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Not recieving imessages as SMS when im not in a wifi area?? PLEASE HELPP!!

I don't use data, just WiFi when it's around but I noticed that when some of my friends send me texts (automatically iMessages), they don't get turned into SMS texts when I'm not connected to the internet. So I'll recieve their messages an hour later when I get home etc. This makes it difficult to text any friends with iphones because I am not able to recieve any of their text till i get in a wifi area. Any help is greatly apprecciated. PLEASE HELP!

iPhone 4, iOS 7.0.2

Posted on Oct 11, 2013 2:37 PM

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Posted on Oct 11, 2013 2:55 PM

iMessage only works if your phone has an Internet connection at the time of the text. This means that if you have no Internet connection, your text will be sent as a SMS message, instead if an iMessage one. However, if someone else with an iPhone texts you when you don't have Internet, you will receive it as an SMS message. You only send and receive iMessages when both of you are connected to wifi.

When you turn off your 3G, roaming, and data streaming, you can only receive messages via iMessage with wifi. If you completely turn off wifi and 3G (as in putting your phone in airplane mode) you cannot receive any texts at all. Turning your phone off will also prevent messages from coming in.

There is no prompt option to send a message via iMessage or standard SMS, it is done automatically based on your wifi connection. As a tip, iMessage messages contain blue text bubbles, while SMS messages are green.


Also, I would check your iMessage settings to verify that you are able to recieve messages with your phone number, rather than just with your Apple ID. If you don't have your phone number set up to recieve, then you will not be able to recieve them as texts.

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Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Oct 11, 2013 2:55 PM in response to Robertxbro23

iMessage only works if your phone has an Internet connection at the time of the text. This means that if you have no Internet connection, your text will be sent as a SMS message, instead if an iMessage one. However, if someone else with an iPhone texts you when you don't have Internet, you will receive it as an SMS message. You only send and receive iMessages when both of you are connected to wifi.

When you turn off your 3G, roaming, and data streaming, you can only receive messages via iMessage with wifi. If you completely turn off wifi and 3G (as in putting your phone in airplane mode) you cannot receive any texts at all. Turning your phone off will also prevent messages from coming in.

There is no prompt option to send a message via iMessage or standard SMS, it is done automatically based on your wifi connection. As a tip, iMessage messages contain blue text bubbles, while SMS messages are green.


Also, I would check your iMessage settings to verify that you are able to recieve messages with your phone number, rather than just with your Apple ID. If you don't have your phone number set up to recieve, then you will not be able to recieve them as texts.

Oct 11, 2013 3:11 PM in response to AAN2

"However, if someone else with an iPhone texts you when you don't have Internet, you will receive it as an SMS message. "


This is my problem when they send me messages when I dont have internet I do not recieve them as SMS either. If they turn off their imessage, I am able to recieve their regular SMS. Most people with iphones have their imessage turned on making it difficult for me to get any messages from them while im not in a wifi area. I have not had this problem untill recently. I would recieve all messages as SMS even out of wifi areas.

Oct 11, 2013 3:58 PM in response to Robertxbro23

Yes, mine is broken too. I've tried rebooting it twice and it still won't work. I've had to turn off iMessages on it and just receive everything as SMS. From what I've read online Apple know it's a problem caused by IOS 7.02 but say it only affects a small percentage of users. Looks like they don't know when they'll fix it. Sorry but there just doesn't seem to be a proper fix except turining off iMessage.

Oct 11, 2013 4:01 PM in response to AisMelb

No, you probably don't have the same problem. The OP does not have a data plan and cellular data is turned off. Is that the same with yours?


Apple is working on a fix for the problem you are referring to. There is a temp fix that worked on my iPhone:


1. Settings > Messages > iMessage = Off

2. Settings > General > Reset > Reset Network Settings

3. After the iPhone reboots: Settings > Messages > iMessage = On

Oct 11, 2013 7:44 PM in response to Robertxbro23

I've been having this exact same problem! But the weird part is that it's not with all my iPhone using friends. The other day I got a mesage from a friend in text-message form, and then when I was around wifi I recieved a duplicate of it in iMessage form, as well as all the other text messages I had gotten from him earlier that day. With others I just don't get them at all. I really wish I knew how to fix this. Possibly has to do with the other person's settings?
Actually, you can tap an iMessage after it's sent and it gives you the option to send it as a text. I'm considering asking my fellow iPhones to put those extra few taps into sending me a message!

Not recieving imessages as SMS when im not in a wifi area?? PLEASE HELPP!!

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