Resolved RCS Glitching Out

[MakaniKai]

Update: Fixed! See quote:​

I didn't even try this because I was so sure it was an iOS beta bug that would be fixed with an update, but I was suggested to reset my network settings...

... and it totally worked!! My messages are finally staying on RCS 🎉

I feel dumb for not trying it sooner.

---

Original Post:​

I just got a 16 Pro. Latest beta. On conversations with some of my Android friends, the RCS/SMS indicator in the message field rapidly is flipping back and forth between RCS & SMS. Does this happen for anyone else?

My friends also complain that the group chats keep splitting into two conversations on their phones I presume because my phone keeps randomly picking RCS or SMS which comes across in two different conversations for them.

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[AbSoluTc]

See other RCS threads. There seems to be some bugs with iOS 18 and RCS. I can confirm that I too have been having issues with SMS/RCS. One minute the conversation is RCS, the next time I go in, it's SMS. Seems very random and makes no sense.

 

[lm2]

I just got a 16 Pro. Latest beta. On conversations with some of my Android friends, the RCS/SMS indicator in the message field rapidly is flipping back and forth between RCS & SMS. Does this happen for anyone else?

My friends also complain that the group chats keep splitting into two conversations on their phones I presume because my phone keeps randomly picking RCS or SMS which comes across in two different conversations for them.

View attachment 2438873

Honestly I think there are free internet-based much better messaging solutions (i think about xmpp or matrix), but im not sure it would be iphone-daily-user-compliant, even if I use it everyday...

 

[BugeyeSTI]

I just got a 16 Pro. Latest beta. On conversations with some of my Android friends, the RCS/SMS indicator in the message field rapidly is flipping back and forth between RCS & SMS. Does this happen for anyone else?

My friends also complain that the group chats keep splitting into two conversations on their phones I presume because my phone keeps randomly picking RCS or SMS which comes across in two different conversations for them.

View attachment 2438873

I have no issues with the one Android contact I have using RCS across all my devices. I'm not using beta software, I'm on 18.0.1

 

[TimFL1]

I had the same issue when I got my 16 Pro Max last week. I gave it a while to settle down and the next day it stopped flickering.

Chances are it fixed itself for you already?

 

[MakaniKai]

I had the same issue when I got my 16 Pro Max last week. I gave it a while to settle down and the next day it stopped flickering.

Chances are it fixed itself for you already?

Sadly no it’s still flipping back and forth.

 

[TimFL1]

Sadly no it’s still flipping back and forth.

When I had the issue, I turned RCS off for a few minutes and then on again. Then I let it settle over night and it worked as usual when I got up.

 

[twanj]

Hopefully their are more fixes in 18.1 and maybe carrier support improves?

 

[MakaniKai]

I just updated to the release candidate and it did not fix the RCS issues. My feedback report shows “more than 10” similar reports. Pretty bummed that it wasn’t fixed. Not being able to reply to my group chats without causing chaos is really frustrating

 

[TimFL1]

I just updated to the release candidate and it did not fix the RCS issues. My feedback report shows “more than 10” similar reports. Pretty bummed that it wasn’t fixed. Not being able to reply to my group chats without causing chaos is really frustrating

My issue about RCS groups downgrading to MMS is also at more than 10 since Beta 5. Lost hope for this now, they clearly don‘t care and actively sabotage this standard with their choices.

 

[twanj]

Ooof.

This has to get some love in 18.2.

 

[TimFL1]

18.2 is out, no real mentions for anything RCS related in the changenotes.

 

[twanj]

18.2 is out, no real mentions for anything RCS related in the changenotes.

Are you running it?

How does it seem?

 

[TimFL1]

Are you running it?

How does it seem?

I am running the 18.1 RC since there is nothing to test for me in these betas (EU citizen).

I highly doubt there‘s any groundbreaking changes or fixes in 18.2, otherwise they‘d probably list it.

Maybe someone else hopped on 18.2 and can comment on any tweaks to RCS?

 

[MakaniKai]

18.2 did not fix my issues. Still quite broken. :C

I sent Apple another device diagnostic file in my original ticket in hopes it helps

 

[840quadra]

No issues here. I have been using since Beta, and in multiple group conversations with Samsung, and Google users with no issues. Some of these group conversations also include my Pixel 8 Pro (because friends just grab all my phone #s) and see no issues across platform.

 

[MakaniKai]

No issues here. I have been using since Beta, and in multiple group conversations with Samsung, and Google users with no issues. Some of these group conversations also include my Pixel 8 Pro (because friends just grab all my phone #s) and see no issues across platform.

Do you happen to use a MacBook and/or iPad with message syncing? I am wondering if my other devices are causing chaos

 

[840quadra]

Do you happen to use a MacBook and/or iPad with message syncing? I am wondering if my other devices are causing chaos

Yes I do.

- Mac Pro 5,1 upgraded to Ventura via open core
- Mac Pro 3,1 upgraded to Ventura via OCLP
- MacBook Pro mid 2015 upgraded to Ventura via OCLP
- MacBook Pro m1
- MacBook Pro M1 14”
- MacBook Pro m3 14”

I forward text to all devices via settings on my phone.

 

[TimFL1]

Do you happen to use a MacBook and/or iPad with message syncing? I am wondering if my other devices are causing chaos

I don‘t think it matters what other devices you have, since they all just relay your text messages to your phone, which in return does the actual texting.

I could send RCS messages to contacts via macOS 14.x and iPadOS 17.x that way.

 

[MakaniKai]

I just tried resetting my iPhone from iCloud backup. It did nothing. SMS/RCS is still rapidly flipping back and forth.

 

[TimFL1]

I just tried resetting my iPhone from iCloud backup. It did nothing. SMS/RCS is still rapidly flipping back and forth.

I had the flickering once during Beta after a butchered downgrade between Beta builds, a proper restore fixed the flickering.

Did you try disabling RCS for a few hours / a day? Could still be activation woes for your phone / carrier. If the issue persist, post a Feedback app report with dumps so Apple can check it out and hopefully improve RCS with future updates.

 

[MakaniKai]

I had the flickering once during Beta after a butchered downgrade between Beta builds, a proper restore fixed the flickering.

When you say proper restore, is that from iCloud? Or did you do a full from-scratch reset? Or something else?

Did you try disabling RCS for a few hours / a day? Could still be activation woes for your phone / carrier. If the issue persist, post a Feedback app report with dumps so Apple can check it out and hopefully improve RCS with future updates.

I disabled RCS for a few days, and the issues resumed when I turned it back on. I've resorted to just using SMS for now. I will submit another feedback report in case it helps them though.

 

[TimFL1]

When you say proper restore, is that from iCloud? Or did you do a full from-scratch reset? Or something else?


I disabled RCS for a few days, and the issues resumed when I turned it back on. I've resorted to just using SMS for now. I will submit another feedback report in case it helps them though.

I downloaded the ipsw and reinstalled my device during the beta period.

 

[MakaniKai]

My feedback to Apple about the RCS/SMS flipping back and forth shows that a possible fix was identified for a future OS release. I’m choosing to be optimistic

 

[scorpio vega]

And after all the hype RCS fans were making, it proved me right.

RCS is a mess on iOS and it likely isn’t apple because these same issues happen on android phones (do a google search) and this is why I stick to iMessage first and sms as a backup. RCS is overhyped and half baked on BOTH platforms.