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How to fix Apple Pay problems on iPhone in iOS 18

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This article explains what you can do if Apple Pay stopped working on your iPhone after iOS 18 update.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

  • To fix Apple Pay problems on iOS 18, first make sure the terminal accepts Apple Pay.
  • If it does, try selecting the credit card manually from your Wallet app.
  • Other fixes include replacing your credit card in the Wallet app and signing out and back into your Apple ID.

Apple Pay is a service that lets you make mobile purchases using your existing credit cards. You just need to load your credit cards into the Apple Wallet app on your iPhone. After loading your Apple Wallet app with one or more credit cards, you can use Apple Pay to complete purchases at point-of-sale terminals in many restaurants, grocery stores, and retail stores.

At least when it’s working, Apple Pay makes it possible to make purchases without ever pulling your wallet or credit cards out of your pocket. But sometimes, Apple Pay doesn’t quite work as expected. It could be a really bad and embarrassing experience for you to find out that Apple Pay isn’t working is when you’re at the checkout and especially if you’re the first in a long line of customers.

Sometimes you may get error messages like “Could not connect to Apple Pay” or “An error occurred…”. Sometimes when you attempt to pay with Apple Pay just like you did before to pay, nothing happens this time. Here are 13 ways you can fix Apple Pay when it’s not working on iPhone in iOS 18.

how to fix Apple Pay not working on iPhone in iOS 18

1. Make sure the point-of-sale terminal works with Apple Pay

If you’re unable to use Apple pay in iOS 18, first make sure that the point-of-sale terminal works with Apple Pay. Often, there will be a sign indicating that the terminal accepts Apple Pay.

If you hold your phone near the terminal’s credit card reader and nothing happens, ask the person behind the counter if it supports Apple Pay. They’ve likely been asked many times already and can tell you not just whether it works with Apple Pay, but where the best place to hold your phone is and if another terminal will give you better results.

2. Try choosing a card manually

When Apple Pay and the terminal are working normally, the Apple Pay wallet launches automatically and your default credit card will be selected automatically when you bring the phone near the terminal. But if that’s not working, you may want to select the card manually.

  1. Open the Wallet app on your iPhone.
  2. Tap the card you want to use for the purchase.
  3. If you have multiple cards, touch and hold the card you want to use and drag it to the front of your card stack.
  4. Hold your phone near the terminal’s credit card reader until you see a checkmark appear.

If you do not see your card in the Default Card list, you will need to add it first. If you need to add a card, follow these steps:

  1. Open the Wallet app on your iPhone.
  2. Tap the Add ( ) button in the top-right corner of the screen.
  3. Tap Debit or Credit Card.
  4. Tap Continue, then follow the onscreen instructions. You will need to enter the card details, which you can do manually by entering its numbers and other details, or you can do this automatically by scanning your card

After adding your card, you can now make it the default card.

3. Quit the Wallet app and then reopen it

Apple Pay works in conjunction with the Wallet app. So, if Apple Pay is not working on your iPhone, quit the Wallet app and then reopen it. Here’s how:

  • Go to the Home screen and swipe up (if you have a device with a Home button, double press the Home button), this will reveal the last used app previews.
  • Find the Wallet app (you may swipe left or right to find it).
  • Swipe up on the Wallet app icon to close it.

4. Make sure the Wallet app is allowed to use cellular data

If the Wallet app is not allowed to use cellular data, it will only use Wi-Fi and thus Apple Pay may not work outside of the Wi-Fi range. Here is how you can check if the Wallet app is allowed to use cellular data:

  1. Tap Settings.
  2. Tap Cellular.
  3. Scroll down to find the “cellular data” section. Scroll down further to find Wallet and make sure that it is enabled.

5. Enable Wallet when your phone is locked

Enabling Wallet access when your iPhone is locked is another important setting to ensure Apple Pay works properly. Here is how you can adjust this setting:

  1. Tap Settings.
  2. Tap Face ID & Passcode (or Touch ID & Passcode, depending on your model).
  3. Enter your passcode.
  4. Scroll down and find the “allow access when locked” section and make sure that Wallet is enabled.

6. Make sure that your Region setting is set correctly on your iPhone

Apple Pay is not available everywhere. So, you should make sure that your Region setting is set correctly on your iPhone. Here is how you can check this:

  1. Tap Settings.
  2. Tap General.
  3. Tap Language & Region.
  4. Tap Region.

7. Check Apple Pay’s system status

There may be a temporary issue with the Apple Servers. Sometimes Apple Servers may be having trouble and be down, causing the Apple Pay service to not work. To see the status of Apple Servers, go to the Apple System Status page and see if Apple Pay & Wallet has a green status light. If it doesn’t, the only thing you can do is to wait for Apple to fix it. Meanwhile, you can make a purchase the old fashioned way.

8. Check for the latest iOS update

If Apple Pay is still not working, make sure that your iPhone is running the latest version of iOS 18. Here’s how to update your iPhone:

  1. Tap Settings.
  2. Tap General.
  3. Tap Software Update.
  4. If an update is available, tap Update Now and follow the onscreen instructions.

