User profile for user: genevieve176
genevieve176 Author
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My iPhone won’t switch to SMS when texting my son’s iPhone

My son has an iPhone 11 with a talk and text plan and no data. I have an iPhone 16 Pro Max. I have to send texts to him as an SMS for him to receive them, however, I have to manually turn off my iMessage in order for my phone to send it as an SMS. If I send it as an iMessage, it goes as a blue bubble and never comes back as not delivered… and he doesn’t receive it. His iMessage is turned off on his iPhone because his phone also doesn’t know to switch to SMS when he’s out. His phone also just tries to send it as an iMessage but his fails. Then it tries as an SMS and fails again. It makes zero sense.


He also has an iPad that stays at home and is connected to wifi. I’ve turned off iMessage on his iPad but it doesn’t change anything.


Basically, if I have iMessage turned on, my phone will send texts to him as iMessages no matter what. Yes, I have SMS enabled on my iPhone but unless I flip the switch on imessage, he will not receive my texts.


What am I missing here? I’m decently tech savvy for someone who is not in the tech world at all but this has me stumped.

iPhone 16 Pro Max, iOS 18

Posted on Jan 14, 2025 8:11 AM

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User profile for user: Camelot
Camelot
User level: Level 9
59,955 points

Posted on Jan 14, 2025 12:23 PM

When you say 'his iMessage is turned off', what do you mean, exactly, since that has many ways to be interpreted.


I think the problem stems from the fact that his phone has his phone number registered as being able to use iMessage, and that's the problem


On his phone, check Settings -> Apps -> Messages -> Send & Receive


Here you can see a list of addresses and phone numbers that will use iMessage. You need to turn off his phone number here. This will 'un-register' the phone number with Apple, essentially telling all other users that this phone number doesn't support iMessage. Messages sent to his number will now use SMS instead.

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User profile for user: Camelot
Camelot
User level: Level 9
59,955 points

Jan 14, 2025 12:23 PM in response to genevieve176

When you say 'his iMessage is turned off', what do you mean, exactly, since that has many ways to be interpreted.


I think the problem stems from the fact that his phone has his phone number registered as being able to use iMessage, and that's the problem


On his phone, check Settings -> Apps -> Messages -> Send & Receive


Here you can see a list of addresses and phone numbers that will use iMessage. You need to turn off his phone number here. This will 'un-register' the phone number with Apple, essentially telling all other users that this phone number doesn't support iMessage. Messages sent to his number will now use SMS instead.

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My iPhone won’t switch to SMS when texting my son’s iPhone

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