Symptoms
- New phone (Android or iPhone) won't receive texts from iPhone users
- iMessage shows 'activating' for a long time on setup
- Messages from iPhone contacts disappear or never arrive
- Old iPhone still 'thinks' it's your active messaging device
Likely causes
- CommonOld iPhone still registered with Apple's iMessage servers for your numberApple's system can keep routing messages to the old device if it wasn't deregistered.
- CommonDeregistration not completed when switching platformsSwitching to Android specifically requires an extra manual deregistration step.
- PossibleApple ID sign-out not completed on the old device before it was sold, given away, or resetA signed-in old device can continue to intercept iMessages.
What to do
- If you still have the old iPhone, go to Settings > Messages and turn off iMessage before switching.
- If you no longer have the old iPhone, use Apple's official 'Deregister iMessage' tool online with your phone number.
- Sign out of your Apple ID on the old device if you still have access to it and haven't already.
- On the new phone, wait a few hours after deregistering, since it can take time to fully propagate.
- Ask senders to delete and retype your contact/number in a new message thread to force a fresh delivery attempt.
- Contact Apple Support if messages still don't arrive after deregistering and waiting.
When to call a pro
Apple Support can manually deregister your number from iMessage if the self-service tool doesn't resolve it.
Safety
Generally low risk
Generally low risk for a careful person. Stop if anything looks different from what this guide describes.