9. Restart your iPhone

If you’re still unable to use Apple pay, it’s time to restart your iPhone. This can fix minor software problems and give your iPhone a fresh start.

  1. Tap Settings.
  2. Tap General.
  3. Tap Shut Down.
  4. Slide the power off slider.
  5. Press and hold the Side button until you see the Apple logo.

10. Replace your credit card in Apple Pay

If you are still having this problem, you may need to replace your default card because your old card may not be valid anymore. Here’s how:

  1. Tap Settings on your iPhone.
  2. Tap Wallet & Apple Pay.
  3. Tap the card that isn’t working under the Payment Cards section.
  4. Tap Remove This Card. You will need to confirm this choice.
  5. Restart your phone.
  6. Return to the Wallet & Apple Pay section in Settings.
  7. In the Payment Cards section, tap Add Card.
  8. Follow the onscreen instructions to add that same card back again.

11. Sign out and back into your Apple ID

Sometimes signing out of your Apple ID and signing back in again can fix a minor issue with the Apple Pay.

  1. Tap Settings.
  2. Tap your name.
  3. Tap Sign Out. You’ll need to confirm that you want to do this.
  4. Restart your phone.
  5. Return to the Settings app and sign back into your Apple ID.

12. Contact your card issuer

If nothing works, check-in with your bank or financial institution that issued your card. Perhaps Apple Pay did not work because your card is declined because of various reasons such as:

  • Your card may have expired.
  • Your card does not have enough funds available for the transaction.
  • Your card payment is past due.
  • Your card has been flagged for fraud and thus your account was blocked by your bank.

Simply call your card issuer and find out the reason.

13. Contact Apple customer support

You’ve done your due diligence and tried to fix the issue by ruling out the obvious faults listed above, but if Apple Pay is still not working on your iPhone, it’s time to contact Apple support. There may be a more complex issue with your iPhone that only an Apple support employee can address — for example, the NFC chip used to communicate with the point of sale terminal might not be working. You can get help online, over the phone, or through the mail. You can also schedule an appointment if you want to head into your local Apple Store.

FAQs

Which prepaid cards work with Apple Pay?

Apple Pay works with Visa, Mastercard, and American Express prepaid cards. You can also use Apple Pay with some Discover cards.

Where does Apple Pay work?

According to Apple, Apple Pay is accepted by 85 percent of U.S. retailers including Best Buy, GameStop, Walgreens, Costco, and Target. Basically anywhere that accepts contactless payments takes Apple Pay. Even some vending machines, taxis, and subway stations accept Apple Pay.

Why isn’t Apple Pay working in text messages?

The person you’re trying to send money to may not be eligible to accept payments through text messages. Try deleting the conversation and starting a new one, unlink and relink your card, then restart the Apple Pay and Messages apps. If you still have trouble, update iOS and restart your device.

How to fix iMessage not working on iPhone after iOS 18 update

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This article explains how you can fix iOS 18 iMessage problems.

iMessages are texts, photos, and video messages that are sent between iPhones, iPads, iPod touches, or Macs using Wi-Fi or a cellular network. iMessages are encrypted and have a signature blue color.

You might have problems trying to send iMessages on your iPhone running iOS 18. For example, you might see a red exclamation mark next to an iMessage you want to send, indicating your message did not send. You might also see an alert saying “not delivered”. Sometimes, your messages might be delivered as regular text messages (green bubbles), instead of iMessages (blue bubbles). Furthermore, you might also have problems receiving iMessages that your friends send to you. You may not receive iMessages on your iPhone at all.

Another common issue iPhone users face is iMessage activation. Some iPhone users may see a “waiting for activation” or “An error occurred during activation” when they want to turn on iMessage.

If iMessage isn’t working on your iPhone running iOS 18, you’re losing out on a couple of key advantages that iMessage has over ordinary SMS text messaging.

iMessages are sent and received as ordinary internet data, so they don’t count against your cellular text plan. They’re also encrypted from end to end, synchronize across all your Apple devices, and let you see when the other person is typing.

All of these features only work with other iPhone users. But if iMessage is not working on iOS 18 — and your messages appear in green bubbles with other Apple users — it’s time to troubleshoot.

How to fix iOS 18 iMessage problem

Try the troubleshooting steps below in order. Please test iMessage to see if you’ve fixed your issue after trying each step.

1. Quit the Messages app and then open it again

The first thing to do when iMessage is not working on your iPhone is close and reopen the Messages app. It’s possible iMessage is not working because of a minor software glitch, which can usually be fixed by closing the Messages app. Here’s how:

  1. Swipe up from the bottom of the screen to reveal the app switcher.
  2. Find the Messages app – you can swipe left or right. When you find it, swipe it up to close it.

2. Make sure you have a working internet connection

If your iPhone isn’t on Wi-Fi or cellular data, you won’t be able to send or receive iMessages. Please make sure that your iPhone is connected to a cellular data or Wi-Fi network. You can easily check this. Launch Safari on your iPhone and visit GeeksPit.com. Does our website load? If not, you may mean that your device is not connected to the Internet, causing your iMessage problem. Here is what you can do:

  • Turn on Airplane Mode, wait 10 seconds, and then turn it off (Settings > Airplane Mode)
  • If you are using a VPN service, disable it and try again (Settings > VPN)
  • Restart your Wi-Fi modem/router by unplugging it from the power outlet and then plugging it in again.

