iMessage or FaceTime Not Working? Fix Waiting for Activation
“Waiting for activation” means your iPhone has not yet finished verifying your phone number with Apple for iMessage or FaceTime. Apple says your carrier may take up to 24 hours to verify the number, and that you should not keep turning iMessage off and on while a spinning gear shows next to it. If there is still no check mark after 24 hours, Apple’s article says to ask your carrier whether you can send and receive international SMS.
Before you change settings, check whether Apple has a problem. Apple’s System Status page lists iMessage, FaceTime and iOS Device Activation as separate rows. Our live Apple services status page tracks iMessage, FaceTime and the App Store together.
Is iMessage or FaceTime down right now?
iMessage or FaceTime is down only when Apple’s System Status page shows an issue on that row. Apple’s FaceTime support article lists this check among its first steps.
- Open Apple System Status and look at the iMessage, FaceTime and iOS Device Activation rows.
- Check our Apple services status page for reports from other people.
- Send a message or place a FaceTime call to a second Apple device you trust. If that works, the service is up and the problem is with one device, number or network.
What do the activation errors mean and how do I fix them?
Apple’s article “If you can’t turn on or sign in to iMessage or FaceTime on your iPhone” covers these messages:
- “Waiting for activation”
- “Activation unsuccessful”
- “An error occurred during activation”
- “Could not sign in, please check your network connection”
- “Unable to contact the iMessage server. Try again.”
Apple gives the same fix sequence for all of them:
- Make sure the iPhone has a cellular data or Wi-Fi connection.
- Update to the latest version of iOS.
- Open Settings > General > Date & Time and check that your time zone is correct.
- Allow the activation text. Activating a phone number uses SMS, and your carrier may charge for it. If you see “Your network provider may charge for SMS messages used to activate iMessage and FaceTime,” tap Turn On.
- Turn off iMessage in Settings > Apps > Messages and FaceTime in Settings > Apps > FaceTime. Restart the iPhone, then turn both back on.
- Wait up to 24 hours. If your number still has no check mark, contact your carrier.
Apple lists two other routes. You can activate online at apple.co/IMFT-mac by choosing Get Started under Enable Apple Account and signing in. Or you can use iMessage and FaceTime with your email address instead of your phone number, set under Send & Receive in Messages and under “You Can Be Reached By FaceTime At” in FaceTime.
One message is different. “iMessage or FaceTime Activation Failed. This account is blocked due to reported spam” means the account may be blocked. Apple says you can still send SMS, MMS or RCS by turning off iMessage, or use iMessage and FaceTime with your email address.
Activation needs a working cellular line for that text. If the status bar shows SOS, see what SOS only means on iPhone. If your carrier seems to be down in your area, see how to check a phone carrier outage.
Why are my iMessages sending as green text messages?
Green bubbles mean the message went as RCS, SMS or MMS instead of iMessage. Apple’s article “If you can’t send or receive messages on your iPhone or iPad” says blue bubbles are iMessages sent over Wi-Fi or cellular data to another Apple device. Green messages use your text-messaging plan.
| What you see | What it means | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Blue bubble | Sent as iMessage over Wi-Fi or cellular data | Nothing; iMessage is working |
| Green bubble | Sent as RCS, SMS or MMS | Normal for non-Apple phones; for an iPhone contact, check that iMessage is on and you are online |
| Red exclamation point, “Not Delivered” | The message did not send | Check your connection, tap the exclamation point and tap Try Again |
| “Send as Text Message” offered | iMessage could not deliver it | Send it as a text if you accept messaging rates |
| “Waiting for activation” | Your number is not verified yet | Follow the activation steps above and wait up to 24 hours |
The setting that controls automatic fallback is Send as Text Message, under Settings > Apps > Messages. When it is on, the iPhone sends a text if iMessage is not available. Apple also notes that iMessage, RCS and MMS need cellular data or Wi-Fi, while SMS needs a cellular network, though Wi-Fi Calling allows SMS over Wi-Fi.
Why do FaceTime calls fail or drop?
FaceTime calls fail most often because of the connection on one end. Apple’s article “If you can’t make or receive a FaceTime call on your iPhone or iPad” says both people need a fast Wi-Fi or cellular connection. Heavy streaming on the same network can cause choppy video, black screens or dropped calls. A router, firewall or security software can also restrict FaceTime.
Apple lists these checks after the connection:
- Go to Settings > Cellular and confirm your phone line is turned on. With more than one SIM, turn on the number you want to use.
- Go to Settings > Apps > FaceTime, turn FaceTime off and on again, and tap the phone number to use.
- If the FaceTime setting is missing, open Screen Time > Content & Privacy Restrictions > Allowed Apps & Features and make sure Camera and FaceTime are on.
- Set the date and time automatically in Settings > General > Date & Time.
- Restart the device.
Apple adds a few limits. FaceTime might not be available in every country, region or carrier, and call forwarding does not work with FaceTime. You also cannot switch an active FaceTime call to a regular phone call; end it and place a new one.
What if messages arrive on my iPhone but not my Mac or iPad?
Each device must use the same phone number or email address for Messages. Apple says to open Settings > Apps > Messages > Send & Receive and choose the addresses to use. You can also link your iPhone number to your Apple Account or turn on Text Message Forwarding for SMS.
Bottom line
Check the iMessage, FaceTime and iOS Device Activation rows on Apple System Status first. For activation errors, confirm the connection, iOS version and time zone, allow the activation text, then give it up to 24 hours. Green bubbles mean texts, not an outage, and dropped FaceTime calls usually point to a weak network on one end.
FAQ
How long does iMessage activation take?
Apple says your carrier may take up to 24 hours to verify your number. If there is still no check mark after that, ask your carrier whether you can send and receive international SMS.
Does activating iMessage cost money?
Activating a phone number uses an SMS, and Apple says your carrier may charge for it. Using iMessage itself goes over Wi-Fi or cellular data.
Why are messages to one friend always green?
Green means the message went as RCS, SMS or MMS. That is normal if your friend does not use iMessage. If your friend has an iPhone, one of you may have iMessage off or no data connection.
Can I use iMessage without a phone number?
Yes. Apple’s activation article explains how to use iMessage and FaceTime with your email address, chosen under Send & Receive in Messages settings.