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.
Open the ‘Settings‘ app on your iPhone. Scroll through the settings menu and tap on the ‘Messages‘ option. In the messages settings, toggle OFF and Toggle ON the ‘iMessage‘ option. Once you do this, you can re-open the iMessage app on your iPhone and try sending a message to a chosen contact. Part 3: How to Install Games in iMessage on iPhone 7/7 Plus. The iMessage app contains two kinds, one is the app that works only in iMessage that can only be found in the message app store, the other is the app that in iOS but also have an iMessage component. All the apps could be downloaded from App store. IMessage is Apple’s instant messaging service for devices like iPhone, iPad, and Mac. Released in 2011 with iOS 5, iMessage lets users send messages, photos, stickers, and more between any Apple devices over the Internet. Best of all: you can iMessage your fellow iPhone, iPad and Mac users all you want, for free. The cons: iMessage doesn’t work on Android phones or other non-iOS handsets (an iMessage sent to an Android phone, for example, will arrive as a standard text message), and as you point out, Barbara, sometimes it just plain doesn’t work.
Check your device settings
- Make sure that you’re connected to a cellular data or Wi-Fi network. 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.
- Go to Settings > General > Date & Time and make sure that your time zone is set correctly.
Turn off and restart iMessage and FaceTime
- Go to Settings > Messages and turn off iMessage.
- Go to Settings > FaceTime and turn off FaceTime.
- Restart your device:
- Turn iMessage and FaceTime back on.
Still not activated after a day?
It might take up to 24 hours to activate iMessage and FaceTime. If the issue continues after 24 hours, follow these steps:
- Make sure that your device has the latest version of iOS or iPadOS.
- If you're using an iPhone, contact your carrier to make sure that you can send and receive SMS messages.
- If your iPhone is used with a carrier not found in the wireless carrier articles make sure you can send and receive international SMS.
- Contact Apple Support.
Get more help
You can also use your email address with iMessage and FaceTime. Sign in to your Apple ID account page 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.
If you can't sign in to iMessage or FaceTime on your Mac, see If you can't sign in to your iMessage account or FaceTime on your Mac.
Imessage Effects Iphone 7
FaceTime is not available in all countries or regions.
- Make sure that your device has the latest version of iOS or iPadOS.
- If you're using an Apple device that's not an iPhone, make sure that you're signed in to iMessage with your Apple ID.
Types of group text messages
There are three types of group messages that you might see: group iMessage, group MMS, and group SMS. The Messages app automatically chooses the type of group message to send based on settings, network connection, and carrier plan. For example:
- If you and your recipients are using Apple devices and iMessage is turned on, then the group message is sent as an iMessage.
- If you send a group message to people who aren't using iMessage, then the message is sent as an MMS or SMS message.
Group iMessage
These messages appear in blue text bubbles. They go through Apple instead of your carrier, and are protected by end-to-end encryption. In a group iMessage, everyone can:
- Send and receive photos, videos, and audio messages
- See all responses from the group
- Send and receive message effects, like sketches, animations, bubble effects, and more
- Share their location with the group
- Give the group a name, add or remove people from the group, mute notifications, or leave the group
Group MMS
These messages appear in green text bubbles and go through your carrier instead of Apple. In a group MMS, everyone can:
- Send and receive photos and videos
- See all responses from the group
- Mute notifications
Group SMS
These messages also appear in green text bubbles and go through your carrier. Group SMS messages don’t support multimedia attachments, like photos or videos. All responses in a Group SMS are sent as individual text messages and the recipients can’t see the other responses from the group.
Learn how to foward SMS/MMS text messages across your devices, like from an iPad to a Mac.
Send a group text message
Enable Imessage Iphone 7
- Open Messages and tap the Compose button .
- Enter the names or tap the Add button to add people from your contacts.
- Type your message, then tap the Send button .
To send a group MMS message on an iPhone, make sure MMS Messaging is turned on. Go to Settings > Messages and turn on MMS Messaging. If you don’t see an option to turn on MMS Messaging or Group Messaging, contact your carrier to see if your plan supports Group MMS Messaging.
Do more with Messages
- Learn how to leave a group message, or add or remove someone from a group.
- Name your group messages to make them easier to find.
- Use inline replies and mentions to call attention to specific messages and people in your group messages.
- Explore the latest features in Messages to stay connected to the conversations that matter the most.