As an iPhone user, I have experienced the frustration of my phone ringing for incoming calls, but texts not being delivered. I spent hours searching for answers to this problem, and I am here to share what I found. In this blog post, I will discuss some of the underlying causes of why your iPhone might be ringing but texts are not being delivered, and what you can do to fix the issue.
Network issues, blocked contacts, incorrect recipient info, outdated iOS, and disabled messaging apps can all cause problems with receiving and sending messages on your iPhone.
Don’t fret; there could be a simple fix!
In this article, we’ll cover all the bases to find out what’s wrong and what you can do to tackle the issue.
6 Reasons Why iPhone Rings but Texts Aren’t Delivered
You’re probably wondering why your iPhone is ringing, yet it doesn’t allow you to send texts.
Here are the main culprits and what you can do to avoid them:
- Poor Network or Wi-Fi Connection
All phones need a stable network or Wi-Fi connection to function the way they should.
For example, if you’re using iMessage, a cellular-data network or Wi-Fi is needed. Meanwhile, if you’re using SMS or MMS, a text-messaging plan is a must.
In the case of iMessage, the text won’t be delivered if you or the recipient isn’t getting a good internet connection, but the phone could still ring.
On the other hand, texts sent via SMS/MMS won’t be delivered once the signal fluctuates within the area. With the coverage going on and off, though, the iPhone might still ring.
What to Do
Check if you have a stable network or Wi-Fi connection on your phone settings. If this is the problem, you can try going to the area where your iPhone can receive a connection.
If that doesn’t work, try swiping up or down your control center. Next, click on the airplane mode and turn it on for two seconds to refresh, then turn it back off. Now, try resending the text to the recipient.
- Incomplete Phone Number of Recipient
The most probable cause can be the phone number you’ve entered is missing digits. If this is the case, it definitely won’t deliver your text.
What to Do
Go back to the text message you’ve sent and check if you’ve typed the phone number correctly before trying again.
If you’re texting an international client, make sure you have the correct area code.
- Disabled iMessage, SMS, and MMS
Another probable reason is if the texting app you’re using is disabled. You may enable one or all to avoid any other potential issues.
What to Do
Click on the settings icon and scroll down to the message toggle. If it is already on, try clicking it off and on again to reset it.
If you’re using SMS and MMS, you should also enable them. On the messages toggle, scroll down a little and look for the MMS. Upon clicking the MMS, the SMS icon will pop up. Turn it on as well.
- Your iPhone’s Memory Is Full
If the phone’s memory is full, it’ll prevent you from receiving and sending messages. However, deleting unnecessary attachments and caches should give you enough space.
What to Do
- From your iPhone’s settings, select General
- Click on iPhone storage
- Select Messages
- Tap on Review large attachments
- Click the edit button once you’re sure which ones to delete
- Click on your chosen files and tap the trash can icon
You may also clear up space from other message categories, such as top conversations, photos, videos, and others, to clear up more space.
- Blocklisted
You may have intentionally or unintentionally blocked the recipient on iMessage or vice versa. This causes your message not to be delivered to that particular contact and hinders you from calling the same number.
Your iPhone will ring, though, when a call comes from a different one.
What to Do
If you’ve blocked the recipient, you may unblock him by navigating on the Phone app, tapping on the contacts, and selecting the contact to be unblocked.
If you’re the one who’s been blocked, on the other hand, you can’t do anything unless you dare to request the contact to unblock you.
- Outdated Version of iOS
There’s a small chance that your iMessage will still not work when everything seems perfectly fine.
This could be because of a network server issue on an Apple app or because the iOS is outdated.
What to Do
If the problem is because your iPhone has an outdated version of iOS, just scroll into your settings and go to the “General” section. Then, click on the software update and wait for it to load.
Additional Technical Troubleshooting Steps
If the suggested solutions above still don’t work, there are a few technical troubleshooting steps that’ll help resolve it:
- Reboot your device.
- Reset all network settings.
- Extract the SIM card from your iPhone and put it back in with a restart.
Conclusion
Read more: iPhone storage keeps filling up after deleting
There could be a few reasons why your iPhone rings, but the texts aren’t delivered. For the most part, you can resolve them by doing the troubleshooting steps we’ve walked you through.
If none of those do the trick, you’ll have to contact Apple for further assistance.
Read more: iPhone popping out of frame