3. Figure out whether the problem is on your end or someone else’s

Keep in mind that an iMessage failure can be caused by a problem with your iPhone — or with the person you’re exchanging messages with.

Is iMessage failing with only one iPhone user or with every iPhone user you text with? If necessary, send a short text message to several people and see whether the problem is limited to one person or to everyone.

If I message doesn’t work with only one person, make sure that the recipient has an Apple device. Make sure that iMessage is enabled on the recipient device.

4. Make sure iMessage is set up for your iPhone

You probably know that iMessages use a blue message bubble. If you send one or more messages and they appear in green bubbles, then that means the messages were sent using SMS instead.

There are a few reasons why this might have happened. You might be sending the message to a non-Apple device. Only Apple devices support iMessage, so this isn’t unusual. But it’s also possible that iMessage might be turned off on your phone or the recipient’s device. To see if it’s disabled on your own phone, follow the steps below:

  1. Start the Settings app and tap Apps. Scroll down and tap Message.
  2. Make sure the switch labelled iMessage is turned on.
  3. If iMessage is turned off, turn it on by swiping the button to the right.

5. Turn off iMessage and then turn it on again

If you are still having this problem, turn off iMessage, restart your iPhone and then turn iMessage on again. Here is how:

  1. Start the Settings app and tap Apps. Scroll down and tap Messages.
  2. Turn iMessage off by swiping the button to the left.
  3. Restart your iPhone, then turn it on again.
  4. Go back to the Settings app, tap Message, and turn iMessage back on by swiping the button to the right.

When you turn iMessage back on, it may take some time to reactivate again. This is normal. If the activation is unsuccessful, see this article: iMessage Says Activation Unsuccessful, How to Fix.

6. Make sure your software is up to date

Make sure that your iPhone is running the latest iOS version. Check for an iOS and if there is an update, update your iPhone. Here is how:

  1. Start the Settings app and tap General.
  2. Tap Software Update.
  3. If an update is available, tap Update Now, then follow the onscreen instructions.

7. Check the date and time

Incorrect date and time can interfere with iMessage. Please ensure that the date and time are set correctly for your time zone. Here’s how:

  1. Start the Settings app and tap General.
  2. Tap Date & Time.
  3. If the date and time are incorrect. Update them so that they are correct.
  4. Also, make sure Set Automatically is turned on.

8. Sign out and back in to iMessage

If iMessage still isn’t working on your iOS 18 device, sign out entirely and then sign back in. Here’s how:

  1. Start the Settings app and tap Apps. Scroll down and tap Messages.
  2. Tap Send & Receive.
  3. Tap your Apple Account.
  4. Tap Sign Out.
  5. Now sign back in by going to Settings > Apps > Messages > Send & Receive.

9. Check if iMessage is down

The next step is to check the system status for iMessage. You should do this especially if you start having this problem suddenly. It is possible that Apple is experiencing downtime with its iMessage services. You can find out if iMessage is down. Here is how:

  • Open Safari and visit Apple’s System Status page.
  • Locate iMessage in the list of services.
  • If you see a green circle next to it, this is Apple is saying that iMessage services are up and running from their end. This means that your iMessage problem is on your end.
  • If you see a red, yellow, or anything other than green circle next to iMessage, this means that iMessage services are disrupted and not running. The problem is on Apple’s end. Just wait and Apple will fix it.

10. Reset your network settings

Issues with network connectivity can also cause problems with iMessage, and often times restoring your iPhone’s network settings back to factory defaults can resolve an issue with iMessage. Please note that doing so will also reset your Wi-Fi passwords, VPN settings, etc. Here is how you can do this:

  1. Start the Settings app and tap General.
  2. Tap Transfer or Reset iPhone.
  3. Tap Reset.
  4. In the pop-up window, tap Reset Network Settings and follow the onscreen instructions.

11. iMessage still not working?

If none of these troubleshooting steps help, you might want to contact Apple for expert support.

How to fix iPhone not ringing after iOS 18 update

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Is your iPhone not ringing after iOS 18 update? This article explains how you can troubleshoot this issue.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

  • If your iPhone won’t ring after iOS 18 update, it may be a volume or settings issue that can be easily resolved.
  • You can fix an iPhone that’s not ringing on iOS 18 by increasing the volume and turning off Focus mode.
  • You should also make sure your iPhone is not in silent mode.
  • If all else fails, you should try resetting the iPhone — just make sure to back it up first.

These days, missing an important phone can be devastating.

It becomes even more frustrating when you know you had your iPhone with you — but for some reason, your phone isn’t ringing for incoming calls.

Fortunately, there are a variety of solutions to fix iPhone ringer issues on iOS 18.

Why is my iPhone not ringing on iOS 18?

