you might not receive iMessages or text messages on your iOS 26 device.

Before proceeding to more time-consuming fixes, you should try resetting your network settings. Some users reported that this does fix many issues related to your iPhone not receiving texts.

To do this, head to Settings > General > Transfer or Reset iPhone > Reset > Reset Network Settings.

After resetting your network settings, get someone to send you another text message. If you still can’t receive it, you can always try resetting your iPhone entirely. However, that is time-consuming and might not work.

7. Make Sure Your iPhone Is Updated

While the previous solutions usually fix an iPhone when it’s not receiving messages, there are some instances where there might be a problem with the iOS 26. To fix this, you would just need to update your iPhone. Apple may have already fixed the problem you are experiencing with the latest iOS 26 update.

To check for an update or confirm that you’re on the latest iOS 26 version available, head to Settings > General > Software Update. If you have an available update, you can download and install it from here.

8. Contact Your Carrier

If you tried the above fixes and still aren’t receiving text messages on iOS 26, it’s time to reach out to your carrier. After all, there are many other ways your carrier can help you. For example, there could be a cell tower outage near you that they can inform you of, or you could have an issue with your account.

If you pay your carrier for service and aren’t receiving text messages on your iPhone, the carrier is responsible for restoring your text messaging. The carrier can verify your plan, check for outages, and try resetting your account if necessary. If you are using a physical SIM card, you may also want to consider trying a new SIM card and see if that helps.

When calling your carrier, just let them know you aren’t receiving text messages. If the carrier can’t help you, consider switching to a different network provider unless you have a carrier-locked phone.

iPhone Not Receiving Texts on iOS 26? There Are Things You Can Do

You could miss important events or updates if you’re not receiving text messages on your iPhone. This can be difficult for anybody. Because of this, you’ll want to get this fixed as soon as possible. After all, you might have already missed some important messages and don’t want to miss them anymore.

Luckily, there are several things you can try before contacting your carrier. Sometimes, a simple setting can change whether you receive messages. There are also cases when resetting your network settings fixes your carrier issues, so you don’t need to call and wait.

No matter what the issue with your iPhone is, you have several steps to try, and hopefully, you can get it fixed and start receiving messages on your iOS 26 device again.

Tags: iOS 26, Messages

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How to Fix iPhone Not Sending Texts to Android After iOS 26 Update

Wednesday August 6, 2025 5:27 pm EAT by Dave Johnson

If your iPhone is not sending texts to Android after iOS 26 update, there are a number of ways to troubleshoot the problem.
Make sure that your iPhone is configured to send SMS and check that the Android’s phone number isn’t registered with Apple as an iPhone.
Here are ten ways to troubleshoot if your iPhone isn’t sending texts to Android after updating to iOS 26.

In theory, you should be able to send a text message from any mobile phone to any other mobile phone. But you can occasionally run into glitches, especially when crossing from iOS to Android. Sometimes, your iPhone might not be able to send texts to Android phones. If you can not send text messages from your iPhone to Android users after updating to iOS 26, there several ways to fix the problem. Here’s what you can do if you are unable to text an android user from your iPhone after iOS 26 update

Configure your iPhone to send SMS messages

If your iPhone won’t send texts to Android on iOS 26 but it can receive them, make sure your device is configured to send text messages. Open the Settings app and then tap Apps. Scroll down and tap Messages. About halfway down the page, turn on Send as SMS by swiping the button to the right.

Check Airplane mode

You might be having trouble texting an Android phone from your iPhone because there is something wrong with your cellular connection. Glitches happen, and toggling your iPhone’s cellular radio off and back on again can often resolve a temporary problem. Swipe down from the top right of the screen to see the Control Center, then tap Airplane mode. Wait a few seconds, then tap it again to re-enable the wireless networks.

Check Your Mobile Plan

If your iPhone won’t send messages to Android on iOS 26 but can receive them, you might need to check your mobile plan. To send text messages to Android numbers, you need an active mobile plan with sufficient credit or text plan.

Some plans may state they include unlimited texts, but the catch is that this feature may not apply to all types of phone numbers.

Therefore, check with your network to see if your mobile plan has expired or has insufficient credit. If this is the case, simply reload your account, switch to a more suitable plan if needed, and you should be able to start sending texts to Android users again.

Check Your Phone Signal

If you’re at a remote outdoor location, or if it’s raining or snowing in your area, you may experience poor cell reception. Check the cell signal icon in your status bar to find out if this is why your iPhone is not sending text to Android on iOS 26.

If you see Searching, No Service or SOS, you can try moving to another location to get a cell signal in order to send text messages. For example, if you’re in your bedroom, simply going to other areas in your house, such as the kitchen or garden, may get you the signal you need.

If the signal bars don’t appear in the status bar at all, or if the Searching, No Service, or SOS error doesn’t disappear from the status bar, visit your network provider’s website and look for a coverage map to find out if you’re supposed to get any signal in your current location.

Restart the iPhone

A common but effective fix for most tech issues is to simply reboot your device. This will clear out any temporary glitches not just in the wireless network software, but also the Messages app and various background services. Simply turn your iPhone off and back on, then try again.

