iMessage won't forget number

Question

Level 1

8 points

iMessage won't forget number

I just can not get my iMessage to forget my previous phone number.

Though I think I have tried everything available....

For some reason, even after changing my trusted phone number in appleid and changing the password for three times the old number - to which I don't have access anymore, still shows up in iMessage.

I have tried following the steps in the Add or remove your phone number in Messages or FaceTime - Apple Support document more than once too, to no avail.

If I turn iMessage off and back on (even after a while or a couple of restarts), it will say "Activation unsuccessful." after a while. It will still log into my Apple ID in "Send and Receive" but show my old number.

The number shown is my previous number. But I have since removed that number from my personal contact on my Mac as well as on my iPhone:

My trusted phone number on the iPhone is updated to the new number too:

And finally my numbers are updated in appleid.apple.com:

I also tried to deregister through Deregister and Turn Off iMessage - Apple Support but I don't get a message. (Probably because I don't have access to that number anymore.) Then again, I just want to register a NEW / DIFFERENT number that is already registered everywhere with Apple...

Any other hints what I can do?

Posted on Dec 26, 2018 9:58 AM

Reply

Answer 1

bswatek Author

Level 1

8 points

Dec 26, 2018 11:28 AM in response to Eric Root

Thanks for looking into this!

Yes, as suggested here: Add or remove your phone number in Messages or FaceTime - Apple Support

Logged out on my Mac (Mojave 10.14.2) from Messages and FaceTime.

Then logged out on my iPhone X (iOS 12.1.2).

Then restarted the iPhone (only iOS device connected to my AppleID account - the only place I didn't specifically log out was my AppleWatch but to my understanding it gets logged out when the iPhone is logged out).

When I then go back to Settings > Messages on the iPhone and turn on iMessage it sits there "waiting for activation" for hours...

But it logged into the Apple ID account and has a Spinning Wheel next to the old, wrong phone number.

Again, thanks for any help!

Reply

Answer 2

Eric Root

Level 10

684,051 points

Dec 26, 2018 11:33 AM in response to bswatek

You are welcome. Do you have access to another WiFi network where you can try? That has worked for several people.

Try a restart.

Restart your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch

Try a forced restart.

Reset Device

Reply

Answer 3

Eric Root

Level 10

684,051 points

Dec 26, 2018 12:37 PM in response to bswatek

Try Apple ID Support. Based on what has been posted, I'm not sure a reset will help.

Apple ID Support

Apple ID Support (2)

Apple Support by e-mail or chat Work through the screens to get a chat option.

Apple Support using Twitter

Or fill out and submit this form. The form is for iTunes, but it will get passed to the ID Support section.

Reply

Answer 4

bswatek Author

Level 1

8 points

Dec 26, 2018 11:40 AM in response to Eric Root

Hmm, I could try to setup a personal hotspot from my wife's iPhone for a minute...

As said, I restarted the phone with Messages turned off various times....

BTW on my Mac the phone number is not shown neither in Messages nor in Facetime:

And in Messages I can't select a phone number on the bottom of the prefs window.

If I try on another WiFi, what should I try?

Sign into different WiFi, sign out on all devices, restart iPhone, log into the different WiFi again, sign into Messages.... ?

Reply

Answer 5

bswatek Author

Level 1

8 points

Dec 26, 2018 11:57 AM in response to Eric Root

Nope, unfortunately that didn't help neither.

Logged back into my AppleID, iMessage still "waiting for activation" but in the AppleID setting it has again the old and wrong number with the spinning wheel.

Other suggestions?

Would I have to totally reset the iPhone?

Reply