Cannot send messages to some contacts and reply to business messages

If you receive messages on one device but not the other

If you have an iPhone and another iOS or iPadOS device, like an iPad, your iMessage settings might be set to receive and start messages from your Apple Account email address instead of your phone number. To check if your phone number is set to send and receive messages:

1. In the Settings app, tap Apps.
2. Tap Messages.
3. Tap Send & Receive.
4. Choose the phone number or email address that you want to use with messages.
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If you don't see your phone number, you can link your iPhone number to your Apple Account so you can send and receive iMessages from your phone number. You can also set up Text Message Forwarding so you can send and receive text messages on all of your Apple devices.

If you have issues with a group message

If you're in a group message and stop receiving messages, check to see if you left the conversation:

1. In Messages, tap the group message that you can't receive messages from.
2. If you see a message that says you left the conversation, then either you left the conversation or you were removed from the group message.

You can rejoin a group message only if someone in the group adds you. Learn how to add or remove people from group messages.

To start a new group message:

1. Open Messages and tap the Compose button.
2. Enter the phone numbers or email addresses of your contacts.
3. Type your message, then tap the Send button.

If you have other issues with a group message, you might need to delete the conversation and start a new one. In iOS 16, iPadOS 16.1, and later, you can recover a message if you deleted it within the last 30 to 40 days.

If you can't send or receive photos and videos in messages

Make sure that your device has enough space to receive images and videos.

If you use SMS or MMS messaging to send photos or videos, your carrier may set size limits for attachments. Larger files may take more time to send, and your iPhone can compress photo and video attachments when necessary. If you experience an issue when you try to send full size images, you can manually send lower quality images:

1. In the Settings app, tap Apps.
2. Tap Messages.
3. Turn on Send Photo Previews or Low Quality Image Mode.

Other steps to try

• Restart your iPhone or iPad.
• Check your network connection. To send a message as iMessage, RCS, or MMS, you need a cellular data or Wi-Fi connection. To send an SMS message, you need cellular network connection. If you turn on Wi-Fi Calling, you can send SMS messages over Wi-Fi.
• Check with your carrier to see if the type of message you’re trying to send, like RCS, MMS, or SMS, is supported.
• If you’re trying to send group MMS messages on an iPhone, go to Settings, then tap Apps. Tap Messages and turn on Send as Text Message. If you don't see an option to turn on Send as Text Message or Group Messaging on your iPhone, then your carrier might not support this feature.
• Make sure that you entered the correct phone number or email address for the contact.

Contact Apple Support if you still can't send or receive iMessages

Contact your carrier if you still can't send or receive SMS, MMS, or RCS messages

Deactivate iMessage if you switched to a non-Apple phone and have issues with messaging

Published Date: June 18, 2026

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

Learn what to do if iMessage doesn't work, you can't receive text messages, or you see an alert when you send a message.

Issues with Messages after you set up a new device

Message not delivered

Not receiving messages on a device

Issues with group messages

Issues with photos or videos in messages

If you have issues with Messages after you set up a new device

If you experience issues like conversations in Messages showing up as separate threads or sent messages appearing as green message bubbles instead of blue message bubbles when you set up a new device, update your settings using the following steps:

1. Update your device to the latest version of iOS or iPadOS if needed.
2. In the Settings app, tap Cellular. Make sure that your phone line is turned on. If you use multiple SIMs, make sure that the phone number you want to use is selected and turned on.
3. In the Settings app, tap Apps.
4. Tap Messages, then turn iMessage off and then back on.
5. Tap Send & Receive.
6. Tap the phone number that you want to use with Messages.

If you have issues when you try to receive a FaceTime call after you set up a new device, you can also update your FaceTime settings.

Learn what to do if you can't sign into iMessage or FaceTime

Learn what to do if your messages are green

Learn what to do if you see a Waiting for Activation alert

If you see a red exclamation point

If you try to send a message and you see a red exclamation point with an alert that says Not Delivered, follow these steps:

1. Check your network connection.
2. Tap the red exclamation point, then tap Try Again.
3. 
4. If you still can’t send the message, tap the red exclamation point, then tap Send as Text Message. Messaging rates may apply.
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iMessages are texts, photos, or videos that you send to another iPhone, iPad, iPod touch, or Mac over Wi-Fi or cellular-data networks. These appear in blue bubbles. All other text messages use RCS, SMS, or MMS and require a text-messaging plan. Those appear as green bubbles.

What's the difference between iMessage, RCS, and SMS/MMS?

Contact your carrier if you can't send or receive SMS messages

Learn what to do if you still receive a Not Delivered alert after you try to send your message as a text message

You can set up Messages so that it automatically tries to send messages as an SMS when iMessage isn't available. Go to Settings and tap Apps. Tap Messages, and turn on Send as Text Message.

dilu288 wrote:

I am able to make call, receive call, receive messages but not send messages with some of my contacts. And couldn’t reply the business messages. I have contacted my carrier and they said that there is no issues with the carrier. It’s been like almost a year after I joined the AT&T last year October.

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