When texts stop arriving, the cause is usually one of a few things: a weak connection, a setting that hides or blocks messages, a messaging service still tied to your number, or a carrier-side issue. This guide starts with the quickest checks and then branches by symptom, so you can fix it without resetting more than you need to.
SMS is the standard text message. MMS carries pictures, videos, and often group conversations, and usually needs mobile data. iMessage (Apple) and RCS chat (used by Google Messages and some other Android apps) are internet-based messaging that can sit on top of regular texting. Knowing which type is failing helps you pick the right fix.
Narrow down the problem first
- Nothing arrives from anyone: suspect signal, airplane mode, a SIM or account problem, or a carrier outage. Start with the basic checks below.
- Only one person's texts are missing: check blocked contacts and filtered or spam folders. The sender may also have your number wrong.
- Only pictures or group chats fail: this points to MMS, mobile data, or group messaging settings.
- It started after you switched from iPhone to Android: your number may still be registered with iMessage. See the iMessage section.
- Only verification codes or business texts are missing: see the section on codes and short-code senders.
Start with the basic checks
- Check signal and airplane mode. You need cellular service for SMS and MMS. If you have no bars, move to a different spot or toggle airplane mode on for 10 seconds, then off.
- Restart the phone. This re-registers it with the network and clears many temporary glitches.
- Check for Do Not Disturb or Focus. Messages usually still arrive but without alerts, so you may find them in the app when you open it. If you see them there, your notification settings are the issue, not delivery.
- Free up storage. A nearly full phone can interfere with receiving messages, especially pictures. Delete unused apps or large videos if storage is very low.
- Ask someone on a different carrier to send a plain text. Ask them to send a text, not an iMessage or chat-feature message, and ask for a photo too. Their results tell you which of the sections below to use.
Check blocked senders and spam filtering
If one contact or number is missing, check this before changing network settings.
- iPhone: Open Settings, then Messages (in newer iOS versions it may be under Settings > Apps > Messages), and open Blocked Contacts. Also look in the Messages app for Unknown Senders or Junk views. If you use the Unknown & Spam setting, filtered messages are sorted there instead of your main list.
- Android (Google Messages): Tap your profile picture or the menu, open Messages settings, and look for Spam protection and Blocked numbers. Also check the Spam & blocked folder in the app menu. Other manufacturers' messaging apps have similar blocklists, though the wording varies.
If you find the sender, unblock them and ask them to send a new message. Filtered messages may not appear retroactively.
If you switched from iPhone to Android
If you moved your SIM to an Android phone and iPhone users' texts never arrive, Apple's iMessage may still be sending messages to your number as iMessages. The fix is to deregister iMessage:
- If you still have the iPhone, put the SIM back in, then go to Settings > Messages and turn off iMessage. Also turn off FaceTime for good measure.
- If you no longer have it, use Apple's Deregister iMessage web page. You enter your phone number and confirm with a code sent by text.
- Put the SIM back in the Android phone and ask an iPhone user to send a new message.
It can take a little while to take effect. Messages sent before you deregistered may never arrive.
Fix problems with pictures and group messages
MMS normally requires mobile data to be on, even if you're connected to Wi-Fi.
- Turn on mobile data and test with Wi-Fi off. Some carriers handle MMS poorly over Wi-Fi alone.
- On iPhone, go to Settings > Messages and check that MMS Messaging is on, if your carrier and region show that option. Group messaging options are in the same area.
- On Android, make sure Google Messages (or your preferred messaging app) is set as the default SMS app under Settings > Apps > Default apps. Then check its settings for group messaging and chat features.
- If pictures still fail, the phone's access point name (APN) settings may be wrong or missing, which can happen after changing carriers or SIMs. These values are carrier-specific, so copy them from your carrier's official support page rather than a random website.
If RCS or chat features are interfering (Android)
If your number was recently moved, texts from some people can fail while the app thinks chat features are active. In Google Messages, open Settings and look for RCS chats (or Chat features). If it shows a stuck status such as "Setting up" or "Verifying", try turning it off, waiting a few minutes, then turning it back on. If you leave it off, regular SMS and MMS should still work, but you lose features like typing indicators and higher-quality media.
Update carrier settings and re-seat the SIM
- iPhone: Connect to Wi-Fi or mobile data and open Settings > General > About. If a carrier settings update is available, a prompt appears. Also install any pending iOS update.
- Android: Install system updates under Settings > System > Software update (the wording varies by manufacturer).
- SIM: Power off, remove the SIM tray, check that the SIM is clean and seated, and reinsert it. If you use an eSIM and the line shows an error, your carrier may need to reissue the profile.
Reset network settings as a later step
Do this only if the checks above have failed, because it clears saved Wi-Fi networks and passwords, Bluetooth pairings, VPN settings, and custom cellular settings. Write down any Wi-Fi passwords you don't remember first.
- iPhone: Settings > General > Transfer or Reset iPhone > Reset > Reset Network Settings.
- Android: The path varies, but it's commonly under Settings > System > Reset options (or General management). Choose the option to reset Wi-Fi, mobile, and Bluetooth settings, not a factory reset.
Avoid "Clear data" for your messaging app unless you've backed up your messages. On some phones this can remove locally stored conversations. "Clear cache" is much safer to try first.
Missing verification codes and business texts
Codes from banks, shops, and apps often come from short codes, which some carriers or spam filters can block. Check your spam folder and any filtered or unknown-sender views first. If you ever replied STOP to a short code, that sender may have stopped texting you, and you'd need to text START or sign up again. If codes still don't arrive, use the service's alternative option, such as a voice call or authenticator app. Never share a verification code with anyone who contacts you.
When to contact your carrier
Contact your carrier if the basic checks and a restart don't help, or if other people's tests show that no texts arrive at all. Ask them to:
- Check for an outage or an account or line problem.
- Confirm that your number is provisioned for SMS and MMS and isn't blocked from messaging.
- Check for a SIM or eSIM mismatch, and for any block on your number.
- Provide the correct APN settings for your phone, if MMS is the issue.
Confirm it's fixed
Ask a friend with a different carrier to send a plain text and a photo. If you use group chats, test one of those. If you recently switched from iPhone, have an iPhone user send you a message as well. Once all of those arrive, you're done. If the problem returns after a restart or a SIM change, go back to the carrier, because the issue is likely tied to your line rather than the phone's settings.