Cannot Receive iMessage, to Phone Number, From (at Least) One Specific Contact

[James.K.Polk]

This has been a pain in my side for a couple weeks so hoping that someone can provide any help. I’ve read any thread/support forum/article I can on this without issue.

The facts are these:

• My wife and I are both on iOS 26 (iPhone 15 Pros). Both have a couple Apple devices each but just one iPhone apiece (main devices). No second SIM, etc. Both on eSIM, both on Verizon. This problem started when we both upgraded operating systems, though I have not found anything that ties it specifically to iOS 26 otherwise.
• I can iMessage my wife without issue. It sends quickly, marks as “Delivered,” all normal. No issues.
• When my wife sends me an iMessage to my phone number, it recognizes me as “blue,” and I even see the “…” bubbles but then she hits send and it doesn’t deliver. It sits in limbo until she pushes it to an SMS.
• If my wife sends the message to my email address as an iMessage, it sends without issue (which is our current, but tenuous, workaround).

We have tried:

• Full factory reset of my iPhone (huge PITA, and did not solve the issue)
• Reseting network settings (both devices)
• Deleting each others’ contact (both devices)
• Signing out of iMessage (repeatedly, on both devices)
• Toggling on/off iMessage and the various numbers/email addresses associated.

I have no idea if other folks have tried to iMessage me and have been unable to - so far I’ve only confirmed that my wife cannot (to my phone number, specifically).

Can someone please provide any additional input? It’s driving us crazy!

Thanks!

 

[Canyda]

I'll ask the dumb question - in your iMessage settings, do you have your phone number checked under the "You can receive iMessages and send replies from" section? And do you have your phone number set as the default under "Start new conversations from" section?

 

[James.K.Polk]

I'll ask the dumb question - in your iMessage settings, do you have your phone number checked under the "You can receive iMessages and send replies from" section? And do you have your phone number set as the default under "Start new conversations from" section?

I'll hear any ideas, no matter how "dumb" at this point, ha! But yes, my phone number is the default. I found a much earlier thread (2018? 2019?) suggesting to un-select the email addresses (thus forcing it to go through the phone number, I guess?). We tried that, too, without success.

 

[BigBlur]

Try this...

1. Turn off and sign out of iMessage and FaceTime.
2. Go here to deregister your number from iMessage: https://selfsolve.apple.com/deregister-imessage/
3. Set up and activate iMessage/FaceTime for your number again.
4. Optional: Have only your phone number to be able to send and receive iMessages.

 

[James.K.Polk]

Try this...

1. Turn off and sign out of iMessage and FaceTime.
2. Go here to deregister your number from iMessage: https://selfsolve.apple.com/deregister-imessage/
3. Set up and activate iMessage/FaceTime for your number again.
4. Optional: Have only your phone number to be able to send and receive iMessages.

Thanks! I had not come across this “deregister” page betore. Will give it a try when works slows down.

 

[HouseLannister]

Does RCS work between the two devices when iMessage is off?

 

[James.K.Polk]

Does RCS work between the two devices when iMessage is off?

Haven't tried this, either - though I can confirm that RCS works for other parties. Will try when I have my wife's iPhone in front of me as well.

 

[James.K.Polk]

Does RCS work between the two devices when iMessage is off?

Confirmed that it does.

 

[James.K.Polk]

Try this...

1. Turn off and sign out of iMessage and FaceTime.
2. Go here to deregister your number from iMessage: https://selfsolve.apple.com/deregister-imessage/
3. Set up and activate iMessage/FaceTime for your number again.
4. Optional: Have only your phone number to be able to send and receive iMessages.

Confirmed that this also did not work (tried on both iPhones).

 

[HouseLannister]

Assuming she can send iMessages to people other than you, the next two steps would be for you to delete the messages thread between the two of you from your wife’s phone and start a new thread. If that thread has the same issue, do a factory reset on her phone and delete the eSIM. Scorched earth/fresh start.

 

[BigBlur]

Perhaps this is related to your issue. Do you have any inactive SIM/eSIMs?

