iMessage phone number grayed out

My number in iMessage was also grayed-out, but then I remembered:

Apple forced me to change my Apple ID and iTunes password. After that I noticed everyone was receiving messages from my email address. I had to log out of EVERYTHING Apple-related (iTunes, iMessage, iCloud, FaceTime, etc.) and log back in with the new password. This fixed all of the issues I was having.

Not sure what you mean by "it won't let me send with my number using iMessage"?

Again, that is how it looks normally:

The first number you see listed above is the number of the iPhone that iMessages is set up on. The second number is another iPhone number that I manually entered.

You can see that the first number is greyed out (as it should be).

Does your number have a check mark next to it?

If not, then that is the issue, not that it is greyed out.

If the number does not have a check mark next to it, then sign out of iMessage by clicking on your Apple ID at the top of the screen under Settings>iMessages, and then sign back in again. Do the same with FaceTime if that is the issue there.

Cheers,

GB

I'm having the same issue... My iPhone5 all of a sudden started sending texts from my Apple ID email rather than my phone number, and then people keep asking who I am when I send a text... Annoying!! The only thing I can think of why it may have shifted on it's own is because I recently changed my Apple ID password?? Not sure, but that's my guess. I've been googling troubleshooting options and nothing is working so far, including the suggestions in this particular forum. Basically, when you go to Settings/Messages/Send & Receive, my screen doesn't say "Start New Conversations From"... Instead, it says "YOU CAN BE REACHED BY IMESSAGE AT"... and then it lists my phone number --which is greyed out and unselectable-- and then my Apple ID email, which is checked off and selected as the default. There is no "Start New Conversations From" section beneath that.

I've tried signing out and in multiple times, and it's not working. New suggestions???

The primary number of the device should be greyed out if you are looking under "Send & Receive" in Messages, or just looking in Settings>FaceTime. Only the emails and secondary numbers are editable. The primary number is the one that gets registered with the app when you activate it. You cannot change it.

Why are you concerned about it being greyed out?

Cheers,

GB

I'm having the exact same issue. Out of no where my imessage stopped sending from my phone # and started sending from my email. My phone number is checked but greyed out, making my email my primary/only alternative for sending messages. However I'm able to receive it from my phone #. I tried switching iMessage on/off, facetime on/off, airport on/off, signing out and back in with my apple ID, reset my phone to factory settings and restored...and it still won't work. I also updated to the latest iOS and its still not working.

I searched and did every step in the forums. I've only had this happen to me once over a year ago, and was able to resolve by toggling my imessage on/off or signing out of my email/apple ID. I am at a loss for a way to resolve this issue. Help?????

I think you are looking in the wrong place. For sending messages, you want to look a little lower at "Start New Conversations From". You should be able to select any of the Phone Numbers/email addresses that you have put into the "You can be reached at" section.

Cheers,

GB

Your phone number under You Can Be Reached At should be grey, but also should have a check mark next to it. Does it have a check mark next to the number even though it it it greyed out?

Have you tried resetting your device: Hold down the Home and Power buttons and continue to hold them down until the Apple appears (up to 30 seconds). Once the Slide to Unlock displays, check your Settings>Messages again.

Another thing to try is to remove the Apple ID email from the "You Can Be Reached" list, then sign out of Messages and back in again. See if the Start New Conversations shows up again.

Cheers,

GB

iOS: Troubleshooting Messages - Apple Support

(923)

Is that your current number?
Also you must not have any email in there -

That number is the default for sending / receiving -

Or am I misunderstanding you?

(914)

When you say "grayed out" - do you mean the space is blank or that there is a number but cannot be altered?

Thanks

(919)

SIMPLE!, when ur number has grey out.... just restart on reset network setting while imessage and facetime still switch on,

tadaaaaa.... probs has been FIXED...