IOS 8.2 update caused my iMessage to stop working

Sometime late yesterday afternoon, after charging my phone at home, everything was working.

Now it isn't AGAIN. This is someone from the DC area. I think it is something w/the OS update.

After "upgrading" the iPad to iOS 8.2 messaging was not working. (It was still working fine on the Mac, iPhone 5s, and IPod -- none of which had been updated.)

I tried many of the suggestions here and elsewhere but when trying to restart and sign in to Messages I kept getting the same response:

"iMesssage activation could not sign in. Please check your network connection and try again."

I read an Apple support document about messaging problems that said to verify that the time zone setting was correct. My time zone setting was correct but I decided to play around with it...I switched it from automatic to manual and picked a different time zone...then I switched it back to automatic and the little gear kept spinning while displaying a message about the setting would be more accurate if location services was turned on. It couldn't come up with a new time. So I turned on location services...it found the time...and then miraculously I could sign in to iMessage...and it worked! I turned location services OFF and it still works.

So if I was starting this iMessage not working thing from scratch right now I would first try turning location services on and automatically resetting the time zone

If that didn't work

This is what I would try next (because it is what worked for me):

1) Force Close Messages (swipe it up off the screen)

2) in Settings turn Messages OFF

3) in Settings>General>Date & Time set to manual and pick a time zone (by typing in the name of a big city not near you)

4) in Settings>Privacy>Location Services turn location services on

5) back to Settings>General>Date & Time set to automatic

6) back to Settings Messages turn on and sign in

remember to turn location services OFF if you don't want it

So I just got off the phone with Apple. Funny they said it has been a long time since they have heard about iMessage issues...

First I was on chat (asked for an exception - upgrading iOs) they made me turn of and on iMessages and facetime and restart the phone nothing changed so I was scheduled a call. I did however told them all the steps I have tried with the phone: from general reset to time zone changes, resetting network, sim replacement, different sim cards etc.

On the phone I was soon passed to a supervisor so: Checked again different things.... now I'll have to wait for 24h since the last reset I will get a call tomorrow by the same time and if the problem is still there they will open a ticket.

I encourage you to go to apple support if you still have the problem, so that they would have more data in case there is a server/iOS 8.2 issue.

p.s. I have told them that my wife has the same issue...

How long since your last network reset? was it in the window of 24h?

iPhone 6 Plus, 128 Gigs

Same problem and have tried all of these suggestions. Went to the Apple store today and they said they haven't heard of this issue. My only solution would be to restore my phone as a new one. Then all my messages would be gone and would have to reload all my apps.

I went back to 8.1.3 yesterday and tried to restore backup but the latest backup only works on 8.2. so I went to my last one before and it was Nov 2014 (which is wrong....I had much more recent ones). Anyway, everything worked perfectly. So I thought it may have been a download glitch and updated to 8.2 again.

Same problem. So either I'm stuck with 8.1.3 and many lost messages or 8.2 "new" phone and all texts gone.

Incidentally, this problem mainly occurs with the chain of texts to the two people I text the most. Keeps trying to download all of them and there are thousands. Before it would only try when I hit "Download older?" Also, in one chain I had two that wouldn't send the first time, "Not delivered". I hit try again and nothing. Then I hit send to an email which worked. It seemed my messages worked again for a while until this new problem of trying to download every message ever sent.

I think the phone is trying to do too much all at the same time.

Hi Everyone, I have the same issue as you, all. I called up Apple Tech Support, was speaking to a lad, I asked why does some of the imessages not come into my iphone 5S and arrive to my iPad Mini, I was advised maybe software issue on the iPhone, a back up issue, do a clean restore and I was giving a case Ref Number as well. So I got home, did a Clean install of my iPhone 5S and now what do you expect would happened, when it was working intermittedly, Waiting for Activation. FaceTime is off and logged out, only my iMessage is logged in with my Apple ID. I have 12 Euro Credit in the account as well, so its not a SMS charge issue. What is going on with Apple.

I would just like to say that, for me, I tried this this morning, and so far, my phone has not unregistered my phone number from iMessage since. My next step will be to enable the same thing on my iPad and see if it sticks there as well... (I am in the US, on Verizon, btw.)

