iPhone 12 can't receive SMS messages

Kent_L_AppleFan wrote:

TRY this: Settings > Messages > Send as SMS = ON

That setting has nothing to do with the issue at hand. What that setting does (and all it does) is, in the event an iMessage fails, it tries to send the message again as an SMS.

IT Fixed my issue - I can NOW SEND / RECIEVE to family an friends who are using NON-APPLE Devices. (Settings > Messages > Send as SMS = ON) - I checked with a couple of Phone experts who deploy multiple phones on a daily basis, and manage an MDM - this was their suggestion - and it fixed my problem.

This is also a problem with my new iPhone 12 and Xfinity. I have two family members/friends with non-Apple phones, and I'm not getting their sms messages. However, I'm able to send them messages and they can see/read them. Upgraded from a 6S plus, and also switched from Verizon to Xfinity.

Thank you for posting this. I used it to spur on my second and third customer service people at Xfinity:

Xfinity will also tell you to go to Settings >> General >> Reset >> Reset Network Settings, and this will also NOT fix the issue. I asked my third support person at Xfinity to reset the network signals for my phone line per the above advice, and they did, but that also did not fix the issue until they had me go BACK to the Settings >> General >> Reset >> Reset Network Settings, and this time it did fix the issue. So for Xfinity, it's a combination of resetting the network signals on the phone line and then AFTER that, trying the reset network settings again. All of this took 21 minutes on my iPhone and 31 minutes on my landline, but avoiding that xfinity endless loop of awful phone tree at the beginning of a customer service call isn't possible; I'm still not sure how I finally got the first live person... Anyway, thank you again for posting this so I had something to guide them.

Same issue with new iPhone 12 Pro on ATT - can not receive sms verification texts or daily SMS messages sent from our cloud based business operating system - received them every day until purchasing the iPhone 12

Lotsofdogs wrote:

Same issue with new iPhone 12 Pro on ATT - can not receive sms verification texts or daily SMS messages sent from our cloud based business operating system - received them every day until purchasing the iPhone 12

Then contact AT&T for help. I have two iPhone 12 phones on AT&T and have absolutely no issue with SMS messages. AT&T is who controls SMS on your phone, not Apple.

I've now discovered that though I can receive SMS messages on my phone, my mac laptop and iPad are no longer synced for every message. But some messages do get through to all. We thought it was an issue with some senders using my email addresses (one gmail, one iCloud) and some using my phone number (the iPhone 12 should receive messages from all, and does), but it's not replicable, meaning, we can't figure out why some iPhone messages make it through to all three devices and some do not.

That helped--the continuity page has a link to Text Message Forwarding and on that page, there's an asterisked note that explains one component that I couldn't see on my iPhone 12:

* Don't see the Text Message Forwarding setting on your iPhone? Go to Settings > Messages, turn off iMessage, turn it back on, tap Send & Receive, tap Use Your Apple ID for iMessage, then sign in with the same Apple ID used on your other devices.

Now I can see Text Message Forwarding, and all is well. Thank you so much for posting this!

Hi there! I was having a similar issue after switching from an Android phone to an iPhone on June 1st, 2021 (date provided for future context). After several hours on the phone with both Apple and Verizon tech support, I eventually ran across this article online. Turns out that the problem isn't (or at least might not be) the fault of either Apple or your cell provider, but with Google's RCS (Rich Chat System) preventing Android users from getting their messages through.

Here's a link to directly to the Google page that tells you how to sign your old Android device out of that system (also linked in the above article). Very simple. Took me a couple seconds and completely fixed my problem.

Hope that helps.

SMS FIX CONFIRMED: I totally agree with bhart1122. Had the same issues with iphone12 pro running ios14.6 on Verizon. Tried everything on this thread prior to his post to attempt to fix ........many times. What DID work was getting on the (house) phone with Verizon tech support. My tech from Tennessee deleted my messaging features on my account.........resynch’d my wireless line with the changes........added back all my features.........resynch’d my wireless line again. He also had me reset network settings on my phone. He sent me a couple test sms msgs to verify everything resolved itself. Bottom line: This seems to be a carrier-centric problem with carrier supported features (vice apple). Thanks to bhart1122 for his post. Unless you’re on the phone with VZN tech support, you’re waisting your time. Good luck

Patty- Get on a second line with AT&T tech support and have them reset your wireless services on the carrier side. As long as your running the latest IOS, that should fix the problem. I’m guessing only one of your contacts is sms……..and you have a general sms receive problem. You can turn off iMessage on your phone (and a friends phone) to test an sms connection to prove it. Good luck

If this is an Apple problem, how come there are NO issues receiving or sending text messages with AT&T? None. Zip. Zero.

Sprint / T-Mobile as well btw

That’s not true. I have ATT and when I got a 12 I have been unable to text some people. My sister is on Verizon and so is her grandson. I don’t receive texts from either of them.

Then you need to get help from AT&T. The carrier, provides SMS services and Apple has nothing to do with that.