If your iPhone isn’t ringing on iOS 18, there are several possible culprits:

  • The speaker is damaged.
  • Silent mode is turned on.
  • Focus mode is turned on.
  • You blocked the phone number.
  • You silenced all unknown callers.
  • There’s a problem with a ringtone.
  • Your iPhone is stuck in headphone mode.

How to fix iPhone not ringing on iOS 18

If your iPhone is not ringing after iOS 18 update, try these 15 fixes — from turning off Focus mode to resetting your device.

1. Turn off Focus mode

The first thing you should always do if your iPhone isn’t ringing is to check the Focus feature. Focus is an iPhone feature that lets you block all notifications except from specific people or apps. If your iPhone is in Focus mode, incoming calls will go straight to voicemail without ringing. Here’s how to make sure Focus mode is turned off:

  1. Swipe down from the top right corner of your screen to open the Control Center.
  2. Look at the rectangle next to your brightness controls — if it says Do Not Disturb, Driving, Sleep, or something similar, it’s turned on. Tap this button to disable your Do Not Disturb or Focus mode.

2. Check that your iPhone isn’t stuck in Bluetooth or headphones mode

Your iPhone can occasionally get stuck in headphone mode, making your device believe headphones are plugged in even when they’re not, and muting the speakers.

To get your iPhone out of headphone mode, simply unplug or disconnect your headphones.

3. Check to see if CarPlay is on

Your iPhone won’t ring when it’s connected to CarPlay – the ring will be sent to your car’s speakers instead. If you want the phone to ring, disconnect CarPlay by following the steps below:

  1. Open the Settings app and tap General.
  2. Tap CarPlay.
  3. Tap your car, then disconnect it.

If you are using wired CarPlay, simply unplug the phone from the car’s USB port.

4. Make sure your phone isn’t connected to a Bluetooth device

Another way your iPhone might ring but still not get your attention: The audio might be playing through a connected audio device, like headphones, earbuds, or a portable speaker.

You might end up hearing nothing depending on the level of ringer volume and where these accessories are located when you get a phone call.

You can ensure there are no connected Bluetooth devices, or simply toggle Bluetooth off and then turn it back on again. Any devices will disconnect and the ringtone should play through the iPhone’s speaker. Here’s how:

  1. Swipe down from the top right of the screen to bring up the Control Center.
  2. Tap the **Bluetooth **icon in the top left.
  3. Wait about five seconds.
  4. Turn Bluetooth back on again (or, if you prefer, simply leave it off).

5. Update iOS

iOS updates routinely contain fixes to iPhone bugs and glitches. Try updating your iPhone to the latest version of iOS 18 and see if this solves your issue.

6. Turn off Silent Mode

As a general rule, Silent Mode disables all ringtones and notification alerts, so while in this setting, your phone won’t notify you about phone calls or text messages.

It’s entirely possible that you have entered Silent mode by accident and that’s why you’re iPhone isn’t ringing.

Here’s how to turn off Silent mode on your iPhone.

  1. Locate the Ring/Silent switch on the side of your phone.
  2. Flip the Ring/Silent switch upward to turn off Silent mode. Youll know silent mode is turned off when you no longer see the band of orange at the top of the switch.

On iPhone 15 Pro, iPhone 15 Pro Max, iPhone 16, iPhone 16 Plus, iPhone 16 Pro, and iPhone 16 Pro Max, you can turn off Silent mode by going to Settings > Sounds & Haptics, then turning off Silent mode.

7. Turn off calling on other devices

In some instances, setting up your Mac, iPad or another iPhone to receive phone calls can interfere with your iPhone’s ability to ring when a call comes in. To see if this is the bug that has bitten you, disable calls on other devices. Here’s how:

  1. Open your iPhone’s Settings app and scroll down to tap Apps. Tap Phone.
  2. In the Calls section, tap Calls on other devices.
  3. Toggle off the switch next to Allow Calls on Other Devices.

8. Turn off call forwarding

Your iPhone includes a simple call forwarding feature that lets you redirect all incoming calls to a different number.

When you set up call forwarding, your iPhone won’t ring and all of its calls will go to another phone. If you set up call forwarding temporarily, it’s easy to turn off so your iPhone gets calls again.

Here’s how to turn the feature off.

  1. Open your iPhone’s Settings app and scroll down to tap Apps. Scroll down again and tap Phone.
  2. In the Calls section, tap Call Forwarding.
  3. Tap the toggle switch next to Call Forwarding to turn it off.

9. Disable "Silence Unknown Callers" setting

The iPhone has a feature called "Silence Unknown Callers." When this is turned on, your phone won’t ring for calls from numbers you haven’t saved.

You’ll still hear rings for numbers you have saved in your Contacts list, numbers you’ve called or texted before, and "Siri Suggestions" — usually phone numbers that you’ve seen in an email or text message recently.

If your iPhone isn’t ringing when numbers you haven’t saved call, Silence Unknown Callers may be turned on. Here’s how to turn it off.

  1. Open your iPhone’s Settings app and scroll down to tap Apps. Scroll down again and tap Phone.
  2. Near the bottom of this page, tap Silence Unknown Callers.
  3. Tap the toggle switch next to Silence Unknown Callers to turn it off.

