How to Fix iMessage Waiting for Activation Issue

Updated May 23,2017 | by Niko

Facing iMessage waiting for activation issue? Check the following guide and see how to quickly and effectively fix iMessage waiting for activation issue on iPhone in iOS 9 and iOS 10.

To use iMessage service, you need to activate it first on your iPhone. However, you probably see iMessage waiting for activation error message when you activate the service. In this article, we’ll introduce you multiple methods helping you fix iMessage waiting for activation issue.

Before fixing iMessage waiting for activation issue on iPhone running iOS 9 or iOS 10, you need to check your iPhone settings and make sure they are set properly.

Firstly, for iPhone users, SMS messaging is required to activate the phone number with iMessage, so make sure you’ve got your phone number listed in the Phone app. To add your phone number, go to Settings > Phone > My Number, and enter your phone number.

Secondly, make sure Date and Time are set correctly. To check the Date & Time, go to Settings > General > Date & Time.

Now, let’s start to fix iMessage waiting for activation issue.

1. Internet Connection: Wi-Fi or Cellular Data

Since iMessage can only work and be sent by using Wi-Fi network or cellular data connection, so you have to make sure your Internet connection is correct. If not, indeed you may face iMessage waiting for activation issue. There are 3 ways to correct your iPhone Internet connection:

·         go to Settings > Wi-Fi/Cellular, turn off both them, reboot your iPhone and turn on Wi-Fi or cellular data

·         reset network settings: Settings > General > Reset > Reset Network Settings

·         update carrier settings or contact your carrier provider

2. Update iOS System Software to the Latest

Usually, iOS system update comes with bug fixes and improvements. If you encounter iMessage waiting for activation error, update your iPhone to the latest iOS system may help solve it. So, check and see whether your iPhone has an available software update.

Go to Settings > General >Software Update. If the latest iOS system software update is available, then download and install it. Now, the latest iOS 10.3.2 is available, users who are running on iOS 9 and want to fix iMessage waiting for activation issue can try this.

However, iMessage waiting for activation is one of the most common issues in iPhone running iOS 10. So, update iOS system software may not work. Especially for iOS 10 users, we suggest you to try these methods.

3. Airplane Mode

Airplane mode trick is one of the most effective ways to fix iMessage waiting for activation issue on both iOS 9 and iOS 10. According to the feedback, this method works for most users. To fix iMessage waiting for activation issue, follow these steps:

·         go to Settings > Messages to turn off iMessage

·         put your iPhone into Airplane mode (in this way, Wi-Fi will turn off automatically)

·         turn on Wi-Fi manually

·         turn on iMessage

·         go back to Settings and turn off Airplane mode (you may see a notification ‘Your carrier may charge for SMS’ – tap on OK)

·         turn off iMessage, wait a minute and turn it on

Now, iMessage should be activated.

4. Sign Out/In Apple ID in Messages

Sometimes, sign out and sign in your Apple ID in Messages helps fix iMessage waiting for activation issue.

·         go to Settings > Messages > Send & Receive

·         tap on Apple ID and sign it out

·         go back to turn off iMessage

·         turn off Wi-Fi, wait for a while and turn it on

·         go to Messages and sign in with your Apple ID to activate iMessage

5. Restore Your iPhone

If all of the above methods don’t work, and the iMessage waiting for activation issue still exist, you can consider restoring your iPhone via iTunes. Connect your iPhone to computer, open iTunes, select your iPhone and choose “Restore iPhone…”

For more detailed information, you can check: how to restore iPhone from iTunes and iCloud backup.

Hope the above methods can help you solve iMessage waiting for activation issue. If you have better ideas or other feasible approaches, please leave comments with your experience that may help others.

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