Ask the Android owner to deregister iMessage

This problem can catch a lot of people off-guard. If the Android user previously had an iPhone and transferred the SIM card to an Android without changing the phone number, that phone number may still be registered as an iPhone in Apple’s database, and so iPhones try to send that phone iMessages rather than SMS texts. Android can’t process iMessages, so nothing arrives. The solution? Ask the Android user to deregister his or her phone number from Apple’s iMessage system.

Check for a Carrier Settings Update

Another solution is to check if your carrier provider has network-related updates. First, connect your iPhone to Wi-Fi or enable cellular data. Then, go to the Settings app. Select General and tap About.

If an update is available, you’ll see a Carrier Settings Update prompt. Tap Update to begin the installation.

Check for iOS updates

it’s possible Apple has already released a new iOS 26 update to fix this problem, so see if there are any updates that need to be installed. Start Settings on the iPhone, then tap General. Tap Software Update and install any pending iOS 26 update.

Reset your network settings

If you’ve tried all the other troubleshooting options in this list and one or more Android users aren’t getting your texts, you might need to reset your iPhone’s network settings. It’s a good idea to save this as a last resort, because this will erase all your network settings, including saved Wi-Fi network passwords and paired Bluetooth devices. But if you’re ready to try this fix, it might get your phone up and running again.

Start the Settings app and tap General.
Tap Transfer or Reset iPhone.
Tap Reset.
In the popup menu, tap Reset Network Settings and confirm this is what you want to do.

Contact Your Wireless Carrier

Unfortunately, when it comes to problems with your iPhone’s connection to your wireless carrier, you may need to contact them for help. Customer account issues and technical outages can cause text messages not to be delivered, and the only way to know for sure is to call and ask.

Tags: iOS 26, Messages

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How to Fix iPhone Not Receiving Texts From Android After iOS 26 Update

Wednesday August 6, 2025 3:34 pm EAT by Dave Johnson

To fix an iPhone that is not receiving texts from Android phones after iOS 26 update, try toggling Airplane mode on and off.
You can also try checking your block list, enabling group and MMS messages, and deleting old texts.
Restarting your iPhone, updating it, and resetting your network settings can also fix the problem.

Ordinary SMS texting — which is what Android phones rely on — is not nearly as sophisticated as iMessage, which iPhone users rely on.

Even so, you should generally be able to exchange texts between iPhone and Android seamlessly — iPhones can receive SMS messages just as easily as Android.

But what if your iPhone is not receiving texts from Android after iOS 26 update? If this is happening to you, you’re not alone. Many iPhone owners have reported having this issue after upgrading to iOS 26.

Luckily, there are a few fixes to try that will get you receiving messages from Android phones again in no time.

Here’s what to do if your iPhone is not receiving text messages from android users on iOS 26:

Verify that your cellular connection is active and has decent signal strength

Because Android and iOS can only exchange texts via SMS, MMS, or RCS, you need a working cellular link. Disable Airplane Mode if you’re using it, and make sure that cellular data is enabled on your iPhone.

Toggle Airplane mode

The next thing you should do if your iPhone is not receiving texts from android on iOS 26 is to toggle Airplane mode. Often, just turning it on and back off again can solve myriad problems with wireless networks on your iPhone. Head to Settings and tap the button next to Airplane Mode to disable wireless networks on your iPhone. Wait a few seconds. Tap Airplane mode again to re-enable the wireless networks.

Make sure you’re not blocking the Android number

If you accidentally or intentionally block a number, you won’t receive texts from that person at all—no matter what type of phone they have.

To make sure you didn’t accidentally block the Android number by accident, you can check which numbers you’ve blocked. Head to Settings -> Apps -> Messages and tap Blocked Contacts. Here, you’ll see a list of the phone numbers you’ve blocked on your iPhone. Scroll through the list of blocked numbers and look for the Android user’s phone number. If you see it, swipe the number to the left and tap Unblock.

Ensure group messaging is enabled

While the ability to send and receive group messages among iPhones using iMessage is turned on by default, you might find that group texts using SMS isn’t enabled for your iPhone. Not a problem, though — you can enable it with a few taps.

Head to Settings -> Apps -> Messages and turn on Group Messaging by swiping the toggle button to the right.

Note: Also, make sure that you have enabled cellular data or that your iPhone is connected to Wi-Fi in order to receive MMS messages.

Configure your iPhone to receive MMS messages

Likewise, if you have trouble receiving texts from Android users with embedded photos or videos, MMS might be turned off. You can enable MMS in the same place as group messaging:

Head to Settings -> Apps -> Messages and turn on MMS Messaging by swiping the toggle button to the right.

Turn off Screen Unknown Senders

If you’ve enabled Screen Unknown Senders feature on your iPhone, all messages sent from unknown numbers are automatically be placed in a new folder called “Unknown Senders. To make sure you receive messages from Android numbers not in your contacts list, head to Settings -> Apps -> Messages. Scroll down to Unknown Senders, then turn off Screen Unknown Senders.

Once you turn off Screen Unknown Senders, try to get someone with an Android phone to send you another text message. If you receive it, then this was the issue, and you’re good to go. If not, try the next fix.

Delete old text messages

If you have too many text messages on your iPhone, you might miss additional messages due to inadequate storage. If you haven’t deleted text messages in a while or get low-storage notifications on your iPhone, deleting old messages can help.

