Why won't iPhone send "blue" text messages to a number in my contacts, only green?

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Level 1

57 points

Why won't iPhone send "blue" text messages to a number in my contacts, only green?

For some reason, I can't get my iPhone to send texts to a particular number (Android) that arrive as text messages. The recipient says that they arrive as emails, even though I'm careful to press "Message" when I open his contact info. As a result, he's missed some important texts from me. This doesn't happen (messages ending up as emails instead of text messages) with other Android contacts. Can anyone explain why this is happening? Is the problem at his end or my end? Thanks for any help out there!

iPhone 7, iOS 13

Posted on Mar 22, 2020 1:24 PM

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Answer 1

sberman

Level 10

268,365 points

Mar 22, 2020 1:28 PM in response to Turtlewiz

Green messages are SMS text messages. This is the only way to communicate with non-Apple cellular phones by message. Blue indicates iMessages, sent to/from other Apple devices.

Sending texts to an Android user requires guaranteeing you are sending to a telephone number and not an email address.

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Answer 2

Turtlewiz Author

Level 1

57 points

Mar 22, 2020 6:30 PM in response to sberman

Thanks! I have a lot of friends who are Android users, though, and so far no one except this one recipient has complained that my replies to his messages get converted into emails. Is there anything I can do about this? Appreciate any suggestions.

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Answer 3

Turtlewiz Author

Level 1

57 points

Mar 23, 2020 2:18 PM in response to sberman

Thanks so much. I had his email address and phone number under the same contact. I set up a new contact with the email address only, went back to the original contact, messaged the phone number, and problem solved. Appreciate the help!

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Answer 4

sberman

Level 10

268,365 points

Mar 23, 2020 2:41 PM in response to Turtlewiz

I’m delighted it’s working now.

You clearly went through some pain to set up this new contact with some redundant information. One can’t argue with success; but for the future, there may be a way to target a message to go to the telephone number and not email address of a specific contact. The process would somehow involve opening the contact’s information and selecting the phone number specifically while addressing the message.

Anyway, it worked. Excellent.

Enjoy your Apple gear.

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Answer 5

sberman

Level 10

268,365 points

Mar 22, 2020 7:00 PM in response to Turtlewiz

Again, be certain about the specifics of that one recipient’s address. Be certain you are sending the text to her/his telephone number, and not an email address.

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Answer 6

Turtlewiz Author

Level 1

57 points

Mar 23, 2020 3:42 PM in response to sberman

I'll keep that in mind. I'm really curious now why it would happen with just this one Android contact. Anyway, my contact and I are grateful to you for giving us the idea! Stay safe and well.

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Answer 7

sberman

Level 10

268,365 points

Mar 23, 2020 3:53 PM in response to Turtlewiz

Thanks, and you as well.

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Why won't iPhone send "blue" text messages to a number in my contacts, only green?

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