As long as you’re in the range of a network, getting text messaging working again is usually pretty easy. Here’s what we’ve found works.

How to Fix It When iPhone Text Messages Are Not Sending

Follow these instructions to get your iPhone to send text messages again.

1. Connect to a network. Messages typically use your cell phone provider’s connection. If your iPhone is connected to a Wi-Fi network, it will use that instead. To fix this, turn off Wi-Fi, wait for your iPhone to connect to your carrier’s network, and then try sending the message again.

2. Turn Airplane Mode on and off. Turning Airplane Mode on and off forces the iPhone to establish a new connection to the network, which often resolves texting issues.

3. Quit and restart the Messages app. Apps sometimes encounter conflicts and require restarting. Force-quit the messaging app, then try sending your message again.

4. Restart the iPhone. Restarting your device can resolve software conflicts that prevent messages from sending or receiving.

5. Check the iMessage system status. It may be that the problem has nothing to do with your iPhone; maybe the Apple servers are down. Check the Apple System Status page to see if there’s a problem with iMessage. If there is, you’ll have to wait for Apple to resolve it.

6. Confirm the recipient’s phone number and email. If your texts still don’t send, make sure you have the correct contact information. Check the recipient’s phone number or, if you use the Messages app, their email address.

   If you sent messages to the right person but aren’t receiving replies, the recipient may have blocked your number. If they don’t see your texts, they won’t respond, making it seem like your messages aren’t going through.

7. Confirm that your message type is supported. Not every phone company supports every kind of text message. While SMS (Short Message Service), the standard text messaging protocol, is widely supported, not all carriers support Multimedia Messaging Service (MMS), which allows sending photos, videos, and songs.

8. Turn on Group Messaging. If the text message that won’t send has a photo or video, or you’re trying to text a group of people, confirm that the settings to support these features are enabled. Select Settings > Messages. Under SMS/MMS, toggle MMS Messaging and Group Messaging to the On (green) position.

9. Check the phone’s date and time settings. Your iPhone needs the correct date and time settings for network-based services to function properly. Go to Settings > General > Date & Time, and toggle the Set Automatically switch to On (green). If it’s already on, turn it off and then back on.

10. Reactivate iMessage. If you use iMessage for texting, ensure that iMessage is enabled. The setting may have been accidentally turned off. To enable it, go to  Settings > Messages, and toggle the iMessage switch to On (green).

11. Reset network settings. The iPhone Network Settings are preferences that determine how your phone connects to cellular networks. Errors in these settings might disrupt sending texts. Reset your Network Settings to resolve these issues.

12. Update carrier settings. Your iPhone contains hidden carrier settings that facilitate communication with cellular networks for calls, data, and texts. Wireless carriers update these settings periodically, so ensure you have the latest version by updating your carrier settings.

13. Update iOS. The latest iOS version includes current feature enhancements and bug fixes. Updating iOS is a good step when you encounter problems.

14. If you tried all of the above steps and your iPhone still will not send text messages, it’s time to talk to the experts. Set up an Apple Store appointment for tech support.

Causes of Your iPhone Not Sending or Recieving Text Messages

Texting feels like the most basic function of a phone, even more so than calling. Some reasons it’s not working could be:

• You are out of range of a network
• The Messages app isn’t responding
• Apple’s system isn’t working

If there are fixes in your control, you should be back up and texting in no time.