iMessage Not Working on iPhone X After iOS Update? Here’s How to Fix It

Just updated your iPhone X and now iMessage won’t send or receive messages? Whether it’s stuck on “Waiting for Activation” or simply not delivering, this is a common issue after iOS updates — and the good news is, it’s usually easy to fix. Here’s everything you can try to get iMessage working again.

Check Apple’s System Status First

Before diving into fixes, make sure the problem isn’t on Apple’s end.

Visit Apple’s System Status page.
Look for iMessage — it should be green.
- If it’s yellow or gray, the service is temporarily down.

Also, make sure:

iMessage is turned on: Go to Settings > Messages and check the switch.
Your date and time are correct: Go to Settings > General > Date & Time and enable Set Automatically.
You’re connected to the internet: Either through stable Wi-Fi or cellular data.

If everything looks fine but iMessage still won’t work, try the steps below.

Restart Your iPhone X

First step: turn it off and back on. A simple reboot clears out temporary system glitches that could be messing with iMessage.

Press and hold the Side button + Volume Up or Down until slide to power off appears.
Drag the slider.
Wait about 30 seconds, then press the Side button again until the Apple logo appears.

Turn iMessage Off and On Again

This helps reset the feature if it glitched during the update.

Go to Settings > Messages.
Toggle iMessage off.
Wait a few seconds, then turn it back on.

Send a test message and check if it goes through as an iMessage (blue bubble).

Delete Old iMessages and Conversations

Corrupt messages or attachments can sometimes crash the iMessage app or prevent it from working right.

To delete individual messages:

Open a conversation in Messages.
Tap and hold a message bubble, then tap More.
Select the messages and tap the trash icon to delete.

To clear attachments:

Open a conversation.
Tap the i (info) button in the top right.
Scroll to Attachments and delete any unneeded files.

After cleaning up, restart your iPhone and try again.

Reset Network Settings

If iMessage is stuck on activation or fails to send/receive, your network settings may be causing the issue.

Go to Settings > General > Reset.
Tap Reset Network Settings.
Enter your passcode if asked.
Tap again to confirm.

This clears saved Wi-Fi networks, VPNs, and cellular settings — but it doesn’t delete your personal data.

Reset All Settings

If the issue started right after an iOS update, a settings conflict could be the root cause. Resetting all settings can clear out misconfigured preferences without wiping your data.

Go to Settings > General > Reset.
Tap Reset All Settings.
Enter your passcode and confirm.

Your phone will restart. Reconnect to Wi-Fi and enable iMessage again.

Still Not Working? Contact Apple Support

If you’ve tried everything above and iMessage still won’t activate or send, it may be a deeper issue with your Apple ID, your SIM card, or the iOS update itself. Get in touch with Apple Support and provide any error messages or codes you’ve seen — they’ll help pinpoint the problem.