What to Do if Activation Is Unsuccessful in iMessage
Reading Time: 3 minutesApple users sometimes run into iMessage activation issues on a new device. But we’ll teach you how to fix that.
If you’re trying to activate a new iPhone, iPad, or MacBook, you might run into an issue where iMessage activation is unsuccessful. While this issue is rare, it does happen, and Apple is aware of it.
You might see a message saying something like ‘iMessage activation unsuccessful.’ You might also get a message that says ‘waiting for activation.’ Unfortunately, you can’t use iMessage or FaceTime if either of these pop-up.
If you’re experiencing this issue, you might be frustrated as you probably want to use iMessage on your new Apple device immediately. Fortunately, there are some things you can do.
Restart iMessage and FaceTime
If you’re having iMessage activation issues on your iPhone or iPad, consider restarting both iMessage and FaceTime.
To restart iMessage and FaceTime, head to Settings > Message and turn off iMessage. Then, head to Settings > FaceTime and turn off FaceTime. Wait for a couple of minutes, and then turn both on again.
Once both are back on, you might need to wait a little while before checking again to see if your activation is successful.
If you’re on a Mac, head to FaceTime > Settings and uncheck Enable this account. This will disable FaceTime until you turn it back on again. In older macOS versions, Settings will be listed as Preferences. So, keep that in mind.
For iMessage, head to Messages > Settings and uncheck Enable Messages in iCloud.
After you disable both iMessage and FaceTime, wait a couple of minutes and then reactivate them together. After some time, test to see if activation was successful.
In case you’re confused about iMessage activation and have never activated it before, you might want to learn how to activate iMessage before continuing.
Check Your Cellular or Wi-Fi Connection
To activate iMessage, you’ll need to have a working internet connection of some kind. This is one of the most common issues, but remember that iMessage and FaceTime rely on Wi-Fi or cellular data to connect to the internet.
So, check your cellular or Wi-Fi connection to see if you can access the web. One way to check this would be to go to Safari and navigate to any webpage. If you don’t have an internet connection or the web page won’t load, this is a sign that you should connect to the internet.
In case you’re having issues connecting, consider resetting your iPhone’s network settings. And if you’re on macOS, we also have a great guide on resetting network settings on a Mac.
Check Your Time Zone Settings
Some users claim that if an Apple Device’s time zone settings are wrong, you’ll run into iPhone activation issues. While this issue isn’t widely reported, some users online claim that fixing their time zone helps.
To do this on iPhone and iPad, head to Settings > General > Date & Time > Time Zone and update your time zone to the one you’re currently in.
If you’re on the border of two time zones, try switching to the other time zone. If you’re using a new carrier, your carrier might have a tower in the nearby time zone and not the one you’re in, causing activation issues.
To do the same on a Mac, you need to head to System Settings > General > Date & Time and change your time zone settings here. In older versions of macOS, you’ll need to go to System Preferences > Date & Time to access these options.
iMessage Won’t Activate? Wait 24 Hours
iMessage can take up to 24 hours to activate on new devices. While many users activate it right away, a poor internet connection or issues with your carrier can delay this process. However, it should never take more than 24 hours.
If you’ve waited more than 24 hours and iMessage still won’t activate, Apple recommends contacting its support team. When contacting Apple Support, tell them that you restarted iMessage and FaceTime and that you’re connected to the internet. Apple will tell you to do these things first, so letting them know you did this can speed up the process.
Once you reach out to Apple after trying the above fixes, Apple will check if there are any issues that you might not notice from your end.
Unsuccessful iMessage Activation? There’s a Fix
If your iMessage activation is unsuccessful, there is a fix. Apple wants you to be able to use iMessage, and this not working poses a problem for the company. This is why that most issues with iMessage are fixable, and Apple is aware of the known issues.
iMessage still won’t activate after trying all these fixes? You have no choice but to take your iPhone, iPad, or Mac to an Apple Store. Or, go to the store where you purchased your device. You will rarely need to do this, but it’s always an option if iMessage still won’t activate.