100% IOS7 Fix for (IMessage Waiting for Activation)

Thanks GytisKv... solution helped.

I used brankitt's method on my iPhone 4 and it worked. Need to be careful when you restore from the backup that you select the older backup and not the backup formed when you do the restore and set up as new, or you will lose all your photos, messages, contacts, etc.

Thanks PeteW101. I had tried everything. Your instructions above worked like a charm for me!

I finally found something that worked for my iPhone4 on iOS 7.0.4.

Turn off iMessage and FaceTime. (Settings > Messages and Settings > FaceTime click button on each of those screens to turn them off.)

Turn off cellular data. (Settings > Cellular, click button on Cellular data to turn it off)

Reset Networking Settings (Settings > General > Reset > Reset Network Settings, if you have pin you will be prompted for it finally click on on Reset Network Settings on the screen that pops up)

Phone will reboot from this process.

Check iCloud (Settings > iCloud > Storage & Backup, wait for stats to load)

Turn on iMessaging (Settings > Messages, click button to turn on iMessaging)

Click Use Apple ID and sign in (it took about 30 secs but I finally go the screen to choose phone number and emails but no option to cancel or click next. If you did get this screen just hit your home button and close the settings application and relaunch Settings > Messages and all options should be there. Add emails address if need be now.)

For FaceTime just follow same options about but instead of Messages go to Settings > FaceTime.

Not saying this will fix all but it worked for me.

Worked on my 4s. What a relief! Thanks, Pete.

my problem was:

imessage's being sent to "message" app on my apple desktop, OS X Mavericks 10.9.1

imessage's not received on my iphone, lasted iOS 7.0.4

"waiting activation" on iphone>settings>messages

I could send imessages from phone, but would receive imessage reply on desktop "message" app

I could not use my phone number to send imessage, only email.

i tried re-installing, re-booting, toggle on/off, sim in/out, wi-fi on-off, timezone suggestions, airplane mode soothsaying, wi-fi sync itunes...blah blah blah

the actual problem was that for my iphone to activate imessage it needs to send a text to the U.K, i am on a prepaid monthly plan and it doesn't allow credit for overseas texts. I called my provider, they told me I had to put credit as a bolt-on, not a monthly plan. That type of credit would allow apple to send the automatic text when I turn imessage on on my iphone.

now all my imessages sync over computer and phone, and are sent from my phone number, not my email.

PROBLEM SOLVED!

works.

no good for me

I have an iphone 4 from Verizon that I bought off my friend and I have it off service and I'm using wifi, I'm trying to turn on imessage but it say waiting for activation and I tried everything on here and still nothing I'm using an email address for it but I says that too can someone please help me

my iPhone 5S Gold

i message Waring For Activation 48h ????

What About Problems Plz Help

I had to replace my iPhone 5 under warranty. They had a difficult time activating it at Best Buy. I left the store with a working phone. I later found that iMessage and Face Time were sitting waiting for activation. My opinion here, but I think most of these problems are related to activation issues. I'm just sayin...

A bit scary, but I went through the procedure (erase and set up as new) that Brankitt suggested.

1. Backup using iTunes
2. Setup as new
3. Activate iMessage and Face Time before restore to make sure that something else was causing the problem
4. Restore using backup on iTunes.

To setup as new you should view procedure at iOS: How to back up your data and set up your device as a new device

Took about 15 minutes and worked like a champ.

Hi there, I used this method and it worked for me. Hope it helps

1. Turn Wifi on
2. Turn on Cellular Data
3. Go to General —> Settings —> Privacy —> Turn on Location Services
4. Go to Location Services —> Scroll to System Services —> Turn on the following:
   1. Cell network search
   2. Setting Time Zone
5. Go to Settings —> Mail,Contact, Calendars and make sure “My Info” is set to your name
6. Goto Date and Time - Turn on "Set Automatically"
7. Go to Setting —> iCloud and click Sign out
8. Turn off Phone
9. Restart the iPhone
10. Turn on iMessage and FaceTime
11. Finally —>Go to Setting in your iPhone and Sign in back to iCloud