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iMessage not working. Can't add mobile number!?

I had never use IMessage before, ever. Only a few days ago did I turn on iMessage which then it said "waiting for activation". I then texted a friend and it was an iMessage BUT she said it was coming from my email. This is really annoying my friends and myself, and it's using up my data on my phone which I have to pay for. I've read related discussions, and have tried everything possible. I've restarted my phone. Signed out and back into Apple. It still uses my email and it does not show my number nor does it let me add my number. All it shows is my email as my address, then underneath says "add another email address".

iPhone 4S, iOS 6

Posted on Oct 25, 2012 4:15 AM

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45 replies

Oct 25, 2012 4:26 AM in response to Geofeni

http://support.apple.com/kb/TS4268?viewlocale=en_US&locale=en_US


iPhone automatically registers your phone number for use with FaceTime and iMessage during activation.


This is really annoying my friends and myself, and it's using up my data on my phone which I have to pay for.


Sending an iMessage when connected to your carrier's cellular network uses data regardless if the iMessage is sent with an email address or with your iPhone's phone number. Exchanging iMessages is the same as exchanging email when connected to your carrier's cellular network - it uses data.


Settings > Messages > Send & Receive.


Below you can be reached at, your cell phone number is not available there and grayed out, and below Start new conversations from, your cell phone number is not available there either?

Oct 25, 2012 4:39 AM in response to Geofeni

If your text message is free, why are you wanting to send an iMessage?


Sending an iMessage when connected to your carrier's cellular network uses data regardless if the iMessage is sent with your iPhone's cell phone number or an email address. Exchanging iMessages is the same as exchanging email when connected to your carrier's cellular network - it uses data.


As provided, iPhone automatically registers your phone number for use with FaceTime and iMessage during activation.


If this did not occur and you want to continue using data when exchanging iMessages when connected to your carrier's cellular network when your text message is free, contact AppleCare.

Nov 29, 2012 10:06 AM in response to Allan Sampson

Thanks Allan. I had the same issue, and I was able to resolve it by going to the link you provided and doing the following:


-- Go to Settings>Messages>Send&Receive. Enable "Use Apple ID for iMessage"


Once you do this, it will bring up a list with your phone number AND all of the email accounts that are associated with your AppleID. From that list, you should be able to specify your phone number as account that you will be using iMessage from.


After you do this, log into iMessage on your Mac and it should prompt you to add your phone number.


Another thing that you might want to consider -- go to the AppleID website https://appleid.apple.com/cgi-bin/WebObjects/MyAppleId.woa/ and make sure you have a mobile number specified in your AppleID settings.


Hope that helps!

Nov 29, 2012 10:17 AM in response to ChuckG32

Just an FYI: to The app on the iPhone is Messages.

An iMessage is a specific type of text using the Messages app.

If you do not enable Settings > Messages > iMessage, you will send a regular text/SMS message. It will not be an iMessage.

iMessages can only be sent to recipients with an AppleID and Mac OS or iOS device.

In the Messages app, iMessages are blue and regular text/SMS is green.
The Mac can only send iMessages.

Dec 10, 2012 11:55 PM in response to Geofeni

I have the same problem. It matters because when I iMessage someone, all they get is my email address, even if they have added the email to their contact info for me. When I send regular texts, they get my contact name.


There is no option in


SETTING>MESSAGES


to change where the iMessages are sent from. It gives me the choice to change what a caller ID sees, but my number is already selected so obviously that doesn't have anything to do with the problem.


Any advice would be great.

Mar 2, 2013 8:36 AM in response to Geofeni

I found the resolution! To recap, My iPad was unable to send/receive iMessages using my iPhone number. It was only showing my email address as an option. It all has to do with your iPhone, not your iPad.


Go to your iPhone and navigate to Settings>Messages>Send&Receive. At the top, you should notice that it is asking you to sign in using your AppleID. You must sign in on your iPhone or it will not know to sync it up with your iPad. Once you login, you will notice that your phone now shows your phone number and email address. Go back to your iPad and navigate to Settings>Messages>Send&Receive. You need to sign out of your AppleID from here. Simply sign back in and voila! You will get a pop up message telling you what you've done. Go to your iPhone and it will give you similar messages saying that the iPad was set up with that phone number. Enjoy!

Mar 3, 2013 4:41 AM in response to droopmcc

droopmcc wrote:


I found the resolution! To recap, My iPad was unable to send/receive iMessages using my iPhone number. It was only showing my email address as an option. It all has to do with your iPhone, not your iPad.


Go to your iPhone and navigate to Settings>Messages>Send&Receive. At the top, you should notice that it is asking you to sign in using your AppleID. You must sign in on your iPhone or it will not know to sync it up with your iPad. Once you login, you will notice that your phone now shows your phone number and email address. Go back to your iPad and navigate to Settings>Messages>Send&Receive. You need to sign out of your AppleID from here. Simply sign back in and voila! You will get a pop up message telling you what you've done. Go to your iPhone and it will give you similar messages saying that the iPad was set up with that phone number. Enjoy!


This may have worked for you, but for a growing number of people, it's not working for us.

-We have no option to select between our phone number or email

-We have no caller id selection option

-Recieve & Send only has the email listed (phone # is greyed out and can't be ticked)

-Signing in and out does nothing

-Resetting network settings doesn't work


I'm thinking some of you were just lucky and it started working on it's own again after you did reset the power and what not. For the vast majority and the 290,000 plus views from this topic alone, it isn't working.

Mar 20, 2013 9:37 PM in response to Geofeni

This article helped me reach my resolution: http://support.apple.com/kb/HT5538


I was able to solve my issue by signing out of iMessage on the iPhone by going to Settings>Messages>Send & Receive and tapping on Apple ID, then clicking "Sign Out".


I then turned iMessage on, and it asked me to sign in.


After entering my credentials, and signing in, it asked me how I'd like to send and receive iMessages. It provided me with three options: my mobile number, and two different e-mail addresses that I had set up previously. All three were checked at first. I unchecked both e-mail addresses, and then hit next.


After doing this, I was able to send/receive iMessages from my iPhone again.


The option to "Start new conversations from" disappeared, I assume because, at that point, it had become redundant.

iMessage not working. Can't add mobile number!?

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