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

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.