Do not let your iPhone change to SMS messages via iMessage If you don’t have a SMS plan
iMessage is among the most popular services in Apple’s Apple ecosystem. However, it’s not always as user-friendly as it should be. There are instances that it gets a little erratic and you think you don’t know what to do to fix it.
If you’re iMessage is suddenly not functioning and you’re seeing green bubbles instead of the usual blue ones, don’t panic. There’s a reason for it (even even though it may appear to be like the exact opposite) and it’s easy to solve the issue.
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Find out if the issue is on your Hand
Before we begin to discuss the steps you could take, you must determine the cause. There’s a chance that the issue may not be on your side. The user may have moved to an Apple device that isn’t Apple or switched off iMessage.
To verify, begin a chat or open an entirely new chat in a different iMessage user by pressing the “Compose” button.
If you’re beginning a new chat, enter the contact’s nameor number into the field ‘To. Check if their name or number is displayed in green or blue. For a refresher green is a text message blue is the iMessage.
If you’ve started an active chat, check whether the message box is displaying ‘Text Message or iMessage’.
You can also type your message both ways and check if the ‘Send Arrow’ is blue or green.
In the event that you receive a message being sent to be sent as an iMessage and the issue is with the original recipient. In this situation there’s nothing you can do other than asking the user who sent you the message to enable iMessage in the event that they’ve switched off the feature. If they’ve switched to a different device and you’re not able to communicate with them, you’ll need use regular text messages or an app from a third party such as WhatsApp to connect with them as iMessage is only available to Apple devices.
There’s a chance that the contact could be using iMessage on their Apple ID rather than their phone number, or reverse. However, you’re seeking to communicate with them when they’re not using it. Therefore, you must verify both their phone number as well as their Apple ID.
If the message sent to multiple Apple user is being sent in the form of a text message the issue could be on your side and you could fix the issue.
Check iMessage Servers
While you’re there, ensure that the servers used by iMessage aren’t inaccessible. If servers hosting iMessage are down then the iMessage service for your contacts will cease to function. Although it’s not often, iMessage server outages do occur. When they do happen it’s impossible to do other than be patient and wait for it to come back online.
You can verify server status on the Apple Page on System Status that lists all of its services as well as their current state. If iMessage displays green dots next to it, it’s functioning well, but the red dot indicates that the server is down.
Make sure that iMessage is on
Before you embark on any excursion to resolve the issue ensure that there’s no error from your side. If you’ve recently switched your phone’s settings or reset the phone, like ensure that you have switched iMessage back on because it’s disabled in these situations.
Start the Settings app, and scroll down to “Messages”.
Make sure the switch for ‘iMessage’ is turned on.
If not, there’s your problem. Turn the switch on.
If it’s already in place, ensure that it does not say “Waiting for Activation” or “Activation Unsuccessful” underneath it. Check out the full article on this subject in the event that it says something similar.
Why Does iMessage Send as Text Message?
Even when iMessage is running and all else is working It can send an SMS message, and sometimes it’s an iMessage. It sends an SMS message in the event that you do not have internet access however, you do have coverage from cellular or. This can cause problems when you don’t own an SMS package and the message is sent as an SMS that is paid for. To ensure your message will always delivered as an iMessage and does not resort to sending it as a text message You can make use of one of the methods listed below.
Turn Off ‘Send as SMS’
If the option to send as SMS’ is selected the screen, your iPhone will automatically transmit the message as a text message when it is unable to access the Internet. By turning it off, you can ensure that this does not happen when iMessage is not available.
Start the Settings app Scroll down, then select “Messages”.
Scroll down, and switch off the switch for “Send as SMS”.
The message you transmit to Apple contacts will be sent in iMessage format. In the event that you do not have internet access the message won’t be able to be sent. If you need to send an SMS in the event of an emergency then you’ll need to turn off the toggle in the settings once more.
Use Apple ID to Send iMessage
If you’re using your phone number for sending an iMessage, only then will your iPhone send an SMS message rather than an iMessage. Utilizing your email address to send iMessage resolves the issue since you can’t transmit a message using your email account.
Select ‘Messages’ in within the Settings app.
Tap the option for ‘Send and Receive’ in the menu for iMessage.
In the section ‘Start Conversations from the email address instead of your phone number.
In case you’re still not using your Apple ID for iMessage, select the option ‘Use Apple ID for iMessage’ and log in to the Apple ID. After that, tap it to activate it after it’s shown there.
As the previous scenario, if you need to send an SMS in the event of an emergency, you’ll need to change your phone number in these settings, and make sure that “Send as SMS” is enabled as well.
Send iMessage to the Apple ID
In lieu of using the Apple ID to send the message, you may opt to send the iMessage directly to your recipient’s Apple ID (if they have chosen to receive iMessages from the address, which is). Since text messages cannot be delivered to an email address This also guarantees that the message will be delivered in the form of an iMessage instead of an SMS.
Start the Messages app and then tap the “Compose” button located in the upper-right corner.
In the ‘To field, type in the contact of the recipient using your Apple ID if you have it saved, or just your email. Your Apple ID should appear in blue. Tap the screen to choose it, and send the message.
If you’d like to make an attempt at sending an SMS you could simply open another chat and select the number of their phone this time. However, even in this scenario you can send an SMS, the option to “Send as SMS” must be turned on.
iMessage is an excellent way to stay in touch with family and friends. With the fixes above that you have made, you can rest assured that you won’t get charged for text messages when sending an iMessage.