Apple Provides Fix for iMessage Activation Bug in iOS 26

[MacRumors]

Apple this week provided troubleshooting steps for iPhone owners who are unable to activate iMessage with a phone number in iOS 26.

According to Apple, some customers might not be able to activate iMessage with a phone number if there is an inactive SIM or eSIM with the same phone number as an active SIM on the iPhone.

Customers who are experiencing this problem will see a "Not Delivered" alert for sent iMessages, and iMessages won't be able to be received. Messages will be sent and received via RCS or SMS, and will have green bubbles instead of blue bubbles. Alternatively, iMessages might be sent using an email address instead of a phone number.

To get iMessage to work in that situation, users should remove the inactive SIM and attempt to reactivate iMessage. Deleting a SIM that's not in use can be done by going to the Cellular section of the Settings app, and deleting the inactive SIM if there are two displayed with the same phone number.

If the inactive SIM is a physical SIM, it should be removed from the iPhone. If the inactive SIM is an eSIM, it can be deleted from the Cellular interface. After the inactive SIM has been removed, iMessage can be activated by going to Messages, tapping on Send and Receive, and tapping on the displayed phone number.

Article Link: Apple Provides Fix for iMessage Activation Bug in iOS 26

 

[Lizzard899]

Sounds like too much work just fix it with another ios update. 26.0.2 perhaps.

 

[psxp]

so many bugs these days

 

[winxmac]

No other choice for those using the iPhone Air and the iPhone 17 series but to wait for bug fixes to iOS 26 if the steps listed still did not help. The same goes for those who did not downgrade or was about to downgrade to iOS 18 but was already too late.

 

[Plutonius]

iOS 26 has bugs ?

I thought that Apple thoroughly test any new releases /S .

 

[con2apple]

I wrote comments saying it would be better to wait until iOS 26.2 in February. That way, Apple can first iron out all the bugs that they had to ignore due to the overly short “beta phase”.
I think I got over 50 thumbs down from the “community” and half a dozen comments saying I am a hater.

...
iOS 26 was released with WiFi and Bluetooth issues. iOS 26.01 still has problems with iMessage.
And who knows how many serious bugs there are that the major media outlets would rather not make headlines. Worldview, fan service... you know.

 

[polyphenol]

There is a lot I like about the eSIM approach - but someone I know would need a new eSIM if they remove then delete one (e.g. in order to resolve issues) and would be charged for a replacement.

 

[Biro]

I’m still on 18.7.1… apparently with good reason. Nothing that iOS 26 offers is on my list of desired features. So it’s not worth the trouble for me.

 

[TJFDenver]

I’m still on 18.7.1… apparently with good reason. Nothing that iOS 26 offers is on my list of desired features. So it’s not worth the trouble for me.

Bro, upgrade to 26 and join the rest of us dumbasses

 

[platinumaqua]

This is the kind of bug that makes me wonder why did it break in the first place, especially if it has been working fine for several years prior?

 

[platinumaqua]

I wrote comments saying it would be better to wait until iOS 26.2 in February. That way, Apple can first iron out all the bugs that they had to ignore due to the overly short “beta phase”.
I think I got over 50 thumbs down from the “community” and half a dozen comments saying I am a hater.

...
iOS 26 was released with WiFi and Bluetooth issues. iOS 26.01 still has problems with iMessage.
And who knows how many serious bugs there are that the major media outlets would rather not make headlines. Worldview, fan service... you know.

Agreed. I value stability more nowadays so I wait for July to upgrade to the next major release if I can/want to upgrade.

 

[bmark]

Apple providing troubleshooting guides every other day! iOS 26 has the stability of an active volcano.

 

[Kkspire]

It’s not a bug. If you have two sims and the same number but one is deactivated it’s gonna be an issue. Nutshell: remove your incorrect sim. It’s an issue every year when carriers swap things around and don’t remove the old.

 

[frenchcamp49er]

So will this also fix the issue with people not being able to active messages?

 

[axantas]

Inactive eSim with the same number.

 

[macduke]

And yet they still haven’t provided a fix for wireless CarPlay constantly disconnecting on the iPhone 17 series.

 

[Janschi]

People here be acting like this is an iOS26 bug lol
This "bug" existed for years.

 

[itsmaxk]

This issue is also happening in devices that are not on iOS 26 yet.

 

[ralph_sws]

Who's been testing this for the last few months? What's the point of these public betas?

 

[mulatosnarf]

Workaround a non starter for me

 

[Moondougie]

isn’t the app called Messages now? Or am I reading it wrong on my devices?

 

[frenchcamp49er]

isn’t the app called Messages now? Or am I reading it wrong on my devices?

Yep. But let it go as I did.

 

[neuropsychguy]

Apple providing troubleshooting guides every other day! iOS 26 has the stability of an active volcano.

What issues have you seen with it? I've had no problems with stability on a 16 Pro; no bugs either.

 

[itsmaxk]

Who's been testing this for the last few months? What's the point of these public betas?

People who don’t have deactivated eSIM cards languishing in their devices. That’s who.

 

[Yodelomatic]

I reported this issue to Apple Support about a week prior to the iOS 26 release.

I had previously converted my phone service from eSIM to physical and had left the physical SIM in the device while I tested the eSIM was functioning correctly. I then promptly forgot it was even in there.

I was very happy with the support interaction, and I'm pleased that it may have contributed to characterising this bug, which hopefully will just be outright fixed in the future, rather than just release noted.