Thanks!

I spoke too soon. The Location Services trick didn't stick for me. Back to unregistered iMessage.

I have a 5S that showed the update available on Tuesday - downloaded and haven't had a problem. Today, my 6 showed an update available. I went ahead and updated. Since then -

iMessage is not working. Restart, I can send one, maybe two then back to nothing.

iMessage history for SOME conversations is gone.

Touch ID is not working.

Battery is draining obscenely fast with minimal/no usage.

Interestingly, there's one difference I can find between my 5S and 6 - they are tied to different machines (5S is a work phone tied to a work MacBook Air) and the 6 is tied to my iMac. On my iMac, I'm an open beta user of OS X, which was just recently updated with an iPhoto change. I'm certainly not suggesting that any of this is related, but I'd be curious as to whether or not anyone else has a similar config.

For me -

iPhone 6 - problems

iMac 21.5 inch Late 2012

OS X 10.10.3

iPhone 5s - no problems

MacBook Air

OS X 10.10.2

I had the same issue. Turn off iMessage, restart phone, then attempt to activate again. It forces a password popup. I had to enter the password twice, but it eventually worked.

So I'm still having this issue. I'm somewhat giving up here until someone has a better idea of what to do.

Issue: I can't iMessage the majority of people. I can, however iMessage two contacts. There are some contacts that simply say SMS (ie, iMessage isn't even an option anymore for them) and some where iMessage fail. iMessage is enabled on the phone and doesn't have an activation issue. Everything *seems* fine. This is an iPhone 6 on Verizon (my first Verizon phone).

I've done all the following today (Saturday, March 14th) when Apple says they are experiencing zero server issues:

1) I've tried hard rebooting the phone.

2) I've tried Network Reset with iMessage enabled, followed by a hard reboot

3) I've disabled iMessage, done another network reset, followed by a hard reboot, then turned iMessage back on

4) I've tried deleting iMessage history of someone's and start a new conversation with them

I'm getting iMessages on my Macbook Pro. If I SMS someone from my Macbook Pro, it shows up on my phone (Continuity is working). I updated over WiFi

So the only thing I can possibly think would separate me from all the people who updated just fine:

1) iPhone 6

2) Verizon phone

3) Continuity is configured

I'm going to try a Restore, but I'm not optimistic.

I'm waiting to be called back by Apple today (after the 24h waiting after the reset over the phone with Apple ).

Still my phone number isn't connected to iMessage.

My wife's phone same issue, just that on hers an onld number appears but not checked....

I have tried to swap the SIM card with one from Orange Romania, did not work either.

Ireland Three both of our SIM cards.

Bogdanb,

Have you verified that data is enabled on your cellular plan? Some people in thread said they had issues with the update causing issues with their phone carrier. Disable WiFi and make sure you can browse websites only on cellular. If not, fix that issue first before worrying about iMessage. I suspect your data works, but it's the only short-term idea I can think of.

There do seem to be two issues here. One being people who can't activate, which Apple implies they've corrected (as long as you have data services), and the other being that after activation, iMessages just flat out don't work, or work in rare cases.

Possible Work-around? Only tested with one contact.

Okay, I had a bit of luck with one extra iMessage contact. I made two changes, so I'm not sure which made an impact. This is specific only for people who are registered to iMessage but aren't able to send iMessages to contacts.

1) I had my default "Send From" configured to be my email address. I switched it to my phone number.

2) I sent an SMS to someone with iMessage and ask them to iMessage me back. I then deleted their conversation.

3) I created a new conversation and saw them typing back to me, and I was able to send them an iMessage.

So, at least for my specific issue of not being able to iMessage people, it could just be an issue where the other person needs to iMessage me before I can iMessage them back. It could be an fix where I had to switch my "start new conversations from <phone number>" rather than what I want which is starting conversations always from my email address. It also could be that since the Network Reset, I had to re-enable Continuity with my Macbook Pro.

Yes everything works data, sms, iMessage on email accounts works.

I have checked with the carrier.