To delete messages, head to the Messages app and tap Edit in the top left corner of the screen. Tap Select Messages, then tap on any text message that you don’t need – it will have a checkmark on the left to indicate that you have selected it. After you’re done selecting the messages you want to remove, tap Delete in the bottom right corner. In the pop-up, confirm your decision by tapping Delete.

Once you delete these messages, try to get someone with an Android phone to send you another text message. If you receive it, then this was the issue, and you’re good to go. If not, try the next fix.

Restart the iPhone

If you’ve tried everything up to this point in the article and you’re still not able to get Android texts on your iOS 26 device, you might want to restart your phone, if you haven’t already. This will fix temporary glitches in software and memory on your iPhone. To restart your iPhone, simultaneously press and hold either volume button and the side button until slide to power off appears on the display. Then, swipe the power icon left to right to turn off your iPhone. To turn your iPhone back on, press and hold the side button until the Apple logo appears.

Check For A Carrier Settings Update

Sometimes, our phone carriers send network updates to our iPhones. Most of the time, these update automatically. However, some instances, like a bad connection, can delay the update process. The irony here is that we need the update to have a better connection.

To update your carrier settings on your iPhone, connect your device to the Internet, then head to Settings -> General -> About. A pop-up will usually appear within ten seconds if a new carrier settings update is available. If it does, tap Update to install it.

Check for iOS updates

After checking for a carrier settings update, head to Settings -> General, then tap Software Update to see if a new iOS 26 update is available. Apple regularly releases these updates to improve your iPhone’s performance, fix bugs, and roll out new features.

Tap Update Now if a new iOS 26 update is available.

Reset your network settings

Sometimes, issues beyond our control corrupt the settings on our iPhone. When this happens, you can perform a reset to restore your settings to factory default values and resolve various issues.

If your iPhone still isn’t receiving texts from Android on iOS 26, reset the Network Settings by heading to Settings -> General -> Transfer or Reset iPhone -> Reset and tap Reset Network Settings.

A word of warning: Before you do this, make sure you know your Wi-Fi passwords, because Reset Network Settings will erase all of the saved Wi-Fi networks on your iPhone. After your iPhone reboots, you’ll have to re-enter your Wi-Fi passwords at home and at work. Your iPhone’s APN and VPN settings will also be reset to factory defaults.

Contact your carrier

If the above fixes weren’t helpful in your case, you should contact your carrier to see if there’s an issue with your cellular service. After all, your mobile network provider might have some information about why your iPhone isn’t receiving text messages on iOS 26.

Even if your signal looks good, it’s possible that your cellular provider is having a problem with their network coverage – maybe their SMS service is down. Contact them and find out if this is the case, and if it is, ask them when normal service will be restored.

iPhone Not Getting Android Texts on iOS 26? Fix It as Soon as Possible

Your iPhone is receiving text messages from android again and you can continue chatting with the important people in your life. Next time your iPhone is not getting text from android after an iOS update, you’ll know how to fix the problem! Leave any other questions or comments you have about your iPhone down below.

Tags: iOS 26, Messages

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How to Fix FaceTime Not Working on iPhone After iOS 26 Update

Wednesday August 6, 2025 3:12 pm EAT by Dave Johnson

If FaceTime is not working after iOS 26 update, a software bug or incorrect settings could be the culprit.
Before troubleshooting iOS 26 FaceTime issue, you should check for certain factors, such as whether or not there’s a FaceTime outage.
Otherwise, there are several ways you can troubleshoot to get the app back up and running.

In iOS 26, FaceTime supports Live Translation, displaying captions if you’re talking to someone who speaks another language. In addition, FaceTime has new screening features for unknown numbers.

If FaceTime is not working on your iPhone after iOS 26 update, don’t worry, there are a lot of things you can do to try and fix it. You just have to know where to start.

Here’s a breakdown of why your FaceTime is not working on iOS 26, and troubleshooting tips to try.

How to fix FaceTime on iOS 26

Make sure you have a working internet connection

The first thing you should do if FaceTime is not working after iOS 26 update is to make sure that your iPhone is connected to Wi-Fi or your wireless carrier’s cellular data network, and that you can access the internet.

If you are trying to use FaceTime over Wi-Fi, go into your settings and turn Wi-Fi off and then back on again. Learn how to fix Wi-Fi problem on iOS 26.

If you’re trying to use FaceTime over cellular, make sure that cellular data is on. Go to Settings and tap Cellular or tap Mobile Data, then turn on Cellular Data. Then scroll down to the Cellular Data section, and make sure FaceTime is enabled for cellular use in the list of apps. Learn how to fix cellular data problems on iOS 26.

You should also make sure that you are using a fast internet connection to avoid sound quality issues with FaceTime. If your cellular connection or Wi-Fi network runs slowly, or other people stream audio or video on the same Wi-Fi network, you might have these issues:

Connection alerts or unable to connect
Choppy video calls
Black screen
Dropped calls

Make sure that both you and the person that you FaceTime with use a fast Wi-Fi or cellular connection.

Update your iPhone’s software

If you are experiencing issues with receiving FaceTime calls, make sure that your iPhone is running the latest version of iOS 26. Go to Settings > General > Software Update, then install any pending updates.

Check that FaceTime is turned on

It’s possible FaceTime got turned off during iOS 26 update. Go into your iPhone’s Settings app, tap Apps, tap FaceTime, and make sure that the toggle next to FaceTime is enabled.