10. Make sure the number isn’t blocked

The reason your iPhone isn’t ringing on iOS 18 could simply be that you blocked the number. Here’s how to check if you blocked the contact and unblock it:

  1. Open your iPhone’s Settings app and scroll down to tap Apps. Scroll down again and tap Phone.
  2. Near the bottom of this page, tap Blocked Contacts.
  3. Find the number you wish to unblock and swipe right on it.
  4. Tap unblock.

11. Check custom ringtones

If the iPhone won’t ring for a specific caller and that person isn’t blocked, then check to see if a custom ringtone you assigned to them isn’t working.

You can change a contact’s ringtone through the Phone app. Here’s how:

  1. Open the Phone app and tap the Contacts tab at the bottom.
  2. Select the contact whose ringtone you want to change, then tap Edit in the top right corner of the contact’s page.
  3. Tap Ringtone, then select a non-custom ringtone from the list of available options.

Now do a test call to see if your iPhone still won’t ring.

12. Check your iPhone’s volume

If you are still having this problem, make sure the ringer volume is set high enough for you to hear — otherwise, your iPhone might ring and you simply won’t even know. Here’s how to increase the ringer volume on your iPhone:

  1. Open your iPhone’s Settings app and tap ”Sounds & Haptics.”
  2. In the Ringtone and Alerts section, drag the slider to the desired volume level.
  3. Turn off Change with Buttons to lock the ringer and alert volumes.

13. Restart your iPhone

If your iPhone is still not ringing, you should try restarting your iPhone. This resets your phone’s memory and clears temporary caches, which can solve temporary glitches with ringtone and alerts.

To restart an iPhone XR or later:

  1. Hold down the side button and volume up button or volume down button.
  2. When the **power slider **appears on your screen, drag it to the right to turn your phone off.
  3. When the iPhone completely shuts off, hold down the side button to turn it back on.

To restart an iPhone SE (2nd generation) or later:

  1. Hold down the side button.
  2. When the power slider appears on your screen, drag it to the right to turn your phone off.
  3. When the iPhone completely shuts off, hold down the side button to turn it back on.

If the problem persists, try the tips below.

14. Restore Your iPhone to Factory Default Settings

Restoring your iPhone to factory default settings should be the last thing you do to fix an iPhone not ringing issue because when you restore your iPhone, you’re deleting everything installed or changed on it since it was first purchased. In the process, it should also fix any ringer issues. Just make sure you have a recent backup before you reset your iPhone.

15. Get your iPhone serviced

If none of those troubleshooting steps solved the problem, you should contact Apple customer support for further help. It’s possible that you have a hardware problem — for example, the iPhone speaker might be damaged. This isn’t something you can fix on your own, so enlist the help of Apple.

How to fix iPhone not sending text to android after iOS 18 update

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Several users have said that they are unable to send text messages to Android after iOS 18 update. In this article, I will show you how to fix this problem.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

  • If your iPhone is not sending texts to Android phones after installing iOS 18 update, there are a number of ways to troubleshoot the problem.
  • To fix the problem, make sure that your iPhone is configured to send SMS and check that the Android’s phone number isn’t registered with Apple’s iMessage system.

There are two main players: iPhones running iOS 18 and non Apple phones (including Samsung, HTC, LG, Huawei, Xiaomi, etc) running Android.

A lot of issues can cause this factor. And we understand that you want to fix this problem. In this article, we explain how you can troubleshoot this problem.

Why is my iPhone not sending messages to android on iOS 18?

  • You might be having trouble texting an Android phone on iOS 18 because your iPhone has no service.
  • Your iPhone is not configured to send SMS.
  • The Android’s phone number could be registered with Apple’s iMessage system.

Here are ten ways to troubleshoot if your iPhone isn’t sending texts to Android users in iOS 18.

How to fix iPhone not sending texts to an Android phone in iOS 18

Please try the steps below. Please ensure to check the Messages app after each step to see if texts sending to Android contacts starts working.

1. Check the Number You’re Texting

If you’re trying to send a text message from your iPhone to an Android user, but they aren’t receiving it, the first thing you should do is make sure you’re sending the message to the correct number.

Often, many people tend to ignore small mistakes like this, and mistyping a digit or two of a phone number could be the reason your message isn’t getting delivered.

Confirm the recipient’s phone number to ensure you have the correct contact details. If the contact number is correct, the recipient might have blocked your phone number.

2. Close and reopen the Messages app

Another solution for your iPhone not sending texts to Android phones is to restart the Messages app. Here’s how:

iPhones With Face ID

  1. Swipe up from the bottom of the screen to open the app switcher. You should see all of your apps represented as cards.
  2. Swipe side-to-side through your apps until you find the Messages app.
  3. Swipe Messages up and off the top of the screen to close it.
  4. Tap the app icon to reopen it.

iPhones Without Face ID

  1. Double-press the Home button. This starts the app switcher, where you should see all of your apps represented as cards.
  2. Swipe side-to-side through your apps until you find the Messages app.
  3. Swipe Messages up and off the top of the screen to close it.
  4. Tap the app icon to reopen it.

