iPhone 11 Pro iMessage Activation Error (phone number only)

[SOG1969]

Same with FaceTime. My Apple ID @iCloud.com activates for both iMessage and FaceTime but not my phone number. I've done all I could (changed my phone number, reset my iPhone, Erased all contents and settings, waited 24 hours for activation) and nothing seems to work.

Could anyone please shed some light on this? Why am I being unable to activate my phone number for iMessage and FaceTime?

 

[SOG1969]

Bump. Anyone?

 

[akash.nu]

Try to reset the network settings and check if your time zone is correct. Also, turn off WiFi while activating.

 

[SOG1969]

Works now. Thanks.

 

[akash.nu]

Works now. Thanks.

Did it start working automatically or did you follow any of the steps mentioned?

 

[SOG1969]

Did it start working automatically or did you follow any of the steps mentioned?

It's actually funny. I followed EVERY step in the article Apple has on their support page and it didn't work. Countless restores to factory settings, etc. etc. and then all of the sudden I see my phone number registered to both iM and FT. Not sure what went wrong...

 

[andrewj]

It's actually funny. I followed EVERY step in the article Apple has on their support page and it didn't work. Countless restores to factory settings, etc. etc. and then all of the sudden I see my phone number registered to both iM and FT. Not sure what went wrong...

Hmm, I'm having the same problem too where iMessages works with e-mail addresses etc., but not to my actual cell phone. Have followed steps on support page and it hasn't worked either. I'm hoping that it'll spontaneously work like as in your experience. This is with a new iPhone 12 Pro Max. Haven't had this problem before with other iPhones, etc.

 

[BreakingKayfabe]

Hmm, I'm having the same problem too where iMessages works with e-mail addresses etc., but not to my actual cell phone. Have followed steps on support page and it hasn't worked either. I'm hoping that it'll spontaneously work like as in your experience. This is with a new iPhone 12 Pro Max. Haven't had this problem before with other iPhones, etc.

Not sure what’s on the support page but I’ll make a suggestion.

In the Messages settings go to “Send & Receive” and sign out. Turn wifi off if you have it on already. Then sign back in on the same page while connected to cellular. Could take a few minutes but it should work.

 

[andrewj]

I've already followed all the steps on the support page.

The weird thing is that iMessages works using my e-mail addresses.

It just doesn't work with the phone number.

As in my various e-mail addresses have check boxes next to, but not my cell phone. One potential possibility is that this is a new cell phone, and I recently activated the SIM card on this phone, moving the cellular service from my old iPhone to the new iPhone (though kept the same cell phone number).

 

[BreakingKayfabe]

I've already followed all the steps on the support page.

The weird thing is that iMessages works using my e-mail addresses.

It just doesn't work with the phone number.

As in my various e-mail addresses have check boxes next to, but not my cell phone. One potential possibility is that this is a new cell phone, and I recently activated the SIM card on this phone, moving the cellular service from my old iPhone to the new iPhone (though kept the same cell phone number).

Shouldn’t make a difference. I change iPhones with the same SIM card all the time and it activates. Does your number at least show with the spinning wheel next to it?

 

[andrewj]

Hmm, not sure what you meant by spinning wheel. The phone number is activated on the new phone and it works with sending regular SMS messages and phone numbers. The odd thing is that on my old phone, where the cellular service was no longer active, there was still a check box next to the cell phone number in the settings within Messages. I ended up signing out of iCloud on the old iPhone to avoid a clash.

The next step I'm thinking about is deregistering the phone number here: https://selfsolve.apple.com/deregister-imessage/ though not sure if after you do that, how do you go about re-registering the numer.

 

[BreakingKayfabe]

Hmm, not sure what you meant by spinning wheel. The phone number is activated on the new phone and it works with sending regular SMS messages and phone numbers. The odd thing is that on my old phone, where the cellular service was no longer active, there was still a check box next to the cell phone number in the settings within Messages. I ended up signing out of iCloud on the old iPhone to avoid a clash.

