SMS/RCS on MacOS 26.5 Messages - broken/bug

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Level 1

10 points

SMS/RCS on MacOS 26.5 Messages - broken/bug

Issue: RCS texts fail to send from the Messages app on Mac. After a wait, the message is marked 'Not Delivered', and failed messages do not sync to the message feed on iPhone.

Setup: MacOS 26.5 on M4. iOS 26.5 on 17Pro. Was working prior to 26.5 uplifts.

Testing to try fix:

- iPhone, turn off Wifi in Settings

- iPhone, turn off RCS in settings

- iPhone, turn off iMessages in settings

- iPhone, restart

- iPhone, confirm wifi odd in settings

- iPhone, activate iMessage in settings

- iPhone, confirm Send&Receive numbers/emails correct

- iPhone, confirm Text Message Forwarding correct (Mac shows as 'On' with no green button option to turn it on/off)

- iPhone, confirm RCS message OFF

- Mac, test SMS text to Android friend from Mac Message app. No luck, so it's SMS not working, not just RCS

- iPhone, send test SMS to Android from iPhone. Success - SMS message change noted in message feed, Android successful reply

- iPhone, turn on RCS Messaging and RCS E2E Encryption. Send RCS text. Sent, change to RCS noted in message stream, read receipt, reply received.

- Mac, all SMS/RCS messages sent/received on iPhone sync to Mac Messaging app

- Mac, RCS test message sent to Android... fails. Doesn't sync to iPhone Message stream.

- iPhone, turn Wifi back on

- Mac, restart Message app. Send test RCS, fail

- Mac, Messages, disable Messages in iCloud for just this device, send test RCS, fail

- Mac, Messages, sign out, sign in, send test RCS, fail

- Mac, Messages, enable Messages in Messages in iCloud, retest, fail

Not fixed, no change in behavior.

SMS/RCS texting from Mac Message App in 26.5 is broken.

MacBook Pro 16″, macOS 26.5

Posted on Jun 1, 2026 11:05 AM

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Answer 1

Jul 8, 2026 8:17 PM in response to mylife98

Also same for me too. Can't send on my Mac - can be to other iMessage and non-iMessage users. What's odd, is that the failed message often still syncs across my devices ... as failed to send. I have to copy and send it from my iPhone. I chatted up Apple help and she said there is a known issue and a fix is unknown ... is that true? someone is working on a fix, I hope.

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Answer 2

mylife98 Author

Level 1

10 points

Jul 3, 2026 12:57 PM in response to faz4ever

Interesting insight…. Testing this with friends: ok so yes RCS/SMS does seem to work with some of them…. But still broken for others.

Thus far it works with friend on T-mobile (they are on T mobile), but not for the friend on Verizon. I’m on AT&T. I’m iPhone they are all android.

Verizon network issue? RCS encryption when passing from Mac to iPhone? But… t tested with RCS and RCS encryption disabled, and still broken with Verizon friend.

I’ll do some more testing.

anyone else able to test with some different networks and see if that’s a common thread for when it works and doesn’t?

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Answer 3

leroydouglas

Level 10

207,454 points

Jun 1, 2026 11:15 AM in response to mylife98

mylife98 wrote:

Issue: RCS texts fail to send from the Messages app on Mac. After a wait, the message is marked 'Not Delivered', and failed messages do not sync to the message feed on iPhone.

Setup: MacOS 26.5 on M4. iOS 26.5 on 17Pro. Was working prior to 26.5 uplifts.

Not fixed, no change in behavior.

SMS/RCS texting from Mac Message App in 26.5 is broken.

Not seeing the issue in 26.5

On your Mac have you shut down and restarted more than once since your 26.5...(?)

>Shut Down

ref: Turn on RCS messaging on your iPhone

ref: What is the difference between iMessage, RCS, and SMS/ ...

Settings>General>Transfer or Reset iPhone>Reset>Reset Network Settings <—————————RESET

If you see SOS, No Service, or Searching on your iPhone or iPad - Apple Support

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Answer 4

Linda_N

Level 1

7 points

Jul 6, 2026 8:51 AM in response to mylife98

I've been experiencing this issue with sending messages to my partner who is an Android user on Verizon network.

