iPhone trying to send iMessage to non iPhone.

We tried every step above and the only thing that actually did the trick was calling Apple to have them remove the phone number from the list of iPhones. They did it quickly, it fixed the problem immediately, it was EASY. For about a day, texting the number of the former-iPhone, now Samsung, the text in the sending iPhone 5S would first appear blue, get a red exclamation mark, and then automatically turn green and get sent. That eventually stopped.

Settings->Messages->Send as SMS set to ON.

The person that no longer has an iphone can now deregister his/her cell # from iMessage without calling in, just use this link:

https://selfsolve.apple.com/deregister-imessage

I just had this issue;
I switched to an Android from an iPhone and my mom's, dad's and sister's iPhones all tried to send me iMessages even though I couldn't get them and had disabled iMessage in my iPhone's settings.

What Alex from Apple Support had me do (which worked), was to go into my old iPhone and delete the conversation threads on my old iPhone. We than had my family delete my message thread on their phone, and we all restarted our iPhones (even my old one). When they tried to text me the first time, it tried to send as an iMessage but gave them the red exclamation point bubble. When they clicked it and chose send as text message, it worked. We deleted the thread and tried with a new one and it automatically sent as text message. So now the issue appears to have disappeared.

The number may need to be deregistered with Apple. Try this link: https://selfsolve.apple.com/deregister-imessage

Thanks! this worked for me!!

I did this and 24 hours later still can't receive a text from a iphone. This is a complete joke and why I will never buy another apple product. Control freaks

OOne way that might help I'm not to sure

1) go into settings

2) go to messages

3)scroll down to "send and receive"

4) you should have a phone number and an email, try I checking the email so it's only the phone number left

5) turn iMessages off and wait a few messages then try to text the person you had the issue with and see if it's fixed

i I hope it works, sorry if it doesnt

All you got to do is press and hold on the iMessage and tell it to send as a text message problem solved.