iMessage is one of the reasons why iPhone users will never switch to Android. It’s reliable and works seamlessly across all Apple devices. But sometimes iMessage will just not work. So if iMessage is not working on your iPhone, the steps in this guide will help you troubleshoot all your iMessage problems.
Check this out: How to enable iMessage on Mac
Fixing iMessage not working
Fixing iMessage not working on iPhone is not a cut-and-dried process. So there’s a lot of reasons why iMessage has stopped working.
It could be a network issue, a bug with iOS, or you’ve accidentally deactivated iMessage. Whatever the cause might be, we’ll help your iMessage up and running.
If you want fixes for iMessage not working on Mac, see our guide on How to fix iMessage not working on Mac (2 Simple ways).
iMessage bubble color meaning
Generally, when you send a text message with an iPhone, it either appears on a green or blue bubble.
- Blue bubbles mean that your message was sent using iMessage, hence the recipient is also an iPhone user.
- Green bubbles indicate that the recipient is using an Android device, hence the message was sent as a regular SMS text and will incur the charges set depending on your network provider.
- Green bubbles may also indicate that you’ve been blocked on iMessage.
1. Check if iMessage is down
Before we get deeper into the fixes, let’s find out if iMessage is not down. Check Apple’s system status page to find out if any of its services are down. Additionally, Apple will let you know about any planned maintenance, recently resolved issues of its services.
2. Make sure iMessage is activated
Provided that all of your messages appear in a green bubble, regardless of which device the text is being directed to, your device may have the iMessage feature disabled. You can activate it by following the steps below:
- Go to your iPhone Settings.
- Tap on Messages.
- Check if iMessage is enabled, and if not, enable it.
To test the functionality, simply try to send a message to a known contact who also uses an iPhone and see what bubble the message will appear on. If you see a blue bubble appear, then activating iMessage did the trick.
If you still see a green bubble, there is still an issue with your iMessage being active. Don’t worry if this is the case, as there are few quick fixes you can try that will have your iMessage activated.
3. Additional Tips to Activate iMessage
There are a couple of other methods that you can use to get iMessage enabled on your Apple device.
- Restart iMessage and your device.
- Launch Settings from your Home screen.
- Click on Messages.
- Disable iMessage.
- Turn off your device.
- Turn your device back on.
- Open the Settings app.
- Tap on Messages.
- Re-enable iMessage.
This should have the iMessage come back up and running. You will then want to set up iMessage for your device’s number. The steps below will show you how.
- Head to the Settings app.
- Tap on Messages.
- Select Send and Receive.
This will display a list of emails and phone numbers that have the capability of sending and/or receiving iMessages. You can then find the “Start a new conversation” heading, select the phone number you want to contact, and you will enable iMessaging to work for this particular contact.
4. Sign out and back in to iMessage
If you are still having trouble, try to log out of your Apple ID and log back in. Do the following:
- Go to your iPhone Settings.
- Tap on Messages.
- Click on Select and Receive.
- Select your Apple ID at the bottom of the page.
- Sign out of it.
- Sign back in with your Apple ID and password.
Try to send a message to a fellow iPhone user and check what color the text bubble appears (it should be blue).
5. Check Mobile Data & Connection
One of the most basic troubleshooting steps that users often miss with iMessage functionality is simply assuring that they are connected to their Wi-Fi of choice or have mobile data enabled. Checking on the status of this connection is simple. You just need to:
- Open the Settings app.
- Tap on the Wi-Fi icon to enable it.
- Make sure your device is connected to the desired Wi-Fi network.
It is also advisable to check the signal strength of the Wi-Fi which can be detected by the number of bars the Wi-Fi meter displays. A weak signal strength affects the functionality of your device’s functions, including iMessage, which may not, in some cases, work if the signal is weak or insufficient.
Sometimes your Wi-Fi may not function for other reasons. You might be located in an area where the Wi-Fi signal doesn’t reach you, in which case you can invest in a signal booster to push the Wi-Fi connectivity to reach farther. You can try resetting your Wi-Fi router as well as that often corrects any Wi-Fi connectivity problems.
Alternatively, you can also turn on your mobile data and enabling that to be used instead of Wi-Fi reliance.
6. Check if iOS is up to date
If iOS isn’t up to date there may be a bug stopping iMessage from working properly. Next, you’ll check if your iPhone is running the latest iOS version.
To check if a new version of iOS is available, go to Settings > General > Software Update. iOS will check if there’s a new version. Assuming there is a new version available, tap Download and Install.
Wrap Up
There is a slight chance that after all of the above solutions, your iMessage may still not working on your iPhone. In that case, the last step is to contact Apple’s customer support for help.
You can easily do so by downloading the Apple support app and following the prompts to report your issue. You will either be contacted by one of the experts or even live chat with a representative who can walk you through some more technical solutions.
For any questions or concerns, please use the comment section below.
