iMessage not activating on iPhone after reboot

After rebooting iOS 26 on my Iphone 17, activation lock was activated. After logging in, everything worked as usual, but iMessage broke. When I try to turn it on, an error appears. SMS messages for activation are sometimes sent, but iMessage still doesn't work, and in most cases, an activation error simply appears. In the iCloud settings, it says my phone number can't be used for iMessage because it requires a SIM card linked to an Apple device. Previously, everything worked fine with the same SIM card on the same device. Restarting, disabling Wi-Fi, updating to the latest iOS version, resetting network settings, using airplane mode, signing out of iCloud, and changing time zones all help. Trying to activate through the website hasn't worked, even though several days have passed.

iPhone 17, iOS 26

Posted on Jun 18, 2026 7:22 AM

Reply
2 replies

Aug 4, 2026 1:53 PM in response to felix_eisenkremer

Welcome and thank you for reaching out. 🤗


First, try the following steps:


Sign in issue:

Learn what to do → If you can’t turn on or sign in to iMessage.


Connection issue:

Learn what to do → If you can't send or receive messages.


Need more help?


Additional help:


Good Luck! 👋🏼😉

Smiliñ 😎 Brian | Community Volunteer

Aug 4, 2026 4:54 PM in response to felix_eisenkremer

Hello~ Are you receiving an error? If so …one of these perhaps?*


  • Waiting for activation
  • Activation unsuccessful
  • An error occurred during activation
  • Could not sign in, please check your network connection
  • Unable to contact the iMessage server. Try again.


Click on below and review…


If you can’t turn on or sign in to iMessage or FaceTime on your iPhone - Apple Support*


Also…


Contact Apple Support - Apple Support



~Katana-San~

iMessage not activating on iPhone after reboot

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