Make sure that your iPhone stays plugged in and that Wi-Fi remains on until this process is complete. Now that your data is safely backed up to iCloud, we can tell your new iPhone to use this backup, and therefore load in all of your message conversations. If you have not yet set up your new iPhone, turn it on and follow the setup wizard. Mar 24, 2021 Just like ‘AirDrop Me,’ “I’ll iMessage you!!’ is a common phrase used by iPhone users. Though it might sound like an unfamiliar word for Android users, the functionality was introduced solely for iPhone users to create a seamless and secure communication channel.

When you first buy your new iPhone, and you are setting it up, you expect things to go smoothly. Ideally, all of the features will be working as they should, and you won’t have to make any adjustments or do any troubleshooting. Occasionally, though, you might run into a problem, and iMessage activation is an area where that can take place.

iMessage is Apple’s instant messaging service that sends messages over the internet using your data. If you aren’t able to set it up correctly, then you will not be able to send and receive texts, and also pictures and videos. In this article, we’ll discuss what you can do if iMessage activation has failed for your device.

What Messages Indicate that iMessage Activation Has Been Unsuccessful?

Tap on Messages and you'll see a new page with an option at the top to enable iMessage. Tap on the button to the right of the name so that the background turns green. The service will now activate.

There are several messages that you might get, which will let you know that iMessage activation has failed as you are trying to set it up. You might get one that says “Unable to contact the message server. Try again.” You may get “Could not sign in, please check your network connection.” There’s the “An error occurred during activation” message, as well as “Activation unsuccessful.” Any of those let you know that you’re going to have to make an adjustment with your device to get iMessage functionality working.

For iMessage Activation Failure, Check Your Device Settings

The most logical thing to do if you get one of these messages as you’re trying to set up iMessage is to check your phone’s settings. Specifically, you should check to be sure that you are either connected to Wi-Fi or you’re using cellular data. If neither of these is true, then you won’t be able to use the iMessage feature on your phone.

Setting Up Imessage On Iphone 11

To see if you are connected to Wi-Fi, go to Settings, then check Wi-Fi. The network to which you are connected should come up, and there should be a checkmark next to it. If you aren’t connected to a network, then you can do so if you have the password to it, and the network is stable. It’s best to only connect to trusted networks. That way, you can have iMessage accessibility, but you can also be sure that any sensitive data on your phone will not be compromised.

If you don’t have access to a Wi-Fi network, but you still want to activate and use iMessage, then you’ll have to use your cellular data. If you have a data plan with a service provider, then you should be able to do that. You’ll need to go to Settings on your phone, then tap Cellular. Where it says Cellular Data, toggle the switch to the on position. When it is on the right-hand side and turns green, you’ll know that you’ve done it correctly.

With either Wi-Fi or cellular service working, you should be able to activate iMessage. If you can’t, then keep reading.

You Need SMS Messaging to Activate iMessage

In order for iMessage to work on your iPhone, you also need SMS messaging to be functional. SMS stands for Short Messaging Service. This is the technology that is used for text messages, which are typically sent over a cellular data network. All iPhones come equipped with this tech, so that’s never going to be an issue for you.

The only reason that your SMS messaging might not be working is if the data plan that you got with your carrier does not support it. It’s not very likely that would happen, but you should always read through your carrier contract carefully to make sure that SMS messaging is a part of it. If you don’t have it as a part of your plan, then you won’t be able to use iMessage.

Activation Issues Related to Date and Time Settings

You should next look into whether the date and time are set correctly on your iPhone. There are particular functionalities that don’t always work as they should until you set the correct date and time on your device. Go to Settings, then General. Go to Date and Time and set it up for your time zone and the correct date if you see that what you have there is not accurate.

See if iMessage is working for you now.

Try Turning Off iMessage and Turning it On Again

Setting Up Imessage On New Iphone 8

The next thing that you could try is to go to Settings, then Messages. From there, turn off iMessage. Next, restart your device. If you have the iPhone X or above, then press and hold the Side button and either of the Volume buttons. When the slider comes up, drag it to the right, turning off the phone. After a few seconds have passed, press and hold down your Side button until the Apple logo comes up. When the phone is up and running again, turn iMessage back on and see if it’s working.

