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Can't deactivate iMessage after switching phones?

I bought an Android phone tonight, replacing my iPhone. I also ported my number to the new phone. However, now, anytime someone with an iPhone tries to SMS me, their phone automatically sends it as an iMessage, which I can't receive, since I no longer use my iPhone. How do I deactivate my phone number with iMessage so that I can start receiving text messages from my iOS-using friends again?

iPhone 4S, iOS 5.0.1

Posted on Dec 16, 2011 9:03 PM

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136 replies

Dec 16, 2011 10:01 PM in response to modular747

I did try wiping all my data. Now, I can't get any messages sent to my number, since after the wipe, my old phone is no longer associated with the number (it was getting them when connected to wi-fi). So now, I will never receive any message sent to me by anyone with an iPhone? Surely Apple couldn't have missed that huge of a design flaw?


If it's true, I may have to go into my new carrier tomorrow and see if they can switch my phone number. It doesn't seem reasonable for all my friends to turn off iMessage in order to contact me, but I can't not have access to text messages.

Dec 18, 2011 8:27 PM in response to Literroy

I've been experimenting with iMessage after reading your post.


This is a serious problem. If you disable iMessage, when others who have iMessage enabled try to text you it just won't get to you. If you switch to a phone that does not have iOS 5, same thing happens. The only way that iOS 5 users can text a phone number that has been associated with an Apple ID for iMessage purposes is to disable iMessage. Of course, if they disable iMessage then they have the problem of people not being able to text them!!



Apple, please fix this!

Dec 18, 2011 11:08 PM in response to Alphonsusjude

Found a workaroundfor this--still a pain, but it works:


Any friends that are currently using iMessage must deactivate their iMessage via the settings app, and send you a message via sms. After they have successfully sent a message to you via sms, they are able to re-activate iMessage. From that point on, they are able to send messages to you via sms--don't know how it works, but I can confirm 3 different users so far.


Hope it helps.

Dec 19, 2011 9:29 AM in response to shystechris

Thanks for the suggestion, but it didn't work. I had a friend try just now. The message went through while iMessage was turned off, but as soon as it was on again, it was sending iMessages again. This is absolutely insane - it's like Apple is stealing my private communication. Has anyone called Apple about this and seen if they could manually de-link the number from the iMessage service? I may have to give them a call later today.

Dec 21, 2011 1:30 PM in response to Literroy

I called Apple about this very issue today. Last week I bought a new Android phone and got my old iphone 4 ready to be sold but now can't receive texts from anyone who I used to iMessage with. All their texts try to go through as iMessages which I obviously no longer use.


Apple said they are unable to de-link the number from the iMessage service. They had me run through many options....changing apple ID, reseting my old iphone, turning off imessage....blah, blah. Yet I still cannot receive texts from anyone with an iphone because of this silly iMessage issue. They told me it may take 24 hours fro the system to release its hold on the number. We'll see what happens.


They did say they are aware of the issue and a fix is "probably in the works." So for now, I just won't communicate with anyone that has an iphone through text messaging. Unfortunate situation.

Dec 24, 2011 6:45 PM in response to Literroy

AHHHH After lots of tinkering I've solved the issue! 🙂😀


I really hope this helps everyone!


Okay. Heres what to do:


  1. Go to: https://supportprofile.apple.com/MySupportProfile.do
  2. Log in if not already logged in.
  3. Click on "edit products"
  4. Click on the "x" to the right of the product.
  5. Click "unregister"


Within seconds of doing this I was able to receive SMS messages from iMessage users!


Hopefully this helps everyone, and Merry Christmas!

Dec 24, 2011 10:15 PM in response to Alphonsusjude

Oh my goodness, you have delivered a Christmas miracle. I can't for the life of me understand why THIS is the thing that fixed it, but it's certainly seemed to do so. Crazy that Apple doesn't even seem to know this works - hopefully they read this and put up a help file or something (or better yet, make it more intuitive).


Thanks again and a Merry Christmas to you too!

Jan 6, 2012 4:48 AM in response to Literroy

That is the answer, CNet's reporting on this is very confusing. Many servcies now attach the service to a hardware device or an app that runs on the device. (Twitter, Google Voice, iTunes, Google Dual Auth all be examples.


With certain services such as iMessage, Google's Voice, Google two phase authentication you link the device with the service. Even in Twitter you allow certain Applications which are device specific Access to your account. Users have to and are expected to based on when they sign up for these services to manage the access.


So now would be a good time for any users reading this to review all te authorized devices and applications for various services they use day to day. You may want to visit the vendors or providers site to find out how to do this.


Itunes: http://support.apple.com/kb/ht4627

http://support.apple.com/kb/ht1420


This not being a Google or Andriod fourm you may want to search the Web for answer on how to manage many of the services on that platform, call Google Support, your provider support or there store.



iMessage service has to be managed and if you change devices you need to act accordingly and change device.


CNet reporting it as a bug is strange. You need to manage your accounts, the services and the hardware authorized to access and use services.

Jan 6, 2012 8:26 AM in response to drStrangeP0rk

drStrangeP0rk - I'm a little confused as to the point of your message. You seem to not understand the problem. There are two components to it.


1) It is reasonable behavior to expect that when you switch phones, everything is switched, including delivery of your text messages. This is because every other phone on the market, when you switch your phone number to a new phone, your incoming text messages go to the new phone as well. It is a logical assumption to make based on years of past experience. If Apple has changed that, it should be well-documented. You wouldn't switch the brakes and the gas pedal of your new car without making sure that everyone who drives it knows that's the case.


2) Surely you would agree that how to fix this problem should be documented? And that if you call Apple Support, they should be know how to fix this issue too? Neither of those is the case. Instead, you have to go to your Apple Device Support page (a page that I never even knew existed until this thread, even after many, many years of owning Apple products) and de-register your device. Note that nowhere on the Apple Device Support page is the word "iMessage" even mentioned once, so there is no logical reason to assume it has anything to do with the iMessage service.


So whether the "bug" is in the procedure itself, or the "bug" is in the fact that no one at Apple support had any clue what the procedure was, there was clearly something very wrong here.

Can't deactivate iMessage after switching phones?

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