How to Fix iMessage if Not Working on iPhone & iPad

How to Troubleshoot iMessage Issues on Your iPhone, iPad, or Mac​

Having trouble with iMessage on your iPhone or iPad? Follow this guide to troubleshoot and resolve common iMessage issues.

1. Check Your Network Connection​

• Open Safari: Launch Safari on your device.
• Perform a Quick Search: Try searching for something to see if any results come up.
• Toggle Airplane Mode: If no results appear, swipe to open Control Center, and toggle Airplane Mode on and off.
• Restart Your Device: Turn off your device by holding the power button and sliding to power off. Turn it back on after a few seconds.
• Connect to Wi-Fi: Go to Settings > Wi-Fi and connect to a nearby Wi-Fi network if available.

Restarting your device or toggling Airplane Mode can help reestablish a connection. If you still can't connect, switching to Wi-Fi or cellular data can resolve the issue.

2. Ensure iMessage is Enabled and Set Up Correctly​

• Open Settings: Tap on the Settings app.
• Go to Messages: Scroll down and tap on Messages.
• Check iMessage: Ensure iMessage is toggled on.
• Send & Receive: Tap on Send & Receive.
• Verify Phone Number: Ensure your phone number is listed and checked. If not, add and select it.

Ensuring iMessage is enabled and your phone number is correctly listed can resolve many sending and receiving issues.

3. Restart iMessage​

• Open Settings: Tap on the Settings app.
• Go to Messages: Scroll down and tap on Messages.
• Toggle iMessage Off: Turn off iMessage by toggling the switch off.
• Restart Your Device: Turn off your device by holding the power button and sliding to power off. Turn it back on after a few seconds.
• Toggle iMessage On: Go back to Settings > Messages and turn iMessage back on.

Restarting iMessage helps reset the connection and can fix many common issues.

4. Clear Your Message History​

• Open Messages: Launch the Messages app.
• Swipe to Delete: Swipe left on individual messages to delete them.
• Use Edit Mode: Tap Edit at the top left and select multiple messages to delete.
• Change Message Settings: Go to Settings > Messages, then tap Keep Messages and select 30 Days to automatically delete older messages.

Deleting old messages can free up space and reduce app lag, resolving performance issues.

5. Update Your iOS​

• Open Settings: Tap on the Settings app.
• Go to General: Scroll down and tap on General.
• Software Update: Tap on Software Update to check for any available updates.
• Download and Install: If an update is available, tap Download and Install.

Keeping your iOS updated ensures you have the latest fixes and improvements, which might resolve iMessage issues.

6. Reset Network Settings​

• Open Settings: Tap on the Settings app.
• Go to General: Scroll down and tap on General.
• Reset: Scroll to the bottom and tap on Reset.
• Reset Network Settings: Tap Reset Network Settings and confirm.

Resetting network settings can resolve connectivity issues by restoring default network configurations.

7. Check Time Zone Settings​

• Open Settings: Tap on the Settings app.
• Go to General: Scroll down and tap on General.
• Date & Time: Tap on Date & Time.
• Set Automatically: Ensure Set Automatically is toggled on.

Making sure your time zone is set correctly can resolve synchronization issues with iMessage.

8. Reactivate iMessage​

• Open Settings: Tap on the Settings app.
• Go to Messages: Scroll down and tap on Messages.
• Toggle iMessage Off: Turn off iMessage by toggling the switch off.
• Restart Your Device: Turn off your device by holding the power button and sliding to power off. Turn it back on after a few seconds.
• Toggle iMessage On: Go back to Settings > Messages and turn iMessage back on.

Reactivating iMessage can reset the service, resolving many activation and sending problems.

9. Check if iMessage is Down​

• Open Safari: Launch Safari on your device.
• Visit System Status Page: Go to Apple's System Status page to check if iMessage is down.
• Check Down Detector: Alternatively, visit Down Detector to see if there are widespread issues reported.

If iMessage is down, there's nothing to fix on your end. Just wait for Apple to resolve the service outage.

10. Contact Apple Support​

• Visit Apple Support: Go to Apple's Support page.
• Start a Support Request: Begin a support request online to get help from an Apple expert.

If all else fails, contacting Apple Support can give you personalized assistance to resolve your iMessage issues.
By following these detailed instructions, you should be able to troubleshoot and fix most iMessage issues on your devices.