If FaceTime says ”Waiting for activation,” turn FaceTime off, restart your phone, then turn FaceTime back on. It might take up to 24 hours for your carrier to verify your phone number with Apple. Contact your carrier to make sure that you can send and receive SMS messages and wait up to 24 hours after you try the troubleshooting steps above.

If you aren’t seeing FaceTime at all, go from the Settings app to Screen Time, and then Content & Privacy Restrictions, followed by Allowed Apps. Then make sure both the camera and FaceTime are allowed by that device.

Make sure you’re signed in

To use FaceTime on your iPhone, you need to be signed in with your Apple Account email address or phone number. You can check this by going to Settings > Apps > FaceTime and making sure that below You Can Be Reached By FaceTime At, your phone number or Apple account email address are selected.

Make sure your date and time settings are correct

We recommend checking your iPhone’s Date & Time Settings. FaceTime won’t work on your iPhone if the date and time are incorrect, especially if your device thinks it is in the future.

Go to Settings > General > Date & Time. Then, turn on the switch next to Set Automatically if it’s not on already.

Check if FaceTime is down

There’s a chance that FaceTime is down on Apple’s end. Check Apple’s System Status page to learn whether FaceTime is experiencing a service outage.

Figure out whether the problem is on your end or someone else’s

Keep in mind that FaceTime problems can be caused by a problem with your iPhone — or with the person you’re trying to call.

Does FaceTime not work with anyone or just one person? If necessary, call several people and see whether the problem is limited to one person or to everyone.

Here’s a helpful rule of thumb: If FaceTime is not working with anyone, it’s probably a problem with your iPhone. If it doesn’t work with just one person, it’s probably a problem on the other person’s iPhone, iPad, or Mac.

Check whether a FaceTime feature is available

Even if both you and the person you’re trying to contact have a FaceTime account, that may not be all of the story. FaceTime and FaceTime audio calling are not available for all countries, regions, or carriers.

You can checkApple’s website to learn which countries and carriers do and do not support FaceTime. Unfortunately, If you’re trying to use FaceTime in an unsupported area, there’s nothing you can do to make it work.

Tags: FaceTime, iOS 26

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How to Fix iMessage Not Delivered Error on iPhone in iOS 26

Wednesday August 6, 2025 2:53 pm EAT by Dave Johnson

After updating to iOS 26, a lot of iPhone users have complained that iMessages sometimes won’t deliver. It’s an annoying problem, but one which does have some solutions.

So why is iPhone iMessage not being delivered after iOS 26 update? Your blue messages, i.e. the ones sent from one iOS device to another, should say Delivered when they arrive on a recipient’s device, but that’s not always the case. This can affect multiple contacts or one person specifically. It’s more infuriating when the message says Delivered, but the recipient didn’t actually receive it.

So why are your iPhone messages not being delivered to one person? Or to numerous people? Here are a few tricks to try when your iPhone iMessage is not being delivered after iOS 26 update.

What Does “Delivered” Mean on iMessage?

We need to first understand the difference between Delivered and Read. Delivered means the recipient received the message on their device. Read means the recipient has open the message. Of course, this doesn’t mean they’ve actually read it—it only means the message has been opened. Don’t panic if you don’t hear back immediately; they might have tapped on it but subsequently got distracted.

Not everyone has this feature activated either. You can toggle read receipts on your iPhone by going to Settings > Apps > Messages > Send Read Receipts, where you can turn this function on or off. In fact, this subsection of Settings is essential if iMessage is not working properly on your iPhone.

Why Does iMessage Say “Delivered” When It’s Not?

Sometimes, a message will say it’s Delivered, but the recipient will insist they never got it. Don’t automatically think they’re lying: there are many reasons you may experience this issue. It could be a glitch with iMessage, but it could also be that the message was delivered to another Apple device.

If the recipient has an iPhone, iPad, and Mac all signed in with the same Apple account, your message could’ve appeared on one of these other devices, not their smartphone. In theory, this shouldn’t cause a problem—your message should show across all devices. However, iMessage is far from perfect.

Why is iMessage showing not delivered on iPhone?

The recipient might have simply powered their phone off. Your message will arrive when they turn on their device again. Be patient. Not everyone keeps their phone turned on all the time, especially during the nighttime.

Even if you think the person is unlikely to turn off their phone, they might have activated Airplane Mode. This cuts off all connections, so they won’t receive iMessages, SMS, or calls.

If you normally receive read receipts from your contact, or it shows Delivered, but you don’t have a reply, there’s another possibility. Their device might be set to Do Not Disturb, which silences alerts. If it’s an emergency, call them instead. At first, you won’t get a response. But call again within three minutes and, if your contact hasn’t changed the default settings, your repeated call will bypass Do Not Disturb mode.

iPhone iMessages Won’t Deliver After iOS 26 Update: Troubleshooting

It’s tough to narrow down why your iPhone iMessages won’t deliver after iOS 26 update without some trial and error. One of the following solutions should work. You may have to try them all to get to the bottom of the problem.

Do You Both Have Internet Access?

The obvious reason your iPhone message won’t deliver is because the recipient has no service. iMessage relies on an internet connection, so if no Wi-Fi or cellular data is available, it won’t appear until their phone is connected. This is a particular concern in rural or underground areas without free online access, or if the recipient is on vacation.

