Unregistered phone

Hello Amymiliti,

If she is getting a prompt that her iPhone is not activated, the steps below may help:

1. Restart your iPhone or iPad.

2. If you're using a cellular-data connection, connect to a reliable Wi-Fi network instead.

3. If you get an error message on your iPhone or iPad that says the activation server is temporarily unavailable or cannot be reached when trying to activate, wait a few minutes, then repeat the previous steps.

If you still can't activate your iPhone or iPad, try again using your computer instead:

1. Make sure that you have the latest version of macOS or the latest version of iTunes.

2. Check that your computer has an internet connection.

3. With the cable that came with your iPhone or iPad, connect your iPhone or iPad to your computer. Locate your device on your computer.

4. Wait while your computer detects and activates your iPhone or iPad: 

• If an alert appears that says "Set up as New" or "Restore from Backup," it means your iPhone or iPad is activated.

• If you get an error message on your computer that says that the SIM card isn't compatible or is invalid, contact your carrier.

• If you get an error message that says the "activation information was invalid" or "activation information could not be obtained from the device," use recovery mode to restore your iPhone or iPad.

You can also find those steps in this resource: If you can't activate your iPhone or iPad (Wi-Fi + Cellular) - Apple Support

If she is receiving prompts about activating iMessage or FaceTime, she'll want to follow the steps below:

Check your device settings

1. Make sure that you’re connected to a cellular data or Wi-Fi network. 

2. 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.

3. 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:

• iPhone

• iPad

• iPod touch

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 or iPadOS.

2. If you're using an iPhone, contact your carrier to make sure that you can send and receive SMS messages.

3. Make sure you can send and receive SMS. If a prompt appears stating "Your carrier may charge for SMS messages used to activate FaceTime and iMessage", tap "OK" to allow possible SMS charges.

This resource also covers those steps: If you can’t turn on or sign in to iMessage or FaceTime - Apple Support

If she is experiencing a different behavior, can you let us know the exact prompt or message she is receiving?

Also, has she contacted the issuer of the SIM card about that message?

Let us know, and we'll keep moving forward based on those details.

Take care!