Apple Provides Fix for iMessage Activation Bug in iOS 26

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

www.macrumors.com

If you can't activate iMessage with your phone number in iOS 26 - Apple Support

When you update to iOS 26, you might not be able to activate iMessage with your phone number if you have an inactive SIM with the same phone number as your active SIM.

support.apple.com

 

[James.K.Polk]

Perhaps this is related to your issue. Do you have any inactive SIM/eSIMs?

Apple Provides Fix for iMessage Activation Bug in iOS 26

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

www.macrumors.com

If you can't activate iMessage with your phone number in iOS 26 - Apple Support

When you update to iOS 26, you might not be able to activate iMessage with your phone number if you have an inactive SIM with the same phone number as your active SIM.

support.apple.com

No, and in fact I took the step of deleting and reinstalling the eSIM. This was a huge hassle, is not recommended - and did not fix the issue, ha!

 

[James.K.Polk]

Assuming she can send iMessages to people other than you, the next two steps would be for you to delete the messages thread between the two of you from your wife’s phone and start a new thread. If that thread has the same issue, do a factory reset on her phone and delete the eSIM. Scorched earth/fresh start.

This has been done and still hasn’t fixed the issue, unfortunately.

 

[Cmd-Z]

This has been done and still hasn’t fixed the issue, unfortunately.

You've tried a lot, including some of the steps below, but maybe not this complete sequence:

1. Delete the Messages thread between her and you from her phone.
2. Have her remove your email from her Contacts entry for you.
3. Turn off iMessage on your iPhone.
4. Have her turn OFF iMessage and then send you a text, that should force it to go as SMS/RCS.
5. Wait a few minutes after the SMS/RCS was received.
6. Turn iMessage back ON on your iPhone. Wait a few more minutes.
7. Have her turn ON iMessage and turn OFF "Send as Text Message".
8. Have her send another text, #7 should force it to go as iMessage.
9. If it comes to you, then reply to make sure things still work.

If this works, go back to #7 and turn that back ON, and re-add your email to her Contact for you.

If none of that works, I don't see that you mentioned it but what happens when she sends a group iMessage that includes you and other Apple users?

 

[James.K.Polk]

You've tried a lot, including some of the steps below, but maybe not this complete sequence:

1. Delete the Messages thread between her and you from her phone.
2. Have her remove your email from her Contacts entry for you.
3. Turn off iMessage on your iPhone.
4. Have her turn OFF iMessage and then send you a text, that should force it to go as SMS/RCS.
5. Wait a few minutes after the SMS/RCS was received.
6. Turn iMessage back ON on your iPhone. Wait a few more minutes.
7. Have her turn ON iMessage and turn OFF "Send as Text Message".
8. Have her send another text, #7 should force it to go as iMessage.
9. If it comes to you, then reply to make sure things still work.

If this works, go back to #7 and turn that back ON, and re-add your email to her Contact for you.

If none of that works, I don't see that you mentioned it but what happens when she sends a group iMessage that includes you and other Apple users?

Thanks. Group messages work just fine; we're in several together and there have been no issues. I will give these steps a try shortly...!

Edit: Also, I appreciate your help in troubleshooting, regardless!

 

[James.K.Polk]

You've tried a lot, including some of the steps below, but maybe not this complete sequence:

1. Delete the Messages thread between her and you from her phone.
2. Have her remove your email from her Contacts entry for you.
3. Turn off iMessage on your iPhone.
4. Have her turn OFF iMessage and then send you a text, that should force it to go as SMS/RCS.
5. Wait a few minutes after the SMS/RCS was received.
6. Turn iMessage back ON on your iPhone. Wait a few more minutes.
7. Have her turn ON iMessage and turn OFF "Send as Text Message".
8. Have her send another text, #7 should force it to go as iMessage.
9. If it comes to you, then reply to make sure things still work.

If this works, go back to #7 and turn that back ON, and re-add your email to her Contact for you.

If none of that works, I don't see that you mentioned it but what happens when she sends a group iMessage that includes you and other Apple users?

Unfortunately this also did not work. I had been in touch with Apple but missed their call yesterday so will try to get back to them soon and see if they have further ideas. Still not working.