When iMessage stops working, it usually shows up in one of three ways: messages won’t send and you see a red exclamation mark, your messages turn green instead of blue, or messages arrive on one device but not another.

The good news is that most of these problems come down to a few settings. Below are 10 fixes in the order I’d try them, starting with the quickest.

First, understand blue vs green bubbles

  • Blue bubbles are iMessages. They’re sent over Wi-Fi or mobile data to another Apple device.
  • Green bubbles are RCS, SMS or MMS messages. They go through your carrier and need a text-messaging plan.

If a message to another iPhone user is green, iMessage either couldn’t reach them or isn’t working on your side.

Fix 1: Check your internet connection

iMessage needs Wi-Fi or mobile data. Open a web page to check your connection works. If you’re on Wi-Fi, try switching to mobile data (or the other way round).

Fix 2: Check Apple’s System Status

Sometimes the problem is on Apple’s side. Search for “Apple System Status” and check whether iMessage shows a green dot. If there’s an outage, all you can do is wait.

Fix 3: Turn iMessage off and on again

  1. Open Settings > Apps > Messages.
  2. Turn iMessage off.
  3. Wait a few seconds, then turn it back on.

On older iOS versions, Messages is directly in Settings instead of under Apps.

Fix 4: Check Send & Receive

  1. Go to Settings > Apps > Messages > Send & Receive.
  2. Make sure your phone number and Apple Account email are ticked.
  3. Under “Start new conversations from”, choose your phone number.

If your phone number isn’t listed, iMessage may not be linked to it yet. Turning iMessage off and on again often fixes this.

Fix 5: Retry or send as a text message

If you see a red exclamation mark and “Not Delivered”:

  1. Tap the red exclamation mark, then tap Try Again.
  2. If it still fails, tap it again and choose Send as Text Message. Carrier charges may apply.

To do this automatically in future, turn on Settings > Apps > Messages > Send as Text Message.

Fix 6: Check your phone line is on

If you recently set up a new iPhone or use two SIMs, go to Settings > Mobile Data (or Cellular) and make sure the line you want to use is turned on and selected.

Fix 7: Restart your iPhone

A restart clears temporary glitches. Turn your iPhone off, wait 30 seconds, and turn it back on.

Fix 8: Update iOS

Go to Settings > General > Software Update and install any available update. iMessage bugs are often fixed in updates.

Fix 9: Check storage for photos and videos

If text sends but photos and videos don’t, check Settings > General > iPhone Storage. A nearly full iPhone can stop attachments from sending.

Fix 10: Fix iMessage on your Mac

If iMessage works on your iPhone but not your Mac:

  1. Open Messages on your Mac.
  2. Go to Messages > Settings > iMessage.
  3. Make sure you’re signed in with the same Apple Account as your iPhone, and that your phone number is ticked.

To get green-bubble texts on your Mac too, turn on Settings > Apps > Messages > Text Message Forwarding on your iPhone and select your Mac.

Still not working?

If none of these steps work, contact Apple Support for iMessage problems, or your carrier if only SMS, MMS or RCS messages are failing.

Switched to Android?

If you moved from iPhone to Android, deregister your number from iMessage. Otherwise, iPhone users’ messages to you may keep trying to go through iMessage and never arrive.

Frequently asked questions

Why are my messages green instead of blue? Green means the message went as SMS, MMS or RCS instead of iMessage. This happens when you or the other person has no internet connection, iMessage is turned off, or the other person isn’t using an Apple device.

Why does iMessage say “Waiting for activation”? Activation can take up to 24 hours. Check your connection, make sure your phone line is on, and turn iMessage off and on again.

Will turning iMessage off delete my messages? No. Turning iMessage off and on again doesn’t delete your conversations.

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