It used to be that you could turn off iMessage and turn all other contacts with iMessage could still communicate with you. The messages would simply convert to an SMS message. But I’m experimenting a bit and it appears this is no longer the case. It appears the messages are just not going through. I even tried to message myself with IMessage turned off and even that won’t go through. Anyone have any feedback?
Hi thomasfrom0130,
We'd love to help answer your question. You should be able to send and receive SMS messages, as long as the setting is on and it is supported by your carrier. If you aren't able to receive SMS Messages with iMessage turned off as SMS from another iPhone user, it may be that they do not have the setting enabled on their end. To check the Settings, follow the steps below.
If you're still having trouble, we recommend following the troubleshooting steps here to resolve the issue: If you can't send or receive messages on your iPhone or iPad - Apple Support
Cheers!
If you turn off iMessage, people who have an SMS capable device should still be able to message you. However, you may find that even iMessage users with an SMS capable device may have trouble, at least for a while. It can take some time for the system to recognize that you are no longer connected to the iMessage system. Android and basic phone users should have no problem as they were always sending you messages through SMS.
Did Apple change the way IMessage works?