If you have an iPhone 6, 7, or 8, then you’ll need to press and hold down your Side button until the slider comes up on the display. Drag the slider and wait as the device powers down. Then, press and hold your Side button again until you see the Apple logo, and the phone will power back up.

If you have the iPhone 5 or below, then you’ll need to press and hold down your Top button until you see the slider. Slide it to the right, shutting off the phone. To turn it back on, press and hold down the Top button until you see the Apple logo.

If You’re Still Dealing with iMessage Activation Failure, Update iOS

The next option that is worth trying if you still can’t get iMessage to work is to check and see if there is a new version of iOS available. iOS is the universal Apple operating system, and they put out new editions of it periodically to fix glitches and bugs.

You’ll need to go to Settings on your iPhone, then General. Tap Software Update, and if you see that a new version is there, download it. You can also turn on the automated setting for updates if you like.

If iMessage Still Doesn’t Activate, Contact Your Carrier

You will now have exhausted the majority of your options having to do with your phone’s software. If iMessage still fails to activate, then you should reach out to your carrier. They might have some idea as to what’s going on.

Try these steps first

1. Restart your device:
2. Check your network connection. To send a message as iMessage or MMS, you need a cellular data or Wi-Fi connection. To send an SMS message, you need cellular network connection. If you turn on Wi-Fi Calling, you can send SMS messages over Wi-Fi.
3. Check with your carrier to see if the type of message you’re trying to send, like MMS or SMS, is supported.
4. If you’re trying to send group MMS messages on an iPhone, go to Settings > Messages and turn on MMS Messaging. If you don't see an option to turn on MMS Messaging or Group Messaging on your iPhone, then your carrier might not support this feature.
5. Make sure that your device has enough space to receive images and videos.
6. Make sure that you entered the correct phone number or email address for the contact.

If you see a Waiting for Activation alert, learn what to do.

If you still need help, find your issue below to learn what to do next.

If you see a red exclamation point

If you try to send a message and you see with an alert that says Not Delivered, follow these steps:

1. Check your network connection.
2. Tap , then tap Try Again.
   
3. If you still can’t send the message, tap , then tap Send as Text Message. Messaging rates may apply. Contact your carrier for more information.

If you see a green message bubble

If you see a green message bubble instead of a blue one, then that message was sent using MMS/SMS instead of iMessage. There are several reasons for this:

• The person that you sent the message to doesn't have an Apple device.
• iMessage is turned off on your device or on your recipient’s device. To check if iMessage is turned on for your device, go to Settings > Messages > iMessage.
• iMessage is temporarily unavailable on your device or on your recipient’s device.

Learn the difference between iMessage and MMS/SMS messages.

Setting Up Imessage On New Iphone 8

If you receive messages on one device but not the other

If you have an iPhone and another iOS device, like an iPad, your iMessage settings might be set to receive and start messages from your Apple ID instead of your phone number. To check if your phone number is set to send and receive messages, go to Settings > Messages, and tap Send & Receive.

If you don't see your phone number, you can link your iPhone number to your Apple ID so you can send and receive iMessages from your phone number. You can also set up Text Message Forwarding so you can send and receive MMS and SMS messages on all of your Apple devices.

If you have issues with a group message

If you’re in a group message and stop receiving messages, check if you left the conversation. Open Messages and tap the group message. If you see a message that says you left the conversation, then either you left the conversation or you were removed from the group message. You can rejoin a group message only if someone in the group adds you.

To start a new group message:

1. Open Messages and tap the Compose button to start a new message.
2. Enter the phone numbers or email addresses of your contacts.
3. Type your message, then tap the Send button .

If you have other issues with a group message, you might need to delete the conversation and start a new one. To delete a group message:

1. Open Messages and find the conversation that you want to delete.
2. Swipe left over the conversation.
3. Tap Delete.

When you delete a message, you can't recover it. If you want to save parts of a message, take a screenshot. To save an attachment in a message, touch and hold the attachment, tap More, then tap Save.

Learn more

• If you still can't send or receive messages, contact Apple Support.
• If you don't receive SMS messages, contact your carrier.
• If you switched to a non-Apple phone, learn how to deactivate iMessage.
• Learn how to report unwanted iMessages.