Encountering “message send failure” on your iPhone can be confusing and frustrating, especially when you need to send an important message.
It can be annoying when you want to send an important message, but you are getting the same error repeatedly. So, let’s look into how to fix “message send failure” on iPhone.
Understand iMessage vs. SMS
Before diving into the fixes, it’s essential to understand the two types of messages on the iPhone: iMessage and SMS.
iMessage is Apple’s messaging system that sends messages over Wi-Fi, while SMS is a traditional text message sent through your carrier or network provider.
Both types of messages can experience sending issues for different reasons.
Fix 1: Check Your Network Signal
For SMS (green messages)
If your SMS messages aren’t sending, it’s likely due to a weak network signal. Check your signal strength in the top right corner of your iPhone. If it’s low, try moving to a different location to improve your network signal.
For iMessage (blue messages)
Ensure you have a stable internet connection, as iMessage requires one to send messages.
Fix 2: Verify the Contact Information
Ensure the phone number or email address you’re trying to contact is correct and registered with iMessage.
If it’s incorrect or unregistered, your messages won’t go through.
Test by messaging someone you have successfully contacted before to determine if the issue is specific to one contact or affecting all your messages.
Fix 3: Restart Your iPhone
Sometimes, a simple restart can solve message delivery problems.
Hold the volume increase and power buttons simultaneously to access the power menu.
Slide the “slide to power off” button, wait for your phone to shut down, and then press the power button to turn it back on.
Fix 4: Toggle Airplane Mode
Turning on airplane mode disconnects your iPhone from all networks.
Turning it off will help your device establish fresh connections to your network and Wi-Fi, potentially fixing message-sending issues.
Access the control center and toggle airplane mode on and off.
Fix 5: Switch Between iMessage and SMS
If you’re having trouble sending iMessages, try sending an SMS instead.
This only works if the recipient has a phone number, as SMS cannot be sent to email addresses.
After typing your message, press send and quickly hold the text bubble.
Press “send as a text message” to send it as an SMS. If this works, the issue might be with iMessage.
Fix 6: Disable and Re-enable SMS and MMS Messaging
If you’re having trouble with SMS or MMS messages, try disabling and re-enabling these features. Go to “Settings” => “Messages.”
Toggle off “Send as SMS” and “MMS Messaging” (if available), wait a few seconds, and then toggle them back on.
Fix 7: Reset iMessage Settings
To troubleshoot iMessage issues, open your iPhone settings, scroll down or search for “Messages,” and tap to open the settings.
If iMessage is off, turn it on. If it’s on, toggle iMessage off and then back on to reset the settings.
Fix 8: Contact Your Carrier or Apple Support
If you can send iMessages but not SMS messages, it may indicate a problem with your SIM card or carrier.Contact your carrier for assistance.
After trying these fixes, you should be able to resolve any message send failure issues on your iPhone.
If the problem persists, consider contacting Apple Support or visiting an Apple Store for further assistance.