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User profile for user: atobteam1
atobteam1 Author
User level: Level 1
24 points

One iPhone in my chat group with one Android sends iMessages instead of SMS

Here’s what’s going on. I have a chat group of 7 people. All are iPhone, but 1 person. There is one iPhone person in the group whose iPhone refuses to send out its messages/texts as SMS. In the text box in her iPhone’s Messages app in the group text, it says “iMessage” instead of “Text Message.” All other iPhones in the group recognize that there is an Android phone in the group and send out responses as SMS, and everyone in the group receives them. But, with this one iPhone (an 11 Pro, updated iOS), when it responds, the Android person doesn’t receive it (because it’s an iMessage) and the rest of the iPhone people get the 11 Pro message in a different stream as an iMessage. I can solve the problem by turning the 11 Pro’s iMessage settings to turn iMessages off so that it sends all texts as SMS, but that’s a bummer for any iPhone person who then gets green texts. So, how can I get this iPhone 11 Pro to send its texts as SMS in the 7-person group that has one Android person? Thank you!!!

Posted on Jan 6, 2023 5:25 PM

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User profile for user: atobteam1
atobteam1 Author
User level: Level 1
24 points

Posted on Jan 27, 2023 7:25 AM

Tried everything, and then the solution was this: the Android person in the group, who’s phone number was formerly with an iPhone, had to “deregister” her phone number as a number that received iMessages. The Android person deregistered her phone number as an iMessage number both online and by using her old iPhone, which she still possessed, but was not using (nor was it connected to a cellular network). Once she did that, the iMessaging iPhone recognized the now-Android/formerly iPhone phone number as Android, and it showed “Text” in its text box instead of “iMessage.” This then kept all texts by all group members as SMS text messages instead of anyone’s iPhone replying to the group as in iMessage (which split the responses into two streams). Here’s the Apple site and instructions for deregistering one’s now-Android phone number from iMessage: Deregister and Turn Off iMessage - Apple Support.


So, again the key is the new Android person deregistering their formerly iPhone phone number as a number that receives iMessages, per the website above.

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User profile for user: atobteam1
atobteam1 Author
User level: Level 1
24 points

Jan 27, 2023 7:25 AM in response to atobteam1

Tried everything, and then the solution was this: the Android person in the group, who’s phone number was formerly with an iPhone, had to “deregister” her phone number as a number that received iMessages. The Android person deregistered her phone number as an iMessage number both online and by using her old iPhone, which she still possessed, but was not using (nor was it connected to a cellular network). Once she did that, the iMessaging iPhone recognized the now-Android/formerly iPhone phone number as Android, and it showed “Text” in its text box instead of “iMessage.” This then kept all texts by all group members as SMS text messages instead of anyone’s iPhone replying to the group as in iMessage (which split the responses into two streams). Here’s the Apple site and instructions for deregistering one’s now-Android phone number from iMessage: Deregister and Turn Off iMessage - Apple Support.


So, again the key is the new Android person deregistering their formerly iPhone phone number as a number that receives iMessages, per the website above.

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User profile for user: faith185
faith185
User level: Community Specialist

Jan 11, 2023 1:53 PM in response to atobteam1

Hello atobteam1,


When checking the settings mentioned in Mike's reply, was the phone number already set up for messaging? Since messages to Android will be sent as SMS, the phone number will be an important piece.


If so, also have this iPhone user try the guidance from If you can't send or receive messages on your iPhone or iPad - Apple Support including the following section that may help further.


"If you still need help

  • Try to restart your iPhone or iPad.
  • Check your network connection. To send a message as iMessage or MMS, you need a cellular data or Wi-Fi connection. To send an SMS message, you need cellular network connection. If you turn on Wi-Fi Calling, you can send SMS messages over Wi-Fi.
  • Check with your carrier to see if the type of message you’re trying to send, like MMS or SMS, is supported.
  • If you’re trying to send group MMS messages on an iPhone, go to Settings > Messages and turn on MMS Messaging. If you don't see an option to turn on MMS Messaging or Group Messaging on your iPhone, then your carrier might not support this feature.
  • Make sure that your device has enough space to receive images and videos.
  • Make sure that you entered the correct phone number or email address for the contact."


They may need to reach out to their carrier as well to make sure there are no issues on that end since these would be SMS messages.


Take care.


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User profile for user: mikeg28806
mikeg28806
User level: Community Specialist

Jan 9, 2023 9:37 AM in response to atobteam1

Thanks for posting in the Apple Support Communities atobteam1,


Make sure that the iPhone is set to send messages from it's phone number:


1: Go to Settings  > Messages, then turn on iMessage.
2: To select the phone numbers and email addresses you want to use with iMessage, go to Settings > Messages > Send & Receive, then choose from the available options below “You can receive iMessages to and reply from.”

Set up Messages on iPhone


We hope this helps!

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One iPhone in my chat group with one Android sends iMessages instead of SMS

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