How to Fix Phone Not Receiving Text Messages

Sending a text message but not getting a response is like having a one-way conversation. If you send someone a personal text and don’t get an answer, it can result in an unfortunate misunderstanding, a missed business deal, or the failure to get a response to an important question.

Rather than human error, the problem could be with your phone. There could be several reasons why your smartphone may have stopped receiving texts. But the good news is you can also do several things to fix the problem yourself. Keep reading this article to discover ways you can solve the problem before a technical inconvenience turns into a disaster.

How to Fix an iPhone Not Receiving Text Messages from Anyone

Technology lets us send messages anywhere in the world in just a few seconds. Thus, you probably use your iPhone’s messaging app as often as you make actual calls, if not more. You might already know the three critical components required to send a text message, including your device, the app, and the network. Regardless, problems that occur with one or more of the above components include:

• The device is not working correctly.
• The network is not receiving or sending messages.
• The messaging app is malfunctioning.

If any of the above problems occur, you might not get the message you expect. In those scenarios, try one of the following suggestions:

1. Restart your device. The problem could be a simple technical glitch, such as an app that hasn’t loaded correctly or the network connection not being established correctly.
   
2. Check your iPhone’s available space. If you can’t receive texts because they contain images or videos, ensure you have enough storage space. Delete messages you don’t need and use a phone cleaner.
   
3. Check carrier support. Ensure your carrier supports SMS and MMS messages.
   
4. Ensure your iPhone is configured to receive messages by navigating to Settings -> Messages ->Send & Receive.
   
5. Contact Apple support, online or by phone, if your iPhone still does not receive messages. You can also download the Apple Support app for more help.
   
6. Reset your network. Navigate to Settings -> General, tap on Reset, then choose Reset Network Settings.
   
7. Check Airplane Mode. Pull down the Control Center from the upper-right corner of the Home screen, tap on the airplane icon to turn Airplane Mode on, and then repeat to turn it back off.
   
8. Disable and enable iMessage. Navigate to Settings -> Messages. Tap on iMessage to toggle it off, repeat to turn it back on, choose OK, then have someone send you a text to confirm.
   

Hopefully, one of the above solutions can save you a trip to the Apple Store to have your device repaired or replaced. Many issues get caused by glitches in the device or services. Sometimes, you need to adjust a setting or reset one by turning it off and then back on again.

How to Fix an iPhone Not Receiving Texts from One Person

If you are not receiving text messages from one particular person, try these suggestions:

1. Check Wi-Fi and Network connections. Confirm that you are in an area with a Wi-Fi or cellular data connection.
   
2. Reset iMessage. Turn off iMessage and restart your device.
   
3. View where you can receive and reply to messages. Go to Settings > Messages > Send & Receive.
   
4. Check the use of your Apple ID. Find out if you share the same Apple ID with another device that blocks your messages. Completely clear the device, set it up as a new one, delete the contact, and then add the contact again.

Sometimes it is easy to resolve an issue with your iPhone if you take advantage of Apple online support. You can search for possible solutions by browsing the questions and answers in the Apple Support Community. Other iPhone users are likely having the same problem. You will find several possible solutions, including one that may fix your issue.

How to Fix an Android Phone Not Receiving Text Messages from Anyone

If you’re using an Android device and you’re not receiving text messages from other people using various devices, you can try one of these fixes.

1. Reboot your phone. This step installs any pending updates that your messaging app may need. Some updates don’t install/activate until you restart your device.
   
2. Check service provider reception. You might have to go outside to check for a better signal. A signal booster may help with reception too.
   
3. Check old messaging threads. Sometimes, people who text you regularly may have replied on an older thread. Ask them to disable iMessage or send you a new text to your phone number.
   
4. Clear the cache from your text app. Navigate to Settings -> Apps or any variation thereof and clear the cache for your messaging app. Reboot your phone and restart the app to see if messages are coming in.
   
5. Remove and Reinsert your SIM Card. Sometimes, the SIM card may become loose or slightly detached, so the pins don’t connect properly. Turn off your phone, pull the SIM and reinsert it, then turn the phone back on.
   
6. Ensure your phone is not in Airplane mode. Slide down on your screen from the top, then tap on Airplane mode to turn it on, then tap again to turn it off (make it gray).
   
7. Confirm that your carrier supports SMS, MMS, or Rich Communication Services (RCS).
   

How to Fix an Android Phone Not Receiving Texts from One Person

Your Android phone may receive messages just fine from everyone except one person. If you find you’re not getting messages from a specific contact, try the following:

1. Check contact status. Confirm that you did not block the sender by mistake.
   
2. Reset the contact. Delete the contact and add it back in again.
   
3. Check for a country code. Check if you need to specify a country code for their number. For instance, “+1” is the code for U.S. numbers, even though you usually don’t need it when in the US.
   
4. Check if a provider is down. You can go to your cellular provider’s website (Verizon outages, Sprint Service area issues, AT&T outages, etc. to see if you or your contact’s provider is having network-wide issues.

Technical Difficulties or Failure to Communicate

Successful communication is a two-way street. A reply to an email can make or break a deal or relationship. You may be unaware that you are not receiving texts until someone asks why you are not responding. Fortunately, there is help and support readily available to help you fix the problem and make amends quickly.

Have you ever discovered you were not receiving texts? Were you able to resolve the issue yourself? Tell us about your experience in the comments section below.