iPhone Not Receiving Text Messages How to Fix It

iPhone Not Receiving Text Messages How to Fix It

Friends say they texted you, but nothing arrived on your iPhone. Messages on iPhone come in two ways - iMessage (blue bubbles, over the internet, between Apple devices) and SMS/MMS/RCS (green bubbles, through your mobile carrier, usually from Android phones) - so the fix depends on which kind is missing.

Menu paths here are from recent iOS versions: Settings > Apps > Messages. On older iOS it's Settings > Messages.

Step 1: Restart and Check Your Connection

1. Restart the iPhone (press and hold the side button and a volume button, then slide to power off; turn it back on).
2. Check you have mobile signal - SMS needs it. iMessage needs Wi-Fi or mobile data.
3. Open a website to confirm the internet works.
4. If signal is weak indoors, turn on Wi-Fi Calling (Settings > Apps > Phone > Wi-Fi Calling) if your carrier supports it - Apple notes it can also carry text messages over Wi-Fi.

Step 2: Check the Sender Isn't Blocked or Filtered

• Blocked: open Settings > Apps > Messages > Blocked Contacts (on some versions it's under Settings > Apps > Phone > Blocked Contacts). Remove the sender if they're listed.
• Filtered: if Filter Unknown Senders is on (Settings > Apps > Messages), texts from numbers not in your contacts go to a separate list. In the Messages app, open Filters and check Unknown Senders (and Spam or Junk, if shown).

Adding the sender to your contacts stops future texts being filtered.

Step 3: Turn iMessage Off and On

1. Open Settings > Apps > Messages.
2. Turn iMessage off, wait 30 seconds, then turn it back on.
3. Wait for activation - it can take a few minutes. If you see "Waiting for activation" for a long time, check that Date & Time is set automatically (Settings > General > Date & Time) and restart again.

Step 4: Check Send & Receive

If iMessages go to your iPad or Mac but not your iPhone, or only reach you when someone uses your email:

1. Open Settings > Apps > Messages > Send & Receive.
2. Under You can receive iMessages to and reply from, tick your phone number and the email addresses you use.
3. Make sure your Apple Account shown at the top is the right one.

Step 5: Check SMS, MMS and RCS Settings

Texts from Android phones and group chats with Android users depend on these:

1. In Settings > Apps > Messages, turn on MMS Messaging (for photos and group texts) and Group Messaging.
2. On recent iOS versions, if your carrier supports it you'll also see RCS Messaging (under Settings > Apps > Messages > RCS Messaging on some versions). Turn it off and on if Android messages stopped arriving.
3. Send as Text Message (SMS) should be on, so messages fall back to SMS when iMessage is unavailable.

Step 6: Missing Group Messages

If one group chat went quiet, open it and check for a note that you left the conversation. You can't rejoin on your own - someone in the group has to add you, or start a new group.

Step 7: Update iOS and Check the Carrier

1. Install any update in Settings > General > Software Update. It can include carrier settings.
2. Check for a carrier settings update: Settings > General > About - if one is available, a prompt appears after a few seconds.
3. Contact your carrier and ask them to check that SMS, MMS and RCS are working on your line. A plan change, a new SIM or eSIM, or an account problem can stop texts at their end.

Switched Phones Recently?

• From iPhone to Android (or a friend did): if the number is still linked to iMessage, iPhones keep sending blue iMessages that never arrive. Turn off iMessage on the old iPhone before switching. If you no longer have it, use Apple's Deregister iMessage page on Apple's website.
• New iPhone: Apple suggests checking Settings > Cellular (or Mobile Data) to confirm the phone line is turned on, and choosing the right number in Send & Receive.

Related Guides

If your iPhone isn't connecting to the internet at all, start with WiFi connected but no internet fixes. If the phone keeps freezing or restarting, see iPhone stuck on Apple logo.

Still Missing Messages?

If only one sender can't reach you, ask them to check that they're using the right number and aren't blocked on their side. If nothing arrives from anyone after the carrier has checked your line, contact Apple Support - or the GetQuickTechSupport team can go through the settings with you.

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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

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See Also:iphone imessage texts