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iPhone X What happens to iMessages when you’re iPhone X is off or in airplane mode?

Hieveryone

Hieveryone

macrumors 603
Original poster
Apr 11, 2014
5,632
2,347
USA
Like if you’re iPhone X is in airplane mode for 5 minutes and someone sends you an iMessage during that time, what will happen?

OR

If you’re iPhone X is off for 5 minutes and during that time they iMessage you, what happens?

Feeling Stressed :(
 
As soon as you switch off airplane mode, it should come through.

I usually get a barrage of iMessages after a flight.
 
FFR said:
As soon as you switch off airplane mode, it should come through.

I usually get a barrage of iMessages after a flight.
Click to expand...

I was in airplane mode for like 2 or 3 minutes and was expecting an important text from someone.

I turned it off as soon as I realized it.

Should I restart my iPhone?

@Shadowbech
 
As soon as you turn off airplane mode and is connected to cellular or wifi (if it's available), it will come through. Even if you are on airplane mode and have wifi on, you still get imessage.
 
Do you have messages in the cloud set up, or imessage set up on any other devices.
 
FFR said:
Then it should come through unless it was a text, if it was a text it could have gotten lost.
Click to expand...

How would I know which one it was? We have been imessaging basically every other day or more. Haven’t sent an actual green bubble text in a very long time
 
Hieveryone said:
I was in airplane mode for like 2 or 3 minutes and was expecting an important text from someone.

I turned it off as soon as I realized it.

Should I restart my iPhone?

@Shadowbech
Click to expand...

Airplane mode is just cellular off but you can still be connected to WiFi in Airplane mode. Assuming you had WiFi off too. In any case, any messages sent while disconnected from data will be received once you're reconnected to WiFi or cellular.

They likely just didn't send you a message.
 
Hieveryone said:
How would I know which one it was? We have been imessaging basically every other day or more. Haven’t sent an actual green bubble text in a very long time
Click to expand...

As the recipient with a device on airplane mode you wouldn’t.

Ask them to send it again?
 
E3BK said:
Airplane mode is just cellular off but you can still be connected to WiFi in Airplane mode. Assuming you had WiFi off too. In any case, any messages sent while disconnected from data will be received once you're reconnected to WiFi or cellular.

They likely just didn't send you a message.
Click to expand...

I’m probably just being paranoid. I’ll just send a message in a day or two if I don’t hear back.
[doublepost=1535220677][/doublepost]And so there’s no need to restart my iPhone X right??
[doublepost=1535220735][/doublepost]
FFR said:
As the recipient with a device on airplane mode you wouldn’t.

Ask them to send it again?
Click to expand...

I’m pretty sure it has to be iMessage bc we’ve only been imessaging. I’m hoping they just didn’t reply yet and I’m just being paranoid lol
 
Last edited:
When I switch off aircraft mode after landing my iMessages usually come through in less than a minute.
 
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Ok but would anyone recommend restarting my iPhone X just in case?

And also if they sent while I was restarting I should still get it...?
 
No harm in restarting your iPhone, if you think that will change anything (or even if you think nothing will change). Takes less than a minute.
Not sure why you think restarting your iPhone will be different that it was when you turned Airplane mode off. Either will result in checking for messages that were not delivered yet, and will push those.

If you think you missed some important text, and nothing comes through - then there was no text (at least, for you!). Contact the other person, and tell them your phone was off (and it was), and think you lost a text. If you know you missed something that you need, then text "Can you please re-send?"
Or, just keep moving on. The important things in your life are there because you want them to be important. Maybe your friend (even a pretty one...) does not share your sense of importance.

Be patient --- or move on.
 
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DeltaMac said:
No harm in restarting your iPhone, if you think that will change anything (or even if you think nothing will change). Takes less than a minute.
Not sure why you think restarting your iPhone will be different that it was when you turned Airplane mode off. Either will result in checking for messages that were not delivered yet, and will push those.

If you think you missed some important text, and nothing comes through - then there was no text (at least, for you!). Contact the other person, and tell them your phone was off (and it was), and think you lost a text. If you know you missed something that you need, then text "Can you please re-send?"
Or, just keep moving on. The important things in your life are there because you want them to be important. Maybe your friend (even a pretty one...) does not share your sense of importance.

Be patient --- or move on.
Click to expand...

Ok that sounds good. Thanks a lot delta Mac and everyone else. This has been super helpful!!!
[doublepost=1535221611][/doublepost]One more question for future reference,

If I take the sim out then put it back will I get the iMessage? Didn’t do that today but may do that later if I switch iPhones.
 
What's with the constant questioning whether you should restart the phone or not? It's not going to hurt anything and only takes a minute. You should restart an iPhone every day anyway.
 
Why so desperate to get the message immediately and yet "I’ll just send a message in a day or two if I don’t hear back.".

Having said that, I know the feeling. Your phone was in airplane mode for a while and now all those sexy messages, job offers, lottery win notifications etc, didn't get through.

Reboot your phone if you like - it won't make any difference. Don't take the sim card out, that's a total waste of time. Just wait. If it was an iMessage you'd've got it by now. If it was a normal text (some people have the settings such that if an imessage fails it reverts to sms) then you're dependent on your network retrying. That can sometimes take up to 15 minutes.

Oh, and if you reboot your phone, that's exactly when the person will send a message saying "Why didn't you reply????" :)
 
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adrianlondon said:
Why so desperate to get the message immediately and yet "I’ll just send a message in a day or two if I don’t hear back.".

Having said that, I know the feeling. Your phone was in airplane mode for a while and now all those sexy messages, job offers, lottery win notifications etc, didn't get through.

Reboot your phone if you like - it won't make any difference. Don't take the sim card out, that's a total waste of time. Just wait. If it was an iMessage you'd've got it by now. If it was a normal text (some people have the settings such that if an imessage fails it reverts to sms) then you're dependent on your network retrying. That can sometimes take up to 15 minutes.

Oh, and if you reboot your phone, that's exactly when the person will send a message saying "Why didn't you reply????" :)
Click to expand...

Yes I just tested it with another iPhone.

Turned off my iPhone. Sent 3-4 imessages with other iPhone.

Received all of them when turned back on.

Then did airplane mode on mine. Sent an iMessage. Received it after coming back from airplane mode.
[doublepost=1535224871][/doublepost]
Hieveryone said:
Yes I just tested it with another iPhone.

Turned off my iPhone. Sent 3-4 imessages with other iPhone.

Received all of them when turned back on.

Then did airplane mode on mine. Sent an iMessage. Received it after coming back from airplane mode.
Click to expand...

So bottom line is if they replied I should have definitely gotten it. It definitely should have come through. No worries.
 
If they sent it as an sms (which iMessage can revert to on delivery failure, if their settings allow it) then you may need to wait up to 15 mins.
 
now i see it said:
What's with the constant questioning whether you should restart the phone or not? It's not going to hurt anything and only takes a minute. You should restart an iPhone every day anyway.
Click to expand...

Why should you restart your phone every day? I leave my phone turned on, my laptop, and my desktop for weeks at a time. I've never had any issues or missed any messages.
[doublepost=1535247838][/doublepost]
Hieveryone said:
Yes I just tested it with another iPhone.

Turned off my iPhone. Sent 3-4 imessages with other iPhone.

Received all of them when turned back on.

Then did airplane mode on mine. Sent an iMessage. Received it after coming back from airplane mode.
[doublepost=1535224871][/doublepost]

So bottom line is if they replied I should have definitely gotten it. It definitely should have come through. No worries.
Click to expand...

If the message was that important and you're so freaked out over it I would suggest having them respond to you via email next time.
 
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