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Why is iMessage not available?

My wife and I have identical iPhones (5C) that use the same carrier. At home, we use the same WiFi network. I rarely send a message that does not go via iMessage—that is, that does not display as blue. However, it seems my wife rather often finds that her phone wants to use SMS—the message goes out green. Sometimes, she'll send a message that "goes green," while I—sitting in the same room—send a message that goes blue.


What gives? She hasn't changed any settings (not intentionally, anyway). I once told her to turn off her phone and restart, which she did—the next message went with iMessage (blue). Another time, she went to her Settings and turned off iMessage, then turned it back on. That worked.


Still, we both wonder why this switch to SMS occurs. What could she be doing—inadvertently, perhaps—to cause her phone to use SMS instead of iMessage? Might she have a problem with her phone?

iPhone 5c, iOS 9.2.1

Posted on Feb 2, 2016 1:13 PM

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Posted on Feb 2, 2016 1:27 PM

When imessage is unavailable it will send it as a text message, that can be due to the other side not having imessage turned on or they're in an area with a weak wifi or cellular data signal.

5 replies

Feb 7, 2016 1:38 PM in response to real jg

Real JG, I thank you for providing the link. I have checked my wife's iPhone settings (Settings > Messages > Send & Receive), and I find nothing amiss. iMessage is turned on; so is "Send as SMS" (" ... when iMessage is unavailable ... .") She's signed in with her AppleID (she has just one). Our daughter (the target of most of my wife's messages) lives in a major metro area with excellent cellular coverage; and she has solid hi-speed WiFi in her home; and she is not one to tweak with the settings on her iPhone. (That is, it's unlikely that she'd just turn off iMessage.)


So, I'm just gonna chalk this one up to one of those things that just happen from time to time. My thanks to you and razmee209. Sorry it took me so long to respond.

Why is iMessage not available?

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