For example, this morning I tried to send partner a message from my MacBook. It was not delivered and I received the not delivered message. I tried resending it via SMS and it failed again. These failed messages are not showing on my iPhone Messages app.

I then sent the message via my iPhone and it worked. The messages successfully sent on iPhone show up in my Messages app on my MacBook.

My MacBook is running 26.5.1 and the problem started after the most recent update. I have rebooted my MacBook several times since then and checked the settings in my Messages app, both on my phone and on my MacBook. I also signed out of my Apple account in the Messages app on my MacBook and signed back in again. These changes did not correct the issue.

Does Apple see these messages and respond with a resolution?

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Answer 5

Paravis

Level 1

14 points

Jun 3, 2026 2:58 PM in response to mylife98

Same issue here. Gone through all troubleshooting and setting adjustments, no help. Just started happening a few days ago. This is both on macOS 26.5 and 26.5.1. Able to send messages fine directly from phone.

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Answer 6

mylife98 Author

Level 1

10 points

Jul 9, 2026 11:00 PM in response to mylife98

I just tried doing a network reset on both my iPhone and iPad (has cell connection). No change in behavior. Still broken. Mac messages to SMS RCS users, don’t sync to iPhone message app and eventually report on the Mac and not delivered. iPad exhibits same behavior.

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Answer 7

galero93

Level 1

8 points

Jul 16, 2026 6:21 AM in response to mylife98

I'm also experiencing this issue specifically with a friend using RCS. Everything was working as expected until one day I started receiving the message failures, so I have to reply from my iPhone instead. Has anyone found any fixes for this?

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Answer 8

Aug 22, 2026 8:10 AM in response to mylife98

I am also having this issue. I have tried all the aforementioned fixes and my experience is the same - iMessage works as intended. SMS and RCS sent from my Macbook Pro do not send. SMS/RCS sent from my iPhone go through and appear on my Macbook. iMessage, RCS, and SMS are all received on the Macbook as well.

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Answer 9

mylife98 Author

Level 1

10 points

Jun 1, 2026 12:08 PM in response to leroydouglas

Yep, definitely a couple of times, but just did another shut-down turn on cycle now to triple check. No change in behavior. Still broken.

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Answer 10

Jun 5, 2026 8:08 AM in response to mylife98

Echoing the comments here. I even re-installed MacOS (for different reasons) and the problem persists.

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Answer 11

mylife98 Author

Level 1

10 points

Jun 5, 2026 8:32 AM in response to mylife98

Just uplifted Mac and iPhone from 26.5 to 26.5.1, retrested, no change, still broken.

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Answer 12

shon212

Level 1

14 points

Jun 29, 2026 8:56 AM in response to mylife98

Broken for me too. RCS and SMS messages do not send from Mac. Works fine from phone. Messages sent from phone sync to Mac. Messages attempted from Mac do not send or sync to phone.

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Answer 13

faz4ever

Level 1

14 points

Jul 2, 2026 7:35 AM in response to mylife98

i'm having a similar problem except SOME RCS messages go through and i have a couple specific contacts for which it wont. Makes no sense to me.

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Answer 14

Sep 29, 2026 8:23 PM in response to mylife98

It was working for me again ... but since upgrade to MacOS 27.0 and now 27.0.1, not working AGAIN. I've tried many diff things and no luck. Anyone else have a fix? Not sure why Apple can't fix this.

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Answer 15

Jul 6, 2026 9:51 AM in response to mylife98

Similar issue: I cannot send text from 2 iPads that were stable for years; stopped working after updates in recent weeks (all currently 26.5.2). My iPhone is a 15 Plus with T Mobile. All android users I have tried to text fail “not delivered”. Multiple users, devices, carriers are reporting this. I realize it’s a fragile function in the first place but mine was stable a long time; evidence suggests an iOS bug. I made no changes in settings before the failure began and have verified configuration.

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