How To Enable IMessage In Easy 3 Steps

iMessage is an Apple-exclusive free online messaging service. You can easily enable iMessage on your Apple device’s settings.

iMessage usually takes 24 hours or less to activate. So, if you receive the message “waiting for activation,” don’t worry. You can wait it out.

But, if you are greeted with “iMessage needs to be enabled“, you should double-check your steps for enabling iMessage.

How to Enable iMessage on Your iPhone/iPad

You can enable iMessage on your iPhone or iPad with the following steps.

Go to the Settingson your device.
Find the Messages .
Toggle the slider of the iMessage on.

How to Enable iMessage on Your Macbook/iMac

There are no specific toggles in Mac to enable iMessage. However, you can use enable it by logging in to your Apple ID.

Click on launch pad and find iMessage.
A login pop-up will show. You will need to sign in with an Apple id.

iMessage Errors on Your IPhone and IPad

If your device still shows no sign of activation, then it’s time to troubleshoot the error. There could be a number of issues preventing your iMessage from activating, such as:

An error occurred during the activation
iMessage needs to be enabled to send message
Unable to contact the iMessage server
Could not sign in, please check your network connection

Check out the fixes below, as one of them will most likely work for you.

Things to Consider Before Troubleshooting

Be sure to check the following things before you ascertain the problem to be device-related.

Make Sure iMessage Is Available Through Apple System Status: Before assuming something is wrong with your device and moving on with troubleshooting, make sure that there are no issues with Apple’s system. You can check if the iMessage is currently available through the company from the system status section of their website.
If the iMessage feature is working properly, the iMessage section in the system status will be shown in green color. If it is not green, then Apple is working on it.
Try using iMessage again once the status turns green again. Till then, be patient as the issue might not be with your device.
Check Your Internet Connection: Since iMessage requires some form of internet access, please check your Wi-Fi, internet speed. If your internet speed is not stable, try restarting your router. If the internet issue persists, contact your internet service provider.
If you are using the internet through cellular data packages, make sure the internet is working. E.g., try using other apps that require internet access or try loading any pages on your browser to see if the data connection is working or not..

Troubleshooting iMessage Errors in iPhone and iPad

To fix iMessage errors on iPhone and iPad, you can try these fixes below.

Try Enabling & Disabling iMessage

Enable and disable iMessage on your iPhone or iPad using the process taught above using the toggle in the message’s app at the side of the iMessage option. On a Mac, sign out. If this doesn’t fix the issue, move on to the steps below. The fixes below will work for both iPhones & iPads.

Turn On and Off Airplane Mode

Turning on your airplane mode will disable all connections of the device, including network, Wi-Fi, and even Bluetooth. Though the initial purpose is to be used on an airplane, this process helps you get a new connection to the Wi-Fi or cellular network once again.

Go to your settings app on your device.
On the top of the list, you will find airplane mode.
Toggle it off, wait for 5 seconds and toggle it back on.

Delete Any Stuck iMessage Conversation Threads

If there are any stuck messages on iMessage, try deleting that message or the whole conversation thread. Sometimes starting a new conversation can help fix the error. You can properly refresh iMessage and start a new chat.

Simply find iMessage on Settings, and turn it off.
Go back outside to your conversation on iMessage and delete it.

Reset Your Network Settings

When you reset your network settings, all previous configurations of networks, VPN, etc., are reset. You will have to get a new connection, fixing the issue.

Go to the Settings app on your device.
Find the General section and select it.
Scroll down and find transfer & Reset option and click on Reset.
Tap on the option reset network settings.
Enter passcode if required and confirm the option action.
Restart your device and input the passwords on Wi-Fi connections.

Restart Your Device

Rebooting your iPhone helps to restart the messaging feature of your iPhone. Please use the steps below according to the model of your iPhone to reboot the device.

iPhone X Series, 11, 12, or 13 or iPad Without Home Button

Press and hold the power button and any of the volume buttons.
A slider will appear to switch off the device.
Press and hold the power button till the Apple logo shows up.

iPhone Se 2, 8,7 or 6

Press and hold the button on the right side until a slider appears.
Slide the slider to switch off the device.
Press and hold the side button once again till the Apple logo shows up.

iPhone Se,5, or Ipad With a Home Button

Press and hold the top button until the power slider appears on the screen.
Drag the slider and switch off the device.
Press and hold the top button once again till you see the Apple logo.

Check if the Date and Time Zone Is Correct on Iphone & iPad

Your iMessage needs the correct time zone and date to function properly. Check if your date and time zone are set properly.

Go to the Settings app on your device.
Find the general section and select it.
Find date and time option.
There will be an option titled set automatically, try toggling it off, wait 3 seconds and turn it back on.

Check Your iOS Update

Apple creates updates for your iOS so that they can fix previous errors and bugs. If iMessage has a bug, updating the OS will fix the issue. Check if your IOS is updated or not; if not, we recommend updating the operating system.

Go to the Settings app on your device.
Find the General section.
Scroll and find the option Software update.
If there is an available update, scroll down and tap download and install.

Sign Out and Back Into Apple Id

As iMessage relies on your Apple id, try signing out and signing back in so that the process of iMessage restarts.

Go to the Settings app on your device.
Check at the top and click on your name.
Scroll down to the bottom and find the option to sign out.
Sign back in to your Apple id.

Check if There Is a Carrier Update

A Carrier update is notified via notification pop-up, so it is not noticeable on day-to-day use. So, we do not remember to check for updates. It brings new features for 5G networks or even Wi-Fi calling.

It’s best to have it updated as soon as it is prompted. If you do not remember if you updated this, you could check via the following process.

Go to the settings app of your device and go to general.
Find the about option.
If there is a carrier setting update, a pop-up will show up; else, it will not. Please update it if there is an option.

Fix iMessage Errors on Mac

Here’s how you can fix iMessage errors on Mac:

Restart Your Mac

Restarting your Mac will restart all apps and processes in its system. Errors are sometimes fixed during the reboot of these app processes.

Select Apple menu and choose restart and confirm restart.
Try iMessage once again.

Auto Proxy Discovery

Auto Proxy Discovery will help your Mac detect whether a proxy is necessary or not. This proxy discovery will also help transfer traffic from networks properly.

Go to the menu with the Apple logo on the top right corner and select system preferences.
Find the network option and select ethernet.
Find the proxy tab.
Select auto proxy discovery.
Tap ok to confirm the action.

Delete Threads of Conversation on Your iMessage

We recommend deleting unstuck messages or the threads themselves if you have issues with your iMessage in Mac.

Go to your iMessage.
Tap on the file and select delete conversation.
Go to the messages menu and choose preferences.
Find the application section and check off the save history option.

Note: The above steps will make your iMessage not save any chat after closing.

Sign Out and Sign in to iMessage

Logging out and in can sometimes reboot issues with your profile.

Click launch pad and find iMessage.
A login pop-up will show. You will need to sign in with an Apple id.
Go to the messages on the top right corner near the Apple logo.
Please select it and click on the preference.
A pop up will show and select iMessage.
Use the sign out button on the right to sign out completely.
Now try signing back again.

Check-in With Apple Support

If these steps do not work, please check if your normal SMS is working; if it isn’t, it’s best to contact your carrier and explain the issue. They will be able to guide you to possible alternatives here on after.

If it’s not a carrier issue, it’s best to contact Apple’s support team.