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iOS 7 iMessage Problems Plague iPhone Users, But There’s a Fix

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iPhone owners have been experiencing iOS 7 iMessage problems after installing the new update and after upgrading to iOS 7.0.2, the most current version of iOS. Fortunately, there appears to be a simple fix for those are suffering from iMessage issues within Apple’s new iOS 7 update for the iPhone.

Over the course of the past few days, it has become clear that iPhone owners around the United States are dealing with an iMessage issue. After installing iOS 7.0.2, many owners began to complain about not being able to send any iMessages, instead having to rely on text message to communicate with family and friends.

Read: iOS 7.0.2 Problems Frustrate iPhone & iPad Users.

iOS 7 iMessage issues have a simple fix.

iOS 7 iMessage issues have a simple fix.

Gotta Be Mobile experienced the issue on an iPhone 5 which, after installing iOS 7.0.2, was no longer able to take advantage of the service and was instead forced to use basic texts to communicate. Those who don’t have unlimited text were greatly affected by this issue and it became a nightmare for many who wanted to easily, and quickly, sent out communicate to their loved ones.

Apple hasn’t acknowledged the issues and it’s still not clear how widespread the problem is. We have talked to numerous iPhone owners who are affected by the issue though so it isn’t isolated to just one device. It also doesn’t appear to be affecting the iPad or the iPod touch as iMessage works perfectly on both of those.

Thankfully, intrepid users on the Apple discussion forums have found a fix for the issue that iPhone users can follow to get iMessage back up and running on board the iPhone.

Better ioS 7 battery life

iPhone users will want to head into their Settings and into Messages to disable iMessage. After that, head back and go into General and then into the Reset tab that is down at the bottom of the screen. From there, select Reset Network Settings, confirm the choice, and wait for the iPhone to reboot. This takes a few seconds. After that, toggle iMessage back on and the service should be functional again.

The procedure worked on our iPhone 5 and iMessage is now up and running, capable of sending messages, photos and video with co-workers, family and friends. What’s unclear however is if the fix is temporary. It’s possible that the issue could pop up out of the blue once again, in the same way that it surfaced the first time around.

iPhone and iPad owners who are experiencing other issues in iOS 7.0.2 and below should take a look into the Apple discussion forums for quick fixes to their issues. Apple is fast with its updates, an iOS 7.0.3 update is said to be imminent, but its updates don’t always fix minor issues.

29 Comments

29 Comments

  1. Donna

    10/01/2013 at 10:29 am

    I upgraded to the new iOS7 on my iPhone 5 this past Sunday. I am having an issue with the alert sound when SENDING a TEXT MESSAGE to my son’s iPod Touch (3rd Generation). The same alert that sounds when I RECEIVE a TEXT MESSAGE is also sounding when I SEND a TEXT MESSAGE to the iPod Touch. And, I am automatically RECEIVING a TEXT MESSAGE from my son’s iPod touch with the same exact text message I just sent to him. Somehow it is sending me a copy of what he is receiving on his iPod Touch. What in the world? I have searched in settings on my phone as well as the settings on his iPod touch to try to figure it out but with no luck. I am no computer brain so details would be much appreciated. I can text everyone else without it doing this, even other iPhones so it definitely has something to do with the iPod Touch (which used to be my iPod Touch until I gave it to him–it has my Apple ID associated with it from when I purchased the iPod Touch several years ago.) However, not until the upgrade did I have this problem. Before the upgrade we were able to text back and forth as you normally would with no issues. Please help. Thank you.

    • Jesse

      10/03/2013 at 11:06 am

      Does you son have his own apple ID or are you using the same Id for both devices? If so that’s you issue, create a new apple id just for your son to use with imessage and facetime.

  2. Bonnie Murray

    10/01/2013 at 12:08 pm

    I had the same problem- after many attemps I finally figured it out. Go into settings, then go into your messages tab then go to send & receive and make sure only your phone # is checked. That fixed mine. Hope this helps

    • eamorgan21

      10/02/2013 at 2:37 pm

      I don’t see the send/receive tab when I go into settings, messages. It just says SMS/MMS, all the stuff under that. There is a button that says use your apple id for imessage but nothing about send/receive.

  3. commsgirl

    10/01/2013 at 2:22 pm

    I tried this, but now mine won’t connect to iMessage at all! It’s stuck on “waiting for activation” which wasn’t happening before :(

  4. Sara

    10/01/2013 at 5:07 pm

    This worked!!! Thanks!

  5. Jaiyme

    10/01/2013 at 6:27 pm

    Thanks! Mine is working now. That was a pain!