If iOS 26 says Not Delivered when you try to send an iMessage, you’re probably the one without an internet connection. Check this by going to Settings > Wi-Fi, where you can see any networks you’ve joined. You can turn Wi-Fi off and on again (then rejoin networks) to clear potential issues. Next, tap the red exclamation point, then tap Try Again.

Review the options at Settings > Cellular (or Mobile Data) if you’re relying on roaming. If you do have service, you’ll simply have to wait until the recipient connects too.

Do You Have iMessage Turned On?

This could be a quick fix to your problem so give it a try. Go to Settings > Apps > Messages. iMessage should already be turned on; if not, turn it on. Even if iMessage is already on, it’s worth toggling off then back on again. Wait a few moments while it reactivates.

Send as SMS Instead of iMessage

If the person you’re contacting doesn’t have an iPhone, iPad or Mac, iMessage won’t work. You need to rely on SMS to text Android devices, for example. In these instances, your messages will say Sent as Text Message, not Delivered, and appear in green bubbles.

But texts aren’t just useful when sending between different operating systems. You can revert iMessages to SMS if your internet connection is weak. Go to Settings > Apps > Messages > Send as SMS to enable this. Next, tap the red exclamation point, then tap Send as Text Message. Messaging rates may apply.

iPhones default to iMessage when chatting between Apple devices. Messages will only send as traditional texts if there’s no internet. You can’t disable iMessage on cellular data while keeping it enabled for Wi-Fi connections—it’s an all-or-nothing service. However, iMessage may fail to send if you’ve exceeded your cellular data limit.

You can resend a message via SMS if it reads Not Delivered by tapping on the exclamation point next to the message. Alternatively, switch to another popular messaging app. Major options like WhatsApp and Telegram work on all platforms and offer secure (and sometimes encrypted) messaging. Of course, the recipient has to have the same app installed…

Try a Force Restart

A forced restart reboots your iPhone, stopping any problematic processes. This might fix your problem if your iPhone messages are not being delivered after iOS 26 update. To force restart your iPhone, quickly press and release the volume up button. Quickly press and release the volume down button. Press and hold the side button until the Apple logo appears on the screen. Release the side button.

Is iOS Up to Date?

Apple regularly releases patches to known bugs through iOS updates. This could include problems with iMessage. Check whether your iPhone is running the latest version of iOS 26 by going to Settings > General > Software Update.

This will automatically check if your software is updated and, if not, suggest an installation. You won’t lose any photos or messages, although some apps may ask you to log in again after updating.

Apple account: Sign Out and Back In

This is one of the most common fixes for iOS 26 iMessage issues: you just need to sign out of your Apple account and back in again. Go to Settings > Apps > Messages > Send & Receive and tap Apple Account. You should then Sign Out, after which all your details, except the phone number, will disappear. Select Use your Apple account for iMessage and sign back in. This may take a few moments.

iphone cell number and email address

You can send an iMessage via both phone numbers and email addresses. If there’s only one person you’re having trouble sending to, check which email address you have listed for them. Do you have any details listed for their contact? Perhaps their Apple account uses a different address? Ask them in person or via another messaging service if possible.

To add an email address, go to Contacts, select a name, and choose Edit.

Should You Delete Previous Messages?

Have you ever tried sending an email that was too large? It stays in your outbox, attempting to send again and again. Eventually, you have to give up and delete it. That’s what you should try here too. This primarily applies when iPhone iMessages won’t deliver to only one or two contacts.

You can delete a whole conversation and start again by swiping left on it and choosing Delete. That’s the nuclear option, and one you likely won’t want to take. But you shouldn’t need to. Be careful because this will make you lose your whole chat history with that person. It’s a last resort only.
Go to the conversation with the person you’re struggling to keep in touch with. Hold your most recent message (Copy it into Notes or Pages if you don’t want to completely lose your text, or screenshot if you want to remember dates, etc.). Go on More and select all the messages you’ve sent since the problem occurred—anything since they stopped responding—then hit the Trash symbol at the bottom.

There could be just one message causing the issue, so this clears the backlog and lets you try again.

Swap Your SIM Card

Does your iPhone have a physical SIM card? It’s possible yours has decided it doesn’t like a particular number. Head to the store of your service provider if you’ve exhausted everything else.

You’ll likely have to assure the staff that you’ve performed the above troubleshooting steps. Talk to them about swapping to a new SIM card. If you’re on a contract, they should do this for free. You’ll still use the same device, and shouldn’t lose any data.

They’ll activate a new SIM and you’ll have to wait until your old one has no service before swapping to the new card. Transferring between SIMs can take up to 24 hours. From personal experience, it rarely takes longer than an hour before carrier settings are restored.

Reset All Settings

This should really be your last resort because you’ll need to sign into accounts and set up network settings like Wi-Fi and VPNs again. Most importantly, this does not delete your data.

Go to Settings > General > Transfer or Reset iPhone > Reset > Reset All Settings—careful you don’t select anything else, as there’s also the option to erase everything. You may need to sign back into your Apple account afterwards. This should patch any Settings-related glitches, so it’s worth remembering in case you have further issues with your iPhone.

iPhone iMessage Won’t Deliver on iOS 26: Is My Phone Number Blocked?