3. Configure your iPhone to send SMS messages

You won’t be able to send text to Android if you haven’t enabled the Send as SMS option on your iPhone. So, turn it on to send SMS to Android from your iPhone. Here’s how:

  1. Open the Settings app and tap Apps.
  2. Scroll down and then tap Messages.
  3. Turn on Send as SMS by swiping the button to the right.

4. Toggle Airplane mode

One of the most common reasons iPhone can’t send text to Android is because of a glitch with your cellular connection. You can generally fix this by toggling it off and then back on again. To do this, enable and disable Airplane Mode. You can toggle your iPhone’s Airplane Mode on and off from the Control Center.

  1. To reveal the Control Center on iPhone with Face ID, swipe down from the top right corner of the screen. If you’re on iPhone without Face ID, swipe up from the bottom of the screen.
  2. Tap on the Airplane Mode icon, which is represented by a plane inside a circle. When the icon is orange, Airplane Mode is enabled; when it’s grayed out, it’s disabled.

Quick tip: You can also turn Airplane Mode on or off by opening the Settings app and tapping the toggle for Airplane Mode.

5. Restart the iPhone

Sometimes, the problem is related to a software problem on your iPhone, but toggling Airplane mode didn’t do the trick.

In a situation like this, try turning your iPhone off, wait a minute, and then turn it back on again. Restarting the phone can flush out any misbehaving software or corrupted data and restore it to full operation.

Considering there are different iPhone models out there, here are the ways you can restart them all:

iPhones with Face ID

  1. Press and hold down the side button and either the volume up button or volume down button.
  2. When the power slider appears, swipe the power button inside it to the right.
  3. After the iPhone has completely shut down, press and hold the side button again until the Apple logo appears.

iPhones without Face ID

  1. Press and hold down the side button.
  2. When the power slider appears, swipe the power button inside it to the right.
  3. After the iPhone has completely shut down, press and hold the side button again until the Apple logo appears.

6. Ask the Android owner to deregister iMessage

This problem can catch a lot of people off-guard. If the Android user previously had an iPhone and transferred the SIM card to an Android without changing the phone number, that phone number may still be registered as an iPhone in Apple’s database, and so when iPhone users text a number that’s still in the iMessage system, the text goes to iMessage and can’t be delivered to the Android phone. The solution? Ask the Android user to deregister his or her phone number from Apple’s iMessage system.

7. Check for iOS updates

If you are still having trouble texting an Android phone, ensure your iPhone is running the latest version of iOS. iOS updates routinely contain fixes to iPhone bugs and glitches. Here’s how to make sure your iPhone is running the latest version of iOS:

  1. Open the Settings app on your iPhone.
  2. Tap General.
  3. Tap Software Update.
  4. At this point, your iPhone will check if an update is available. When one is found, tap Update Now.

8. Check for a carrier settings update

Carrier settings update may potentially fix this problem, so see if there is any pending update that need to be installed. Here’s how:

  1. Connect to a cell phone or Wi-Fi network of your choice.
  2. Open the Settings app on your iPhone.
  3. Tap General.
  4. Tap About. Should an update be available, you’ll be able to do so from this screen.

9. Reset your network settings

If you’ve tried everything else and you can’t send text messages to Android phone, you might need to reset your iPhone’s network settings.

Save this as a last resort, because this troubleshooting step will erase all your network settings, including saved Wi-Fi network passwords and paired Bluetooth devices, so in some ways it’ll be like you have a new iPhone again.

  1. Open the Settings app on your iPhone.
  2. Tap General.
  3. Select Transfer or Reset iPhone at the bottom.
  4. Tap Reset.
  5. In the menu that appears, tap Reset Network Settings.

10. Contact your carrier network or Apple Support

If you’ve tried all the other troubleshooting options in this list and one or more Android users aren’t getting your texts, contact your carrier to ensure that the network isn’t experiencing outages, that your account is in good standing and your service operational, and that your iPhone isn’t blocked from sending text messages.

You might also need to contact Apple Support for further help or visit your nearest Genius Bar.

How to fix iPhone Not Sending Text Messages after iOS 18 update

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If your iPhone won’t send text messages after iOS 18 update, these troubleshooting tips and fixes will get you back to texting fast.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

  • To fix an iPhone that won’t send text messages on iOS 18, first try restarting it or checking for updates.
  • Check if you’ve been blocked by the recipient, or if your carrier is having network issues.
  • You should also make sure your SIM card is installed properly.

Many people depend on the Messages app as their main form of communication, so not able to send SMS messages might means you won’t be able to communicate partners, friends, or family. Below, we’ll go through all the solutions you should try when your iPhone isn’t sending SMS after iOS 18 update

Why is my iPhone suddenly not sending text messages after iOS 18 update

If you are having trouble sending texts on your iPhone after upgrading to the latest iOS 18 update, it could be that something is wrong with your phone, the recipient, or the mobile service provider.

Fortunately, fixing the problem is usually pretty easy.