  6. Crazykz

    10/01/2013 at 7:54 pm

    Worked for me (actually my wife’s iPhone). Took only 3 mins to activate again. She also has both email and phone number activated so that the texts go to the iPad too. Works great now. :-)

  7. stuart

    10/02/2013 at 2:51 am

    can anyone help me please i updated my 4s GB i have had same problems, but manged to sort out , but since the i have not been able to connect to wi-fi has anyone else had this trouble i have been told by apple there is a problem with the phone , but it was working fine till the update apple told me to make a consumer law claim , any help please would be grateful

    • Steph

      10/06/2013 at 7:02 pm

      Stuart, this just happened to me. Apple store told me I had a bad wifi card. I found out that I had a few days left on my warranty so they gave me a remanufactured Iphone. Make sure to back up your phone before anything is done to it. Hope this helps.

  8. riah

    10/02/2013 at 5:55 am

    It worked for me a couple days ago to do a hard reboot and then it stopped working again and I had to do a hard reboot of my phone to get it working again. I don’t want to have to keep doing hard reboots or resetting my settings just to get imessage to work. Frustrating…

    • Kim

      10/02/2013 at 4:43 pm

      Same thing happened to me. It is extremely frustrating since almost all of my friends have iPhones!!!

  9. Kim

    10/02/2013 at 4:42 pm

    It is temporary. I did the network reset yesterday (Tuesday afternoon) and noticed tonight (Wed) that iMessages stopped again. Did another network reset. This is a huge pain especially since I have to re-enter my FiOS wi-if password, which is 16 characters long. Really hope Apple pushes out an update soon!

    • Fabricio

      10/05/2013 at 8:04 pm

      Im from Brazil, 5s going crazy too!! I try it but no fix!!! And worst, im getting messeges from strabge number with text “y”!!!!
      Same thing with my wife after activing facetime
      Nightmare this imessage

  10. Roy

    10/04/2013 at 1:52 am

    Stuart,
    I have exactly the same problem with my Iphone 4s. Literally Wi-Fi has stopped working and now certain apps that I open just close within 10 seconds of opening and unable to use.

    • Steph

      10/06/2013 at 6:59 pm

      Roy, you probably have a bad wi-fi card. Just happened to me. If you are still within your one year warranty that you automatically receive upon purchase then they can replace it with a re-manufactured phone. Good luck. Make sure to do a backup before you get the other phone or have any work done on the current one.

  11. Lee

    10/04/2013 at 9:31 am

    No wifi on my 4s either. Just updated too

    • Steph

      10/06/2013 at 7:00 pm

      Please see my reply to Roy. It’s probably a bad wi-fi card.

  12. Cme292929

    10/04/2013 at 7:47 pm

    No problem with the iPhone 4 until I upgraded the operating system late last night. Now the phone is half frozen. Safari works, but that’s about it. After updating, text message function is frozen, no wi fi, apps installation frozen, settings frozen, and I cannot turn the phone off or reboot.

    • Steph

      10/06/2013 at 7:03 pm

      Probably a bad wifi card.

  13. Steph

    10/06/2013 at 6:56 pm

    Anyone not able to connect to wifi, this just happened to me. Apple store said I had a bad wifi card. Luckily just a few days until my warranty was out so they gave me a re-manufactured phone. I have an Iphone4s. This problem happened before I updated to IOS 7 and after I updated. Took three days of talking to the Apple help line and finally going to an Apple store.

  14. jan Jenkins

    10/07/2013 at 5:38 pm

    After updating to IOS7 my IPhone 5 will not text. I have to turn phone off. This has happened two times now.

  15. Tom Menino

    10/10/2013 at 4:12 am

    The fixes above are temporary. You are all likely missing incoming texts and your friends aren’t getting yiur outgoing texts. Wherever Steve Jobs is (R.I.P.) he must be very disappointed in what a hash they are making of Apple quality. Fix this!

  16. Jimbo

    10/10/2013 at 8:01 am

    Thanks, that fix for the I-message worked great

  17. Leo

    10/13/2013 at 10:55 am

    Mine says imessage needs to enable and it is, done everything even went to apple store got a new phone. Im only able to send 2 pics at a time, on my friends phone he showed me how he could send up to 10. :0

  18. Anita

    03/02/2014 at 3:45 pm

    I am tired of getting a “message failed to send” error no matter who I text… iMessage or regular message. I am on the Rogers network in Ontario Canada but I think it’s the phone not the network!

  19. Adam McCauley

    05/15/2014 at 8:01 am

    Very insightful article! However, if your still having problems and you have Jailbroken your device and have apps like Instahancer – follow this guide! It’s really good and helped me fix my iPhone too from the same problem! Its a life saver!

    https://gadgtmag.com/2014/03/fix-photos-sending-imessage-ios-7-jailbreak/

  20. Beula Cooke

    11/25/2014 at 8:08 am

    this solved my problem

  21. Timothy

    07/25/2015 at 10:10 pm

    I am having a problem with my iphone4. When my iMessage is on my friends are receiving messages under my email address. But when my imessage is off they are receiving my texts under my actual contact name.

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