Don’t immediately think that someone’s blocked you. In most situations, your number won’t be blocked. However, it’s a possibility. If you have been blocked, iMessage could still say Delivered. Nonetheless, it won’t actually appear on the recipient’s device.

This thought will trouble you, but if you can contact that person elsewhere (on Facebook, Twitter, or Snapchat, for example), then they’re unlikely to have blocked your phone number.

Why Is My iPhone iMessage Still Not Delivering on iOS 26?

If you’ve tried everything above and iOS 26 iMessage still won’t deliver, there are further possibilities to entertain. The first is that there’s nothing wrong with your iPhone; the problem is with the recipient’s device. This is likely if messages to your other contacts are delivered correctly, although that’s not always the case.

You should advise your contacts to take the same steps you already have by sending them this troubleshooting guide. Another possibility is that they’ve switched numbers and haven’t alerted you yet.

Tags: iMessage, iOS 26

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How to fix iMessage Activation Unsuccessful After iOS 26 Update

Wednesday August 6, 2025 1:54 pm EAT by Dave Johnson

After updating to iOS 26, you might run into an issue where iMessage activation is unsuccessful. While this issue is rare, it does happen, and Apple is aware of it.

You might see a message saying something like “iMessage activation unsuccessful.” You might also get a message that says “waiting for activation.” Unfortunately, you can’t use iMessage or FaceTime if either of these pop-up.

If you’re experiencing this issue, you might be frustrated as you probably want to use iMessage on your iPhone immediately. Fortunately, there are some things you can do.

1. Make sure that you’re connected to the internet

To activate iMessage, you’ll need to have a working internet connection of some kind. This is one of the most common issues, but remember that iMessage and FaceTime rely on Wi-Fi or cellular data to connect to the internet.

So, check your cellular or Wi-Fi connection to see if you can access the web. One way to check this would be to go to Safari and navigate to any webpage. If you don’t have an internet connection or the web page won’t load, this is a sign that you should connect to the internet. Check out our articles on how to troubleshoot Wi-Fi connectivity problems and cellular data problems in iOS 26. If you have a working internet connection but iMessage still won’t activate, move on to the next’s solution.

Note: You need SMS messaging to activate your phone number with iMessage and FaceTime. Depending on your carrier, you might be charged for this SMS. If a prompt appears stating “Your network provider may charge for SMS messages used to activate FaceTime and iMessage”, tap “Turn On” to allow possible SMS charges.

2. Set Your Apple Account Email Address to Send and Receive iMessages

If you keep getting activation is unsuccessful error on your iPhone, be sure to check your Send & Receive settings. If this isn’t properly enabled, your iMessage activation won’t be successful. This can also prevent you from getting texts and picture messages.

To enable this, head to Settings > Apps > Messages > Send & Receive and make sure both your phone number and email are selected. This is one of the most common solutions to this problem. However, if this doesn’t resolve your issue, you have many more options.

3. Restart iMessage and FaceTime

If you’re having iMessage activation issues on your iPhone, consider restarting both iMessage and FaceTime.

To restart iMessage and FaceTime, go to Settings > Apps > Message and turn off iMessage. Then, go to Settings > Apps > FaceTime and turn off FaceTime. Restart your iPhone. Then, go back into your Settings app to turn both iMessage and FaceTime back on.

Once both are back on, you might need to wait a little while before checking again to see if your activation is successful.

4. Check Your Time Zone Settings

Some users claim that if time zone settings are wrong, you’ll run into iOS 26 iMessage activation issues. While this issue isn’t widely reported, some users online claim that fixing their time zone helps.

To do this, head to Settings > General > Date & Time > Time Zoneand update your time zone to the one you’re currently in. You’ll need to toggle off Set Automatically to be able to do this.

If you’re on the border of two time zones, try switching to the other time zone. If you’re using a new carrier, your carrier might have a tower in the nearby time zone and not the one you’re in, causing activation issues.

5. Check Apple’s Server Status

If you’ve tried all the above fixes and still can’t activate iMessage on iOS 26, be sure to visit Apple’s System Status page and see if iMessage service is up and running.

While rare, there is a possibility that Apple’s servers might be down. If a server is down, particularly the iMessage server, then your iMessage won’t activate on your iPhone until Apple fixes this issue.

If you see that the iMessage server is down, you have no choice but to wait until Apple fixes its backend.

6. Reset Network Settings

Resetting your network settings will reset all of your settings related to your cellular network and Wi-Fi connections. This will resolve many issues related to your network connection, which could be preventing iMessage from being successfully activated on your iPhone.

Resetting your network settings is faster than a factory reset, and it targets all the settings you’d need to restore to factory defaults without reinstalling all of your apps or erasing all your data.

To reset your network settings, head to Settings > General > Transfer or Reset iPhone > Reset > Reset Network Settings. Once you do this, check again to see if iMessage can be successfully activated.

iMessage Won’t Activate After iOS 26 Update? Wait 24 Hours

iMessage can take up to 24 hours to activate on an iPhone. While many iPhone owners activate it right away, a poor internet connection or issues with your carrier can delay this process. However, it should never take more than 24 hours.

If you’ve waited more than 24 hours and iMessage still won’t activate on your iPhone, Apple recommends contacting its support team. When contacting Apple Support, tell them you restarted iMessage and FaceTime and that you’re connected to the internet. Apple will ask you to do these things first, so letting them know you did this can speed up the process.

