You can make a difference in the Apple Support Community!

When you sign up with your Apple Account, you can provide valuable feedback to other community members by upvoting helpful replies and User Tips.

💡 Did you know?

⏺ If you can't accept iCloud Terms and Conditions... Learn more >

⏺ If you don't see your iCloud notes in the Notes app... Learn more >

Looks like no one’s replied in a while. To start the conversation again, simply ask a new question.

iOS 7 iMessage won't activate

My iMessage & FaceTime won't work after I updated to iOS 7. Just says waiting to activate. Anyway I can fix this?

iPhone 5, iOS 7, iMessage

Posted on Sep 18, 2013 12:45 PM

Reply
Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Posted on Sep 18, 2013 1:44 PM

I have this problem too, my iPad ok but iPhone 5 just says waiting for activation and is the same for FaceTime.


Wondered if there'd be a **** up with this upgrade.

654 replies

Sep 19, 2013 6:20 AM in response to Seanm85

What I done and it worked for me so simple. I was having the problem 'Waiting for activation'



> Plug your iPhone in

> Go to iTunes.

> Go to the summary page
> Tick this computer then go to back up now.
> Once done, to make sure your phone has backed up properly go to the top left thing and a drop down menu appears click preferences, then devices and it should come up with your iphone device and a time stamp.
> Go back to the summary page click restore back up (it will most likely ask for you to turn off find my iphone, do that) then click restore back up again.
> Wait for it to do its thing, your phone is fully back to how it works but with imessage enabled through your phone number and not through your apple ID

Sep 19, 2013 6:24 AM in response to Seanm85

You know, we all shouldn't have to find these little work arounds to get this crap to work. What's next....hold my phone at an angle while singing a tune to get it to work? I've tried all of the above and NOTHING works...still does not activate. Totally unprofessional and unacceptable. In the race to be first to market, you know Apple knew of this problem with this many people having the issue. Total blame rests on Apple, guys.

Sep 19, 2013 6:33 AM in response to memtiger

Stop whining, try what I've just said and it works. If it doesn't wait. SMS message is still available you know. Go to android, you get nothing of the sort




Plus, I message still works if you send it through your Apple ID, just the reciept gets your email adress as the contact name instead of your phone number. Exactly the same thing, just without your phone number.

Sep 19, 2013 7:05 AM in response to memtiger

I dont see how you can not call that whining, its a 24 hour or less wait, do you fail to comprehend that there is millions of people doing the same thing on this day? So its obvious its not going to run smoothly, nothing ever does on something so large scale


Either way, I didn't 'unlock that clue' I done some research and tried it out and it worked, did you do what I said have you plugged your phone into your computer etc?


iMessage still worked for me although it said waiting for activation it just sent people my email adress as the adress instead of my phone number, I don't see how that doesn't work for you?

Sep 19, 2013 7:12 AM in response to catsncheese

To all the apple peeps out there !!

By now most people who have there phones use iCloud as a backup for there phones.. Some may still use there computers.. If you were upgrading to a new ios I would hope that you would have performed a backup before you proceeded with the ios7 upgrade.. It asks you to before updating.. If you did create a backup on the computer this SOLUTION WILL WORK ! Also if you use ICloud it backs up automatically..

All you need to do is go into

Settings

General

Reset and ERASE all contents and settings

Do this and it will tell you it will erase everything.. If you have a backup you are good !!

When it is complete

Choose set up as new phone

When setting phone up it will ask you if you want to restore from backup

Choose the latest backup

Enter in your info and everything will work as it used to

Servers were PACKED.. Some glitches.. IT HAPPENS.. Even though it should not ... It does

Resetting this way FIXES iMessage and FaceTime ISSUE

Peeps who use the computer.. Just follow directions on the screen.. This will work ONLY if you performed a BACKUP before UPGRADING .. Which everyone should have done.. If not I'm sure APPLE will come with an update in the coming days.. HOPE THIS HELPS !!

Sep 19, 2013 7:26 AM in response to Weeman89

My phone finished updating at about 6 last night, and ever seen iMessage hasn't worked. I have tried all the tricks on here and none of them have worked. I am also having trouble with regular messages. I haven't been able to send or receive anything. Everytime I go to snapchat my phone locks & I can't do anything, other than restart it. It's a complete mess.

iOS 7 iMessage won't activate

Welcome to Apple Support Community
A forum where Apple customers help each other with their products. Get started with your Apple Account.