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crwhiting
User level: Level 1 (10 points)

Mac Message delivery fails when replying to group messages with Android RCS users

I have been experiencing Message delivery failures under the following conditions:


  1. A Message group of 3 or more and at least one other is using RCS on Android
  2. I receive a message from the group on my phone, which also replicates to my Mac (same iCloud account)
  3. When I reply on my Mac the message sent status bar hangs at about 90%, then after a minute or two I get a delivery failure.
  4. Replying to the message on my phone works normally without issue.


All software is up to date 27.2.

The problem is highly repeatable.

I've tried toggling RCS and MMS on my phone's app settings.

I enabled "Retry as Text Message".

I have rebooted both devices and checked for updates (OS and apps)


I appears to be a bug in Mac OS 27.2.


Anyone else seeing this?

Posted on Nov 3, 2026 9:32 AM

2 replies

tillu_code
User level: Level 4 (2,112 points)

Nov 4, 2026 3:52 PM in response to crwhiting

For Mac replies to group chats with Android RCS users, the Mac sends the SMS/RCS part through your iPhone, so the delay at about 90% is usually that relay stalling. Things to check: on the iPhone, Settings > Apps > Messages > Text Message Forwarding (older iOS: Settings > Messages > Text Message Forwarding) should have your Mac switched on. Then on the Mac, Messages > Settings > iMessage, sign out and back in. Make sure both devices are on the same Wi-Fi and the iPhone isn't in Low Power Mode when you test.


If you've already done those, I'd say the repeatable failure is a bug in how the Mac handles RCS group threads, so replying on the iPhone is the practical workaround for now. It's worth sending details through apple.com/feedback so it reaches the Messages team. Does it fail with every group, or only the ones that include a particular Android contact?

crwhiting Author
User level: Level 1 (10 points)

Nov 4, 2026 4:27 PM in response to tillu_code

I didn't have the "Text Message Forwarding" option in Settings. Just not there. I eventually logged out of Messages and logged back in then I finally got the message on my Mac that my iPhone joined iMessages. So it now works, but should my Mac join my phone and not the other way around? Anyway, working now.

Originally posted at discussions.apple.com/thread/256388258