Once you reach out to Apple after trying the above fixes, Apple will check for any issues you might not notice from your end.

Unsuccessful iMessage Activation? There’s a Fix

If your iMessage activation is unsuccessful after iOS 26 update, there is a fix. Apple wants you to be able to use iMessage, and this not working poses a problem for the company. This is why most issues with iMessage are fixable, and Apple is aware of the known issues.

iMessage still won’t activate after trying all these fixes? You have no choice but to wait for the next iOS 26 update.

Tags: iMessage, iOS 26

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How to Fix iMessage Not Working on iPhone After iOS 26 Update

Wednesday August 6, 2025 1:28 pm EAT by Dave Johnson

iMessages are texts, photos, and videos sent between Apple devices using Wi-Fi or cellular data.
When iMessages are working properly, texts appear in a blue bubble.
You can troubleshoot iOS 26 iMessage issues by toggling your Wi-Fi, cellular, and iMessage on and off.

In iOS 26, Apple added several long-desired features to iMessage that make for a better experience such as customized backgrounds, an option to create polls, enhanced spam filtering and blocking features, and group typing indicators.

When you send a text using iMessage, it appears in a blue bubble. If you’ve been trying to send iMessages after iOS 26 update and all of your messages are suddenly appearing in green bubbles, then iMessage isn’t working correctly on your iPhone. In this article, I’ll explain how to fix iMessage if it’s not working after iOS 26 update.

What to do if iMessage is not working after iOS 26 update on your iPhone

If iMessage isn’t working on your iPhone, you’re losing out on a couple of key advantages that iMessage has over ordinary SMS text messaging.

iMessages are sent and received as ordinary internet data, so they don’t count against your cellular text plan. They’re also encrypted from end to end, synchronize across all your Apple devices, and let you see when the other person is typing.

All of these features only work with other iPhone users. But if all your text are being sent as Text or RCS, and for those group chats that are only iMessage, it’s not going through at all, it’s time to troubleshoot.

Make sure that you’re connected to the internet

Unlike SMS texting, iMessage require a internet connection, whether it’s from Wi-Fi or cellular data. So if your iMessage is not working on iOS 26, you could have an issue with your internet connection that leads to your iPhone falling back to SMS as afailsafe.

To check if your iPhone is connected to the internet, open up Safari app and try navigating to any website. If the website doesn’t load or Safari says you’re not connected to the internet, your iMessages won’t send either. If you are having problems with the internet connection, here’s what you can do:

Start the Settings app and tap Wi-Fi.
Turn Wi-Fi off by swiping the button to the left, wait a moment, and turn it back on with a swipe to the right. Learn what to do if Wi-Fi is not working after iOS 26 update.
Go back to the main Settings page, then tap Cellular.
Turn your cellular data off by swiping the button to the left, wait a moment, and turn it back on with a swipe to the right. Learn what to do if cellular data is not working after iOS 26 update.
Make sure you see both Wi-Fi and cellular symbols at the top of your iPhone screen.

Make sure iMessage is turned on

If iMessage is not working after iOS 26 update, try making sure your iMessage service is turned on. Open the Settings app, then select Apps. Scroll down and tap Messages. On this page, make sure that iMessage is enabled.

Make sure iMessage is set up with your phone number and Apple account email address

iMessage works not just with your phone number but with your Apple account email address as well as any email addresses that you have associated with your Apple account. This way, you can send and receive iMessages across your Apple devices. If iMessage is not working on your iPhone running iOS 26, try making sure it’s set up with your current number and Apple account email address.

To do so, go to Settings, then Apps, then Messages. Tap to open the menu item called ‘Send & Receive’. Look under the section titled ‘Start New Conversations From’, and you’ll see a list of the phone numbers and email addresses that are configured to send and receive iMessages on your iPhone. Make sure there is a checkmark next to your phone number and email address you want to use with iMessage. If there’s no checkmark, tap on your phone number and email address to activate iMessage for your number and email address.

If your preferred email address or number isn’t listed, you’ll have to add them to your Apple account first. Here are the steps to do so: From Settings, select your Apple account name at the top, then select Sign-In & Security. Then you can select Add Email or Phone Number and follow the steps to add them to your Apple account.

Check if iMessage is down

We know iMessage stopped working after iOS 26 update. However, there’s a chance that iMessage is down on Apple’s end. Apple has a website that tracks all of its servers and notes if any go offline. Check that the iMessage tab has a green dot next to it — if the dot is yellow or red instead, the iMessage server is having issues.

If that’s the case, just wait for Apple to repair the server.

Figure out whether the problem is on your end or someone else’s

Keep in mind that an iMessage failure can be caused by a problem with your iPhone — or with the person you’re exchanging messages with.

Is iMessage failing with only one iPhone user or with every iPhone user you text with? If necessary, send a short text message to several people and see whether the problem is limited to one person or to everyone.

If iMessage is failing with only one person, perhaps the person you’re trying to reach has their iMessage turned off. In which case, you can try instructing them how to make sure their iMessage is enabled.

Make sure iOS is up to date

Whether it’s iMessages or your phone is acting up in some other way, it’s a good idea to ensure your iPhone is running the most up-to-date version of iOS 26.

