After iOS 6.01 I still cannot send text messages over wifi while in airplane mode and I definitely could with iOS 5.x. Even with cellular data turned off, when I try to text it tells me I must disable airplane mode to text. Needless to say, since I'm flying, I shouldn't do that. Is this a bug, or I'd there some new, hidden parameter that needs to be set?
iPhone 4S, iOS 6.0.1
Agreed with Jbeisick. Same thing is happening to me. I've been dealing with it for the last 2 days. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't. I can use the Internet, I just can't I message. When it doesn't work I haven't found a fix. I've tried restarting my phone or connecting to a different server. It just decides when it wants to work apparently. Definitely a big because I don't do anything to fix it or break it.
You can send iMessages (to other iOS/Mac users) over WiFi. Standard SMS requires, as it always has, a cellular connection.
If you have put the phone in Airplane Mode and want to send iMessages, you have to turn WiFi back on.
Meg, I'm typing this at 37000' with wifi on and cannot send any text messages at all - a message pops up telling me to turn off airplane mode to text. Again, when I had iOS 5, this worked just fine. Something has changed wit iOS 6 that won't allow texting via wifi with airplane mode on.
As Meg said earlier, standard SMS (text) requires a cellular connection. The only thing you could do on wifi is iMessage or email, unless you are using some type of 3rd party app that allows texting via wifi.
As per other posts, you could never send an SMS message over WiFi but you could send an iMessage.
They're both done from the messages app so perhaps you're confusing the too. The clue is in the colour of the message - green indicates it is being sent / received using SMS and this will not work in airplane mode, blue indicates it is being sent / received using WiFi and this should work with WiFi on.
If when you select the recipient the send button stays green, you will not be able to send with airplane mode enabled. And nor could you in iOS 5.
Ok - how does one iMessage through wifi then ? I have to reiterate that this worked fine in iOS 5. Just starting messages results in the message to turn off airplane mode which I never got in iOS 5.
That warning comes up when in Airplane mode and you open the Messages app. I remember always seeing it. Just ignore that message, and then you can use the Messages app, as long as you are iMessaging, which as you know requires you to be messaging individuals that have an iOS device.
Aha! Just ignore it and go ahead! Well, it works.
I don't know why, but I never got the warning in iOS 5.
Thanks! I just iMessaged to my wife and it worked just fine.
I've just tried it and it's fine if you ignore the message. If I then choose a contact with an iPhone, the green button turns blue and you can text. If I choose someone without an iPhone it stays green and you can't text ie it's using iMessage correctly over WiFi as it should per my previous post.
That is correct, because iMessage uses data connection, and wifi takes care of that. I seem to remember the warning message in the past, but then I'm not saying that you are not being truthful. Glad it worked and everything is fine. Have a good day........and a good flight!
Yes - all ok now- the key is just to ignore the "disable airplane mode" prompt.
Got it!
It works fine now too.
No, issue not resolved. I see the original error when I enter Message mode...so I say OK and ignore it...then I type iMessage to another iDevice and when I hit SEND I get another error that says something along the lines of "Disable Airplane mode or use wifi to send messages". Before you answer, yes I have wifi and signal is full.
I think the key is not to say OK to the warning - just go right past it and it will work but only of the other person has an iPhone/iPad type device. The warning message is stupid but blow right past it and you can text no problem.
It still doesn't, I promise. Your 2 options are "Cancel" and "Disable". I obviously don't want to hit disable because I may get roaming charges, so I hit cancel and type out my message. If it's working it goes through as an iMessage, and if it's not it tries sending, but the text box will be green and comes with the failed sending symbol next to it. So I can "Try Again" a million times and it never goes through. It looks as if I don't have Internet, but I can be using the Internet at the same time.
Same thing here. I used to turn on airplane mode, turn wifi back on, then send iMessages for free when on airplanes or out of the country. Now it doesn't work at all. I'm writin this post over wifi, so my Internet connection is fine, but Messages just complains about airplane mode and says it failed to send.
Why can't text via wifi in airplane mode?
