Waiting for activation

Hello~ Simply a guess…

If you can't send or receive messages on your iPhone or iPad - Apple Support

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If you can’t turn on or sign in to iMessage or FaceTime on your iPhone - Apple Support*

Also…

Contact Apple Support - Apple Support

~Katana-San~

1. Turn on and set up iPhone.
2. Wake and unlock.
3. Set up cellular service.
4. Use Dual SIM.
5. Connect to the internet.
6. Apple ID and iCloud. Sign in with Apple ID. Use iCloud. Subscribe to iCloud+
7. Find settings.
8. Set up mail, contacts, and calendar accounts.

More items...

Turn on and set up iPhone - Apple Support (IN)

Please look at this --> If you can't activate your iPhone - Apple Support

Carrier Lock:- Request your iPhone’s original Carrier to unlock your iPhone and if they agree and do it, then you may know the further process here --> How to unlock your iPhone for use with a different carrier ...

Device Unlocking Policies | Verizon Privacy Policy

Unlock a Phone or Device - AT&T Device Unlock Portal

Unlocking your Sprint device - T-Mobile

FAQs about unlocking your Sprint device

Unlock Your Phone for Spectrum Mobile

If you are the owner or the owner has shared all information with you then, in order to open the Activation Lock:- read here --> Turn off Activation Lock - Apple Support Activation Lock for iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch - Apple Support

If you have an unknown Apple ID on the App Store and Apple ID page. (See the pic below)

Learn how to remove a device from a previous owner's account.

If you are not the owner and do not have the Apple ID and Password then there is no way that you can get into this iPhone unless the original owner shares the Apple ID and password with you. If you are lucky you can get into this iPhone if they (owner) accidentally remove the device from their Apple ID.

Welcome and thank you for reaching out. 🤗

According to Apple:

To use either iMessage or FaceTime, you need to activate them on your iPhone. If you see an error message when you try to activate, follow these steps.

When activating iMessage or FaceTime, you might see one of these messages:

• Waiting for activation
• Activation unsuccessful
• An error occurred during activation
• Could not sign in, please check your network connection
• Unable to contact the iMessage server. Try again.

What you need before you sign in:

• Make sure that you’re connected to a cellular data or Wi-Fi network. 
• Make sure that your device has the latest version of iOS.
• Make sure that your time zone is set correctly. In the Settings app, tap General. Then tap Date & Time.

If you're using an iPhone, you need SMS messaging to activate your phone number with iMessage and FaceTime. Depending on your carrier, you might be charged for this SMS.

If a prompt appears stating "Your network provider may charge for SMS messages used to activate iMessage and FaceTime", tap "Turn On" to allow possible SMS charges.

Turn off and restart iMessage and FaceTime:

1. In the Settings app, tap Apps. 
2. Tap Messages, then turn off iMessage.
3. Go to Settings, then tap Apps again. 
4. Tap FaceTime, then turn off FaceTime.
5. Restart your iPhone.
6. Turn iMessage and FaceTime back on.

Try to activate your iMessage or FaceTime account online:

1. Go to apple.co/IMFT-mac.
2. Under Enable Apple Account, tap Get Started.
3. Sign into your Apple Account and follow the onscreen instructions. If you use a phone number with FaceTime and iMessage, make sure to enter that phone number.

You will receive an email if your account is ready for iMessage and FaceTime use.

Use an email address to sign in to Messages or FaceTime instead:

You can also use your email address with iMessage and FaceTime. Sign in to your Apple Account and review all the email addresses you have on file, including the one that you're trying to verify. If the email address is incorrect, you can update it. Then click Resend next to the email address that you want to verify.

To select your email address to use with Messages:

1. In the Settings app, tap Apps.
2. Tap Messages.
3. Tap Send & Receive, then choose your email address.

To select your email address to use with FaceTime:

1. In the Settings app, tap Apps.
2. Tap FaceTime.
3. Scroll to You Can Be Reached By FaceTime At, and choose your email address.

When you use both your phone number and your email address with Messages, you might start or receive separate conversation threads with the same contacts. Set your phone number or email address as the primary way to start and receive Messages.

FaceTime isn't available in all countries or regions.

If you can't turn on or sign in to Messages and FaceTime when you try on your Mac or iPad

If your phone number still doesn’t have a check next to it in Settings after 24 hours:

It might take up to 24 hours for your carrier to verify your phone number with Apple. Contact your carrier to make sure that you can send and receive international SMS messages and wait up to 24 hours after you try the troubleshooting steps above.

If iMessage is on and a spinning gear appears next to your phone number, your device automatically attempts to verify your phone number. There is no need to repeatedly turn iMessage off and on.

If you don't activate iMessage or your eSIM when you set up a new iPhone with iOS 26:

iMessage does not activate automatically after you set up an eSIM in Settings later. Your messages might cause a Not Delivered alert, appear as SMS/RCS messages in green bubbles, or come from your email address instead of a phone number.

To activate iMessage in this situation:

1. In the Settings app, tap Apps.
2. Tap Messages.
3. Turn iMessage off and back on.

Information about products not manufactured by Apple, or independent websites not controlled or tested by Apple, is provided without recommendation or endorsement. Apple assumes no responsibility with regard to the selection, performance, or use of third-party websites or products. Apple makes no representations regarding third-party website accuracy or reliability. Contact the vendor for additional information.

Good Luck! 👋🏼😉

Smiliñ 😎 Brian | Community Volunteer

Abisese wrote:

Waiting for activation

That's not enough information. Please provide more details about what you're trying to accomplish, otherwise, we're just guessing. I will guess that this may help you --> If you can't activate your iPhone or iPad (Wi-Fi + Cellular) - Apple Support