The next step I'm thinking about is deregistering the phone number here: https://selfsolve.apple.com/deregister-imessage/ though not sure if after you do that, how do you go about re-registering the numer.

In “send & receive” where your email is listed, does it not list your phone number at all as trying to activate? Usually the phone number is listed there with a spinning wheel next to it attempting to activate.

If it’s not even listed then load some pages on safari while connected to cellular data then turn your phone off and remove the SIM card. Put it back in once you’ve completely turned the phone back on with wifi OFF.

 

[jmmayer]

I am having the same issue. New iPhone 12 mini. I ported my number from ATT to Verizon. At first it wouldn't send or receive any messages from my phone number. After ~24hrs I was able to check my number under "Send & Receive" and others with iPhones started receiving my messages from my phone number instead of my email. Certain Android users can get my messages and everything is fine, but others don't receive my messages and I don't get theirs. I don't get 2-factor authentication texts, and I tried sending myself a text from a send-an-sms website and did not receive it. Maddening.

 

[andrewj]

In “send & receive” where your email is listed, does it not list your phone number at all as trying to activate? Usually the phone number is listed there with a spinning wheel next to it attempting to activate.

If it’s not even listed then load some pages on safari while connected to cellular data then turn your phone off and remove the SIM card. Put it back in once you’ve completely turned the phone back on with wifi OFFt

The phone number is listed as an option (along with the other e-mail addresses), I just can't check it; it says "activation unsuccessful."

 

[BreakingKayfabe]

I am having the same issue. New iPhone 12 mini. I ported my number from ATT to Verizon. At first it wouldn't send or receive any messages from my phone number. After ~24hrs I was able to check my number under "Send & Receive" and others with iPhones started receiving my messages from my phone number instead of my email. Certain Android users can get my messages and everything is fine, but others don't receive my messages and I don't get theirs. I don't get 2-factor authentication texts, and I tried sending myself a text from a send-an-sms website and did not receive it. Maddening.

Porting your number from one carrier to another is different for sms. It could take up to two full days for all sms messages to be routed correctly during the port process.

 

[yashz]

My friend had the exact same issue as the original poster. Contacted Apple Support after AT&T tried fixing the phone number’s text message setting. It turns out that Apple put a block on my friend’s phone number and Apple ID because of report of spam call/messages—-which is baffling as that’s a false claim.

Apple support escalates to senior advisor to remove the block and resetting the Apple ID/phone number—everything works fine right away afterward. The senior advisor suggests changing the Apple ID password which my friend did also.

 

[andrewj]

My friend had the exact same issue as the original poster. Contacted Apple Support after AT&T tried fixing the phone number’s text message setting. It turns out that Apple put a block on my friend’s phone number and Apple ID because of report of spam call/messages—-which is baffling as that’s a false claim.

Apple support escalates to senior advisor to remove the block and resetting the Apple ID/phone number—everything works fine right away afterward. The senior advisor suggests changing the Apple ID password which my friend did also.

To follow up on this, I called up Apple. The initial advisor gave the usual message about giving it some time to activate (24-48 hours). I asked if there was some issue with my cell phone number, and the advisor said no, and to give it 24-48 hours and how this process could be related to it being a new phone.

I then asked to speak to a senior advisor. The senior advisor looked and could see that my cell phone number was not checked but the e-mail addresses were checked. And then a minute or two later, the cell phone number is checked. It's almost as if the act of looking at this setting on Apple's end triggered something, though the advisor states that he did not actually change any setting. Very weird.

So it's theoretically possible that this would have happened on its own with enough time, but the timing of it related to the Apple call seems more than coincidental.

So now iMessages is working as it should.

