iMessage won't activate

I JUST FIXED IT!!! :D but not by resetting all settings. I turned off my passcode and restarted my phone, and somehow that did the trick!

If you get an error when trying to activate iMessage or FaceTime

To use iMessage or FaceTime, you need to activate them on your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch. If you see an error message during activation, follow these steps.

When activating iMessage or FaceTime, you might see one of these messages:

• Waiting for activation
• Activation unsuccessful
• An error occurred during activation
• Could not sign in, please check your network connection

Check your device settings

1. Make sure that you’re connected to a cellular data or Wi-Fi network. If you're using an iPhone, you need SMS messaging to activate your phone number with iMessage and FaceTime. Depending on your carrier, you might be charged for this SMS.
2. Go to Settings > General > Date & Time and make sure that your time zone is set correctly.

Turn off and restart iMessage and FaceTime

1. Go to Settings > Messages and turn off iMessage.
2. Go to Settings > FaceTime and turn off FaceTime.
3. Restart your device.
4. Turn iMessage and FaceTime back on.

Still not activated after a day?

It might take up to 24 hours to activate iMessage and FaceTime. If the issue continues after 24 hours, follow these steps:

1. Make sure that your device has the latest version of iOS.
2. If you're using an iPhone, contact your carrier to make sure that you can receive SMS messages.
3. Contact Apple Support.

If you get an error when trying to activate iMessage or FaceTime ...

https://support.apple.com/en-in/HT201422

Hey Kristy9903, I've tried this website https://appletoolbox.com/imessage-not-working-ios-13-or-ipados-fix-it-today/

and it worked. Good luck with it :)

Hi, Kristy

Please follow all steps in this link If you get an error when trying to activate iMessage or FaceTime - Apple Support

hope that will help

I have the same issue with 13.1.2 and iphone 7. None of the suggested fixes have worked, and Apple store's remaining suggestion is a restore from new, which I have seen from this and other boards does not necessarily resolve iMessage issue.

Please keep us updated on your progress w/Apple. I didn't get anywhere with phone support and would appreciate suggestions on getting to Apple engineering folks familiar with this issue.

I was able fix mine yesterday. By resetting the factory settings. This reset doesn’t effect media or apps just phone settings. It worked first try for me. Settings > General > Reset > Reset All Settings... let me know how it goes!

Thank you Drew15c! I was just about to undergo a painful restore from factory settings at the Apple store when I saw your tip.

It worked.

I also shared this with the Apple store & phone support tech - hopefully it will pop up as a possible solution for others contacting Apple with this problem.

My wife and I both have the same problem on our iPhone 7 devices running 13.1.2. We’ve tried every suggestion and nothing works. Our iPads activated and work fine. Could it be related to having older iPhones?

Ok. Glad it worked for you! When I try to do it, it asks for my 6-digit passcode (which I use to unlock my phone)...that works just fine, but then it asks for my passcode again, but this time a 4-digit passcode, which I don’t even have! I’ve tried 9 times to figure out that passcode, but to no avail as of yet.

Me too! I have a 7 plus and the imessage and facetime stopped working after the update. The message says waiting for activation. The last message after trying to sign in said "unable to contact the imessage server.

It's so frustrating because I'm missing texts and unable to send some out. I've been on the phone with 3 different apple technicians for hours and still nothing. They told me they forward it on to another team and it would take up to 5 days to get back to me. This is so unacceptable.