To update your iPhone:

Open the Settings app.
Tap General.
Tap Software Update.
If your iPhone has an update waiting, the page will tell you what it is and what it includes. Tap Update Now and follow the online instructions.

Your iPhone will restart automatically to install the update. Once it turns back on, check if iMessage is working.

Turn iMessage Off, Reboot, And Then Back On

If you are still having your iOS 26 iMessage issue, toggling the entire iMessage service off and back on again might solve the problem.

Go to the Settings app, select Apps, tap Messages, and toggle off the iMessage button.
Restart your iPhone by turning it off then back on.
Go back to the Settings app, select Apps, tap Messages, and turn iMessage back on by swiping the button to the right.

Reset your network settings

Issues with network connectivity can also cause problems with iMessage, and often times restoring your iPhone’s network settings back to factory defaults can resolve an issue with iMessage. Beware this will erase your saved Wi-Fi networks and passwords, so you’ll need to enter them again.

Go to Settings, select General, then tap Transfer or Reset iPhone.
Tap Reset.
In the pop-up window, tap Reset Network Settings and confirm you want to do this.

Contact Apple Support

When all else fails, it’s time to check in with the geniuses. Check out our help article for more information on how to contact Apple Support.

Conclusion

I hope this article has helped you to resolve the issue you’ve been having with iMessage on iOS 26. I look forward to hearing from you about your experiences with iMessage in the comments section below.

Tags: iMessage, iOS 26

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How to Fix iPhone Showing “SOS Only” After iOS 26 Update

Wednesday August 6, 2025 8:10 am EAT by Stacey Butler

If the top of your iPhone shows “SOS” or “SOS Only” where it normally shows your cell service reception, there are a few issues that could be going on. For one, you might not have coverage at your current location. Either your carrier doesn’t offer cell service at your coordinates, or you’re blocked by a structure that the signal can’t penetrate.

If neither of those is the culprit, there are several troubleshooting steps you can try to fix “SOS Only” on iOS 26. So, let’s take a look.

Note: If you see SOS or “SOS only” in the status bar, you can still make emergency calls through other carrier networks. This feature is available in Australia, Canada, and the United States.

1. Try to Reconnect to Cellular Network

If your cellular network is available, you might be able to reconnect to it by following these steps:

Go to Settings. Turn Airplane Mode switch on. Wait about 15 seconds, then turn Airplane mode back off. It may have just needed a quick reset, but if there is still no luck, move on to our next solution.

2. Enable Data Roaming

You may need to turn Data Roaming on, especially if you’re traveling internationally. This allows your iPhone to connect to another network in a different country without having to sign up for a new service. Beware that turning this on can come with additional fees on your phone bill.

To enable Data Roaming on your iPhone, go to Settings ⇒ Cellular ⇒ Cellular Data Options. Then, toggle on the Data Roaming switch.

3. Switch to LTE

Your iPhone may have trouble picking up a specific type of cellular data, especially 5G. While 5G coverage has rapidly expanded over the past several years, LTE still blankets a larger portion of the United States. If your iPhone is set to receive 5G in a location where it’s unavailable, you may need to disable 5G on your device and fall back on another option.

Go to Settings ⇒ Cellular ⇒ Cellular Data Options like before, but this time tap Voice & Data. If 5G On or 5G Auto is selected, choose LTE and see if that gets rid of the SOS Only error.

4. Restart Your iPhone

Of course, we have to mention the good old reboot technique. If you haven’t yet tried turning your iPhone off and on again, let’s go ahead and test it out. You’d be surprised how many little annoyances a quick restart can resolve.

5. Update your iPhone

Update your iPhone to the latest version of iOS 26.

6. Check for Carrier Settings Update

Sometimes, carriers roll out over-the-air updates that can solve problems with connectivity. If you can connect to Wi-Fi, you can check if carrier settings update for your iPhone is available by going to Settings ⇒ General ⇒ About.

If your device needs a carrier settings update, you’ll get a pop-up on this screen. If you don’t see one, you’re up-to-date already.

7. Reset Network Settings

Resetting your iPhone network settings to factory defaults can fix all sorts of Wi-Fi and cellular-related problems on your iPhone. This “forgets” all your Wi-Fi networks, so you’ll have to reconnect to them and re-enter your Wi-Fi passwords. The SOS Only notification may disappear after your iPhone reboots.

To Reset Network Settings, open Settings ⇒ General ⇒ Transfer or Reset iPhone ⇒ Reset ⇒ Reset Network Settings. Enter your iPhone passcode, then tap on Reset Network Settings when the confirmation pop-up appears near the bottom of your iPhone’s display.

8. Contact Your Carrier

When all else fails, you should contact your carrier to see what’s going on. Since having SOS Only status on your iPhone greatly limits the features you can use, you wouldn’t want to have it for long.

There may be an issue with your cell service that’s worth getting to the bottom of. So, visit your carrier’s website and search for a contact or support page to get a customer support phone number.

Getting to the Bottom of “SOS Only” on iOS 26

It’s frustrating when you don’t have cell service on your iPhone. So, we hope one of these solutions aids in getting your service up and running again.

If “SOS Only” is appearing on your iPhone frequently, and you know lack of coverage isn’t the problem, you may want to contact your carrier anyway, even if you managed to fix the issue temporarily.

Tags: cellular, iOS 26

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