 

[wateroperator1776]

same issue on my wife’s 12 pro that arrived yesterday. Went through all the troubleshooting steps, call Verizon, they didn’t know what to do. Then I saw this thread. Called Apple all they had to do was look at her account and see if there is a “lock“ on her account, they said they didn’t see any lock or problem, but right then it started working. I also received my 12 pro yesterday but it has been fine

 

[andrewj]

same issue on my wife’s 12 pro that arrived yesterday. Went through all the troubleshooting steps, call Verizon, they didn’t know what to do. Then I saw this thread. Called Apple all they had to do was look at her account and see if there is a “lock“ on her account, they said they didn’t see any lock or problem, but right then it started working. I also received my 12 pro yesterday but it has been fine

Wow, now two examples make it seem less likely a coincidence. How long did you wait before calling Apple? Did you have to escalate to a "senior" advisor?

 

[wateroperator1776]

Wow, now two examples make it seem less likely a coincidence. How long did you wait before calling Apple? Did you have to escalate to a "senior" advisor?

I waited 24 hrs since some things say to wait. Problem still existed so today at 3 I went online to Apple technical support, had them call me (no “senior”), and with just minutes of them just pulling up my wife’s account and seeing if there’s a block on her number/Apple ID, it just started working.

They even said there wasn’t any block on her number or Apple ID and that I should call Verizon, but right then it started working.

So it seems like the fix to this issue is just having Apple pull it up and looking at it ?

 

[Petemathenge]

To follow up on this, I called up Apple. The initial advisor gave the usual message about giving it some time to activate (24-48 hours). I asked if there was some issue with my cell phone number, and the advisor said no, and to give it 24-48 hours and how this process could be related to it being a new phone.

I then asked to speak to a senior advisor. The senior advisor looked and could see that my cell phone number was not checked but the e-mail addresses were checked. And then a minute or two later, the cell phone number is checked. It's almost as if the act of looking at this setting on Apple's end triggered something, though the advisor states that he did not actually change any setting. Very weird.

So it's theoretically possible that this would have happened on its own with enough time, but the timing of it related to the Apple call seems more than coincidental.

So now iMessages is working as it should.

I’ve had this exact problem over the last 2 days. Unfortunately there’s no Apple support in Kenya so I’ve been fobbed off by Apple Support on Twitter and now I’m stuck. There is a spinning wheel next to my phone number and it says “waiting for activation” and I’ve been like this for days. I have had a IPhone 12 Pro Max for about 3 weeks and when I got it iMessage worked seamlessly

 

[Petemathenge]

So I fixed this by:
1. Changing my Apple ID password
2. Switching off FaceTime and iMessage
3. Restarting the device
4. Switching on FaceTime and iMessage
They both activated in seconds, on my phone number and email address
This could all be coincidence and your mileage may vary

 

[N1CK22]

I’ve had this exact problem over the last 2 days. Unfortunately there’s no Apple support in Kenya so I’ve been fobbed off by Apple Support on Twitter and now I’m stuck. There is a spinning wheel next to my phone number and it says “waiting for activation” and I’ve been like this for days. I have had a IPhone 12 Pro Max for about 3 weeks and when I got it iMessage worked seamlessly

I also had the same issue. It makes no sense that there is no Apple support here considering they sell to the region. Glad to hear it worked though. Mine literally kept failing for weeks until one day it just worked. No idea what fixed it

 

[Petemathenge]

I also had the same issue. It makes no sense that there is no Apple support here considering they sell to the region. Glad to hear it worked though. Mine literally kept failing for weeks until one day it just worked. No idea what fixed it

I sorted mine by switching off iMessage and FaceTime, changing my iCloud password, Re starting, and then switching both on again. Worked in seconds when I did this

 

[robinscherbatsky]

it seems to be having a problem with new phones? i had an iphone 12 pro last december and it was working fine, but i opened my previous phone and got a pop up message(i forgot what it said but it had something to do with imessages) then after tapping cancel, my imessage suddenly wont work for my phone number only. i’ve tried literally all the troubleshooting, called apple support (they dont know what else to do) now i’m stuck.