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iMessage Problems

Jamal01
Good Citizen / Bon Citoyen

for the past few days, i haven't been able to use my iMessage (& Facetime). when i toggle the iMessage button to turn it on it would state "waiting for activation" before immediately turning itself off and saying "Activation unsuccessful. Turn on iMessage to try again". I've tried every possible fix available but none seems to be working. I haven't switched from anything and have had the same sim and phone, i have no updates to do- it just happened randomly, i really don't understand why it doesn't work. If anyone has any suggestions or has had this issue and got it fixed I would greatly appreciate it.

27 REPLIES 27

111111
Great Citizen / Super Citoyen

Hi @Jamal01 

Make sue your data is is working can you use Safari and successfully go to a website?

 

if not try to reset network settings under General then Reset then reset network settings

 

 

a10warthog
Great Neighbour / Super Voisin

Had the exact same problem. After wiping out my settings five times did nothing, I finally had to call apple support. They took my appleid and number to reset something on their side and the activation worked!

 

Luddite
Oracle
Oracle

@Jamal01 

a) What model do you have?

b) What iOS is installed?

c) Have you tried a factory reset?

d) Except for iMessages, do calling, SMS/MMS, and data work?


>>> ALERT: I am not a CSA. Je ne suis pas un Agent du soutien à la clientèle.

Jamal01
Good Citizen / Bon Citoyen

just tried this method, it did not work either.

@Jamal01 

 

  1. remove the sim(clean it).
  2. Go to Settings > Messages>Turn off iMessage. reinsert sim
  3. Go to General > Reset > Reset Network Settings.
  4. Once the iPhone is open.
  5. Go to Settings > Messages>Turn ON iMessage.
  6. This will recognize the new sim and have it verified.

Jamal01
Good Citizen / Bon Citoyen

Unfortunately, none of these suggestions did the trick.

@Jamal01 

On your iPhone, go to Settings > Messages > Send & Receive. Select your Apple ID 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

 

Sign out of every Apple service and device that uses your Apple ID, except the one you're using to change your Apple ID.
Go to Settings > [your name] > Name, Phone Numbers, Email.
Next to Reachable At, tap Edit > Delete.
Tap Continue and follow the instructions.
After you enter the mobile phone number that you want to use as your Apple ID, a verification code is sent to you at that number. Enter the verification code from the text into the fields provided.

This is a TRY only.  Back up phone to iTunes, do a full reset, restore phone. 

Jamal01
Good Citizen / Bon Citoyen

this method doesn't work either, unfortunately. 


@Luddite wrote:

@Jamal01 

  • In case you haven't already done so, turn off iMessage and Facetime. After 5 minutes, turn on again.
  • Be sure your messaging setup is: Settings >> Messages >> iMessage ON, Send as SMS ON, MMS ON >> Send & Receive: should show your phone number and Apple id email.
  • You also must have cellular turned on.
  • Away from wifi, you must have data left in your plan for iMessages to work.

Perfect...that is now what I recall that I did.  

@Jamal01 

  • In case you haven't already done so, turn off iMessage and Facetime. After 5 minutes, turn on again.
  • Be sure your messaging setup is: Settings >> Messages >> iMessage ON, Send as SMS ON, MMS ON >> Send & Receive: should show your phone number and Apple id email.
  • You also must have cellular turned on.
  • Away from wifi, you must have data left in your plan for iMessages to work.

>>> ALERT: I am not a CSA. Je ne suis pas un Agent du soutien à la clientèle.

I meant did you add any ID's to immesage or facetime ..... like YOUR phone number or any one of YOUR emails. If you go into settings facetime or iMessage you may see what ID has the wheel churning away. 

Hold your on/off button down til you see the apple then let it do its thing. Also a DFU might work. 

 

Just keep trying....I did so many things...but eventually the wheels stopped turning and it fixed. 

Jamal01
Good Citizen / Bon Citoyen

I tried that, did not work, unfortunately.

Jamal01
Good Citizen / Bon Citoyen

It's definitely a pain. And if you're talking about a new Apple ID, I did make one not too long ago but I'm not sure if I added it to iMessage or Facetime.

You wouldn't happen to have the steps available to reboot, I'd like to give it a try. Is that what worked for you?

Try logging off of iCloud and back on. 

LurganIeUk
Mayor / Maire

@Jamal01 wrote:

for the past few days, i haven't been able to use my iMessage (& Facetime). when i toggle the iMessage button to turn it on it would state "waiting for activation" before immediately turning itself off and saying "Activation unsuccessful. Turn on iMessage to try again". I've tried every possible fix available but none seems to be working. I haven't switched from anything and have had the same sim and phone, i have no updates to do- it just happened randomly, i really don't understand why it doesn't work. If anyone has any suggestions or has had this issue and got it fixed I would greatly appreciate it.


That has happened to me a few times. What a PITA. Did you add any ID's in FaceTime or iMessage? Try rebooting.  

@Jamal01  it could be possible that the update affected thing.

 

Can you register the phone back to your Apple ID? And add iMessage back?

Jamal01
Good Citizen / Bon Citoyen

I'm not sure if this is relevant at all but before my iMessage stopped working I had an update to my phone I had to make but I waited a few days before finally doing it. I made the update to my phone recently, could there be something there?


@Jamal01 wrote:

That's the funny thing. I did try that and I got the code sent to my phone but after inputting the code to deregister my number it tells me that my iMessage isn't even registered even though I'm fairly certain it is.


Maybe that is the problem.  Need to find out why the account was deregistered.  

Jamal01
Good Citizen / Bon Citoyen

That's the funny thing. I did try that and I got the code sent to my phone but after inputting the code to deregister my number it tells me that my iMessage isn't even registered even though I'm fairly certain it is.

Jamal01
Good Citizen / Bon Citoyen

I've restarted my phone many times but I haven't tried that second suggestion you gave me.

I'll give it a try and see if it works!

You could try deregistering your iPhone from your Apple ID. Then registering it back.

popping
Retired Oracle / Oracle Retraité

@Jamal01 

Restart your iPhone.  You may already done this.

 

Connect your iPhone to your computer running iTune to determine whether any update is waiting.

Jamal01
Good Citizen / Bon Citoyen

I've tried those suggestions already and none of them seems to work. It's very strange. I've never had any problems like this before.

will13am
Oracle
Oracle

@Jamal01 , some suggestions from Apple.  

 

https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT201422

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