After updating to iOS 11, some iPhone 6s Plus users noticed their text messages were showing up out of order — replies appearing above previous messages, whole conversations looking scrambled, and timestamps not lining up. If you’re dealing with that, don’t worry — there are several ways to fix it without waiting for another update.
1. Restart Your iPhone (Soft Reset)
Right after a big update, your iPhone might still be sorting things out behind the scenes. Give it a fresh restart:
- Hold down the Power button until “slide to power off” appears.
- Slide to turn off.
- Wait at least 30 seconds, then press and hold the Power button again to turn it back on.
If it still feels off, try restarting it a couple more times.
2. Quit Messages and Restart Again
Sometimes the Messages app just needs a reset:
- Double-press the Home button.
- Swipe up on Messages to close it.
- Then restart your iPhone using the steps above.
This refreshes both the app and the system memory.
3. Check Your Date & Time Settings
Out-of-order messages often stem from incorrect timestamps.
- Go to Settings > General > Date & Time.
- Try toggling Set Automatically off, then manually set the correct date and time.
- Or, if it’s already manual, try turning Set Automatically back on.
If you use multiple Apple devices with the same Apple ID, make sure they all have the exact same time settings to prevent syncing conflicts.
4. Force Restart Your iPhone
A force restart helps if things still aren’t syncing right.
- Press and hold the Power + Home buttons together.
- Keep holding until the Apple logo appears (about 10 seconds).
This won’t erase anything — it just forces a fresh start for all background processes.
5. Toggle SMS and MMS Messaging Off and On
This trick resets messaging features behind the scenes.
- Go to Settings > Messages.
- Turn off both Send as SMS and MMS Messaging.
- Restart your iPhone.
- Then go back and turn both features back on.
Check your message threads again afterward.
6. Reset Network Settings
Sometimes your iPhone’s network settings can cause weird messaging behavior, especially after an update.
- Go to Settings > General > Transfer or Reset iPhone > Reset > Reset Network Settings.
- Enter your passcode if prompted and confirm.
This will erase saved Wi-Fi passwords, VPN settings, etc., so make sure you have those handy.
After the reset, make sure iMessage, Send as SMS, and MMS Messaging are turned back on under Settings > Messages.
7. Restore or Reset Your iPhone
If nothing else works, a full reset or restore might be your best option.
Option A: Factory Reset (Erases Everything)
- Go to Settings > General > Transfer or Reset iPhone > Erase All Content and Settings.
- Follow the prompts and set it up as new (or from a backup).
Option B: Restore via iTunes
- Connect your iPhone to a computer using a Lightning cable.
- Open iTunes, select your iPhone, and choose Restore from Backup.
- Pick an earlier backup (preferably before the iOS 11 update) if available.
This can help revert any corrupted system files or configuration issues introduced during the update.