Imessage defaulting to saved contacts email instead of phone number

I’m glad you posted this. My girlfriend and I have this issue. One day while her service was down she sent me an iMessage from her email. Since I have her email listed in her contact, my phone combined the address into one thread with the iMessages from her phone number. This makes sense.

However, since then messages is diabolically defaulting to her email. She has even removed the iMessage registration on her email.

In order to reach her, I must create a new chat, type her name, and then select the arrow and her phone number. Messages will then continue to iMessage with her phone number, until Messages quits– in which case it will default back to her email.

Since she has disabled her iMessage registration, this now means my phone defaults to (carrier based)SMS-To-Email and literally emails her my messages.

This seems to be some bug in the way Messages’ logic handles “who” it is talking to when using a particular thread.

I’ve also noticed that when receiving a message from her, the notification shows her twice, once as an email, and once as her phone number- as if it was a group chat.

I have the literal same exact problem with my girl, and it’s infuriating. IOS 18 has been the literal worst launch I’ve every experienced.

After deep diving I honestly just think it’s an Apple server issue. I’ve tried everything to a point where I’m about to just switch to android.

But you aren’t alone… and to my knowledge there is nothing transparently being shared to address this issue.

Im sure it will get fixed, but this is inexcusable.