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h2>How to fix an iPhone not sending text messages after iOS 18 update/h2>

There are a variety of potential solutions here, and it may be hard to gauge which one will actually address your situation. If that’s the case, try going through these steps one-by-one — chances are you’ll eventually come across something that works for you.

1. Try improving your connection quality

The first thing you should do is ensure that you have a decent signal — without network connectivity, you might not be able to send texts until a stable connection returns. The status bar on your iPhone is usually a good enough indicator — if cellular is down to a single bar, “SOS only,” or “no service” for example, you may need to walk or travel until you find a place with two bars or better. Usually at least the texts should go through with a single bar.

If the signal is good and the messages still aren’t going through, move on to the next troubleshooting step.

2. Restart The Messages App

If your iPhone can’t send text messages in iOS 18 first try restarting the Messages app. On many occasions, I have managed to fix issues related to messages by closing and reopening the Messages app. So, you should give this nifty troubleshooting tip a chance.

  • If your iPhone has a Home Button: Double-press the Home button -> Find Messages in the app switcher and swipe it up.
  • On iPhone without the Home Button: Swipe up from the bottom of the screen to access the App Switcher -> swipe left/right to find Messages and swipe it up.
  • Now, launch Messages and try sending texts again.

3. Check that both Send as SMS and MMS Messaging are enabled

While these are usually set up automatically on iPhone, the wrong settings will cause texts to fail.

  1. Open the Settings app and tap Apps.
  2. Scroll down and tap Messages.
  3. Make sure Send as SMS and MMS Messaging are toggled on.

4. Restart your iPhone

Restarting your iPhone may potentially solve caching issues or stuck processes. So, it would be wise to give soft reset a chance to show its magic as well.

  • To restart iPhone with a Face ID including iPhone 16: hold down the side button and one of the volume buttons until a set of sliders appear onscreen. Drag the Slide to power off slider all the way to the right. To turn your iPhone back on, hold down the side button until you see the Apple logo.
  • To restart iPhone with a Home Button including iPhone SE (iPhone SE 3rd generation): hold down the power button until a set of sliders appear onscreen. Drag the Slide to power off slider all the way to the right. To turn your iPhone back on, hold down the power button until you see the Apple logo.

5. Check for iOS update

If the restart didn’t work, you should check if there is a pending iOS update.

  1. Open the Settings app.
  2. Tap General.
  3. Tap Software Update.
  4. If an update is available, tap Update Now.

6. Check for carrier settings updates

These are rare, and you’ll normally be prompted to install them automatically, but if you’re missing one your cellular service may not work as intended, if at all.

  1. Open the Settings app.
  2. Tap General.
  3. Tap About, and if there’s an update, you should be prompted to install it within a minute or so. Wait at least a couple of minutes before bailing.

7. Check your SIM card

Next make sure that your iPhone’s SIM card is properly installed.

You can pop out the SIM tray using the SIM ejector tool that came with your iPhone or by unwinding a small paperclip pushing it into the tray’s eject hole.

If the card was physically out of place, that was likely the cause of the problem.

8. The recipient blocked your messages

If your text messages aren’t going through to a particular recipient, it could very well be that they have blocked your number. There’s no easy way to find out since you don’t get an alert when someone has done this. However, there are a few ways to check.

Try the following and keep an eye out for red flags of being blocked:

  • Call the person: If your call goes to voicemail, it means they haven’t blocked you. However, if it tells you that the person you’re trying to call is unavailable, even after multiple calls at different times of the day, there’s a chance they may have blocked you.
  • Text someone else: Try texting other people to see if they are receiving your messages. If they are going through to everyone else except this one person, then chances are, you have been blocked.

9. Your texts were flagged as spam

If too many people have reported your text messages as spam, which can happen if you’re using the number to text customers a lot, carriers could blacklist your number. That means every time you try to text a number belonging to those carriers, their spam filters will prevent your message from going out.

Depending on the severity of the spam reports, your number could be temporarily or permanently banned from texting.

10. Contact your carrier

Sometimes, if you’re unable to send a text message on iPhone, it could be that your mobile service provider is experiencing issues with their SMS service. Call them to find out if that is the case and when you can expect normal service to be restored so you can try sending the text messages again.

11. Reset your network settings

Resetting your network settings is a last-ditch attempt before seeking help from Apple, but it might be your last chance for getting those messages out.

  1. Open the Settings app.
  2. Tap General.
  3. Tap Transfer or Reset iPhone.
  4. Select Reset.
  5. Tap Reset Network Settings.

See also: 10 Fixes for an iPhone Not Receiving Text Messages

How to fix iPhone Not Receiving Text Messages on iOS 18 issue

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Here are ten ways to fix your iPhone if it isn’t receiving text messages after iOS 18 update.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

  • To fix an iPhone that’s not receiving text messages on iOS 18, first ensure that you have a solid cellular connection.
  • Next, try toggling Airplane Mode and restarting the Messages app.
  • You should also make sure you’re not blocking the phone number that’s trying to text you.

