With iMessage, you can send and receive messages across iOS devices. This a convenient communication solution for iPad, Mac or iPod Touch since they don’t support standard SMS texts. The iMessage service works really well, but in some cases, you may notice some issues, such as that the iMessages suddenly stop working and you are not receiving them on your device. iPhone users can still get SMS text messages from non-iPhone users but there won’t be iMessages received from other people using iPhone. If you have an iPad, an iPhone and an iPod Touch, you may notice that the iMessages are delivered to one or two of them only.
Checking the reason behind the issue: Why are iMessages not being received?
In order to receive iMessages, your device has to be connected to the Internet. You can use mobile data or WiFi, but if there is no internet connection available, your messages simply won’t come through so make sure that you are online.
The iMessage service works really well, but in some cases, you may notice some issues, such as that the iMessages suddenly stop working and you are not receiving them on your device. IPhone users can still get SMS text messages from non-iPhone users but there won’t be iMessages received from other people using iPhone. The first thing you should always try when having issues is a hard reboot. Press and hold down the On/Off button on the right side (iPhone 6 or later) or top (all other iPhones, iPods, and iPads) of your device. While continuing to hold the On/Off button, press and hold the Home button on the front of your iPhone, iPod touch, or iPad.
- Control where iMessages appear by going to Settings Messages Send & Receive. Uncheck phone numbers and email addresses. Add a new iMessage email by logging in to Apple ID and selecting Edit. Go to Reachable At and select Add More. Remove or add phone numbers to FaceTime in the same way, but go to Settings FaceTime instead of Messages.
- If you are having trouble sending or receiving messages, it is usually an issue with the carrier or its service. Other times, iMessage may still be enabled if you just switched from an iPhone, which could make texts get stuck in limbo.
Check the Settings
If you are not receiving iMessages, you need to ensure that the message settings of the device have not been changed. Go to the Settings app and select Messages. Verify that the iMessage slider is set to the On position.
Then, you need to select Send & receive. You should see your Apple ID at the top of the window. If the Apple ID password has been changed, you will have to sign in using your new password to authorize the device again.
Reset iMessage
If you have verified that the settings are correct and that there is no issue on that side, it is likely that your iOS device has simply been disconnected from the iMessage server. In order to reset the iMessage connection, you need to go to Settings, then Messages, followed by Send & Receive and uncheck the email addresses in the “You Can be Reached by iMessage at” section.
After that, tap your Apple ID at the top of the screen and select Sign Out. Go back one screen and disable iMessage using the slider.
The next step is to reset the device. You can do this by pressing and holding the Sleep/Wake button and the Home button for around 10 seconds. While you are holding the buttons, the screen will go blank. Keep on holding the buttons until the Apple logo shows up. Once the logo appears on the screen, you can release the buttons.
When the device restarts, allow 5 to 10 minutes, then move the iMessage slider back to the On position. Then sign in with your Apple ID. The iMessage activation should continue as normal. Once iMessage is enabled, return to Settings, then go to Messages, Send & receive and make sure that any email addresses that you want to use for iMessage are selected.
If the issues persist and you are still unable to receive iMessages, and you have multiple Apple devices, reset the iMessage connection on all your devices. This should fix the problem.
Set up your phone number
On your iPhone:
Iphone Cannot Receive Text Messages
- Go to Settings > Messages and make sure that iMessage is on. You might need to wait a moment for it to activate.
- Tap Send & Receive. If you see “Use your Apple ID for iMessage,” tap it and sign in with the same Apple ID that you use on your Mac, iPad, and iPod touch.
- In the 'You can receive iMessages' section, make sure that your phone number and Apple ID are selected.
- Go to Settings > FaceTime and make sure that your phone number and Apple ID are selected in the 'You can be reached by FaceTime at' section.
On your other devices, you can now turn on the phone number that you just set up:
If you use this feature and share your Apple ID with someone, you can't prevent them from seeing your conversations. Instead of using the same Apple ID as someone else, set up Family Sharing.
Remove your phone number
If you don't want calls or messages for your iPhone on your iPad, iPod touch, or Mac, you can remove your phone number. There are two ways to do this:
- On your iPhone, go to Settings > Messages > Send & Receive. Select your Apple ID at the bottom of the screen and tap Sign Out. Then go to Settings > FaceTime, select your Apple ID and tap Sign Out.
- If the phone number that you want to remove belongs to an iPhone that you can't access, change your Apple ID password. This removes all phone numbers from your iPad, iPod touch, and Mac. Calls or messages for the removed numbers won't appear on those devices anymore.
If you have questions, contact Apple Support.
Turn your phone number on or off for your Mac
Iphone Not Receiving Text Messages
After you set up your phone number, you can turn it on or off for Messages and FaceTime on your Mac.
- Open Messages or FaceTime. If asked, sign in with the Apple ID that you're using with Messages and FaceTime on your iPhone.
- For Messages, choose Messages > Preferences, then click iMessage. For FaceTime, choose FaceTime > Preferences, then click Settings.
- Turn your phone number on or off:
- To turn on your phone number, select it and your Apple ID in the list. If you don't see your phone number, get help with your settings or contact Apple Support. If you see a number that isn't yours, change your Apple ID password.
- To turn off your phone number, deselect it in the list.
- If you want recipients to see your phone number and not your Apple ID, select your phone number from the “Start new conversations from” or ”Start new calls from” pop-up menu.
Learn how to make messages that you send and receive on your iPhone appear on your Mac, iPad, and iPod touch.
Turn your phone number on or off for your iPad or iPod touch
After you set up your phone number, you can turn it on or off for Messages and FaceTime on your iPad or iPod touch.
- For Messages, go to Settings > Messages and make sure that iMessage is on. If asked, sign in with the Apple ID you're using with Messages and FaceTime on your iPhone. Then tap Send & Receive.
- For FaceTime, go to Settings > FaceTime. If asked, sign in with the Apple ID that you're using with Messages and FaceTime on your iPhone.
- Turn your phone number on or off:
- To turn on your phone number, select it and your Apple ID in the “You can be reached” section. If you don't see your phone number, get help with your settings or contact Apple Support. If you see a number that isn't yours, change your Apple ID password.
- To turn off your phone number, uncheck it.
Learn how to make messages that you send and receive on your iPhone also appear on your Mac, iPad, and iPod touch.
If you can't see or select your number in Messages or FaceTime
- Make sure that you're using the latest software for your Mac or iOS device.
- Make sure that you correctly followed the iPhone steps to set up your phone number. You should be using the same Apple ID on all of your devices.
- In the “You can be reached” section of Messages and FaceTime settings, make sure that there are checkmarks beside your phone number and Apple ID:
If your phone number is unchecked and you can't select it, or you have some other issue, follow these steps:
- On your Mac:
- In Messages, choose Messages > Preferences, then click iMessage. Click Sign Out.
- In FaceTime, choose FaceTime > Preferences, then click Sign Out.
- On your iPhone, iPad, and iPod:
- Go to Settings > Messages > Send & Receive. Tap your Apple ID, then tap Sign Out.
- Go to Settings > FaceTime. Tap your Apple ID, then tap Sign Out.
- On your iPhone:
- Go back to Settings > Messages and make sure that iMessage is turned on.
- Tap Send & Receive, then choose “Use your Apple ID for iMessage” and sign in with your Apple ID.
- Using the same Apple ID, sign back in to Messages and FaceTime on your other devices.
If you still need help, change your Apple ID password and repeat the setup steps. If that doesn't work, contact Apple Support.