Missing and delayed text messages can be frustrating, especially since you may not be aware of the problem until somebody contacts you using another method to ask why you’re not responding or where you are. Luckily, troubleshooting an iPhone that’s not receiving text messages after the recent iOS 18 update is pretty easy. Here’s what we’ve found works.

How to Fix iPhone Not Receiving Text messages on iOS 18

If you don’t receive texts on iPhone in iOS 18, and you know someone is sending them to you, these troubleshooting steps can help you clear up the issue. Before getting started, it’s always a good idea to test your ability to receive texts from a few different people, if possible. That could yield some clues as to what the problem might be.

1. Check your network connection.

If you don’t have good cell coverage you won’t be able to receive text messages on your iPhone. Text messages rely on your phone’s cellular service, not Wi-Fi. So in order to get text messages, you need a solid cellular signal. Take a look at the status bar and if you see SOS only,” or “no service,” you may need to walk or travel until you find a place with two bars or better. Usually at least some texts should get through with a single bar.

2. Toggle Airplane mode

Not getting a text you’re expecting? Perhaps you’re not getting any messages because there’s a glitch with your cellular radio or the wireless software. Turning your iPhone’s Airplane Mode on and off, you’ll force the iPhone to request a new connection to the network, and texting should start working again.

You can toggle your iPhone’s Airplane Mode on and off from the Control Center.

  1. To reveal the Control Center on iPhone XR or later, swipe down from the top right corner of the screen. If you’re on iPhone SE (2nd generation) or later, swipe up from the bottom of the screen.
  2. Tap on the Airplane Mode icon, which is represented by a plane inside a circle. When the icon is orange, Airplane Mode is enabled; when it’s grayed out, it’s disabled.

Quick tip: You can also turn Airplane Mode on or off by opening the Settings app and tapping the toggle for Airplane Mode.

3. Restart The Messages App

If your iPhone isn’t receiving text messages in iOS 18, try restarting the Messages app. On many occasions, I have managed to fix issues related to messages by closing and reopening the Messages app. So, you should give this nifty troubleshooting tip a chance.

  • If your iPhone has a Home Button: Double-press the Home button -> Find Messages in the app switcher and swipe it up.
  • On iPhone without the Home Button: Swipe up from the bottom of the screen to access the App Switcher -> swipe left/right to find Messages and swipe it up.
  • Now, launch Messages and try sending texts again.

4. Make sure the number isn’t blocked

If the contact or number you blocked sends you a text message, you will not receive it. These text messages will go nowhere. So, if you know someone is sending you texts, but you’re not receiving those texts on your iPhone, check to see if the number is blocked.

  1. Open the Settings app and tap Apps.
  2. Go into Messages.
  3. Tap on Blocked Contacts. If you see any familiar names or numbers there that you still want to talk to, tap Edit.
  4. Tap the red minus icon next to the contact(s) you want to unblock.
  5. Once you’re satisfied, tap Done.

5. Restart your iPhone

If your problem continues, rebooting your iPhone might get the text coming through again. Sometimes there are endless loops or other issues behind the scenes that you may be unable to diagnose but are easily solved with a reboot.

  • On iPhone models with a home button like iPhone SE (2nd generation), hold down the power button on the right side then drag the power off slider. Hold down the Side button to turn on your iPhone.
  • On iPhone models without a home button like iPhone 16, hold down the power button on the right side and the volume up button on the left side then swipe the power slider to power down. Hold down the Side button to turn on your iPhone. When you turn it back on, it may well be able to receive messages again.

6. Update your iPhone to the latest iOS 18 version’

It’s also possible that there’s a iOS bug that’s preventing your iPhone from receiving text Messages. Install any outstanding iOS 18 update, even if an update doesn’t seem relevant to the problem you experience. Since Messages is a native iOS app, updating your iPhone might fix it.

  1. Open Settings.
  2. Tap General.
  3. Tap Software Update.
  4. If an update is available, tap update now.

7. Check for a carrier settings update

Carrier settings contain important data about your selected network that allow you to send and receive text messages, make calls, check voicemails, and use data. Ensuring that your carrier settings are up to date is important, especially if you are not receiving text messages.

  1. Connect to a cell phone or Wi-Fi network of your choice.
  2. Open the Settings app on your iPhone.
  3. Tap General.
  4. Tap About. Should an update be available, you’ll be able to do so from this screen.

8. Contact your carrier

If you are still experiencing this problem, contact your carrier to ensure that the network isn’t experiencing outages, that your account is in good standing and your service operational, and that your iPhone isn’t blocked from receiving text messages.

9. Reset your network settings

If you’ve tried everything above and your iPhone still won’t receive text messages, it’s time to reset network settings.

  1. Open the Settings app.
  2. Go into General.
  3. Scroll down and tap Transfer or Reset iPhone.
  4. Tap Reset.
  5. Press Reset Network Settings.
  6. Enter your passcode.
  7. Tap Reset Network Settings to confirm.

10. Contact Apple Support

If nothing else has worked thus far, reach out to Apple Support for further help or visit your nearest Genius Bar. reach out to Apple Support for further help or visit your nearest Genius Bar.