11 Fixes: iMessage Needs To Be Enabled To Send This Message

Sometimes you might be confronted with an Error message “iMessage Needs To Be Enabled To Send This Message”. What does that mean? How to solve the issue? 

Do not panic we have all the easy and best possible solutions to this issue. Scroll down to find your best possible solution!

Ways to fix this iMessage needs to be enabled to send this message

  1. Check to Enable your iMessage 
  2. Check your iMessage Server Status
  3. Reboot Your IOS device 
  4. Enable and disable Airplane Mode
  5. Pending Software Update
  6. Reset Network Settings
  7. Delete your Stuck iMessage Conversation
  8. Erase All Content and Existing Settings
  9. Switch From iMessage to SMS
  10. Sign out and sign in your Apple ID
  11. Check to send and receive settings

1. Check to Enable your iMessage

You might not be able to send messages because you’re iMessage might be disabled. Go through the steps below, to enable the iMessage option on your iPhone.

  1. Guide yourself to the settings app on your iPhone
  2.  Click on messages
imessage needs to be enabled to send this message
  1.  Slide the option and turn on the iMessage option and activate it.
Location on imessage toggle
  1. If it was already activated you might try to deactivate or disable it and then enable it again. This way it might start working again.

2. Check your iMessage Server Status

Another reason why you cannot send messages might be because of the Apple iMessage server. Sometimes the server might be down which prevents you from sending messages. 

How to check if the server on your device is working or not? 

  • You need to search on Browser “Apple system status page“ and it will show you the system status of your device that is, which app’s server is working properly and which are not.
Server Status of iMessage
  • The page shows green dots next to all the apps on the system. 
  • So, if there is a green dot next to your iMessage app then that’s good news for you, but if it is yellow or red then your iMessage server is down and the authority which is Apple, is working on it to fix the issue.

It might take a few minutes or a few hours for the issue to be fixed.

3. Reboot Your IOS device

  • This is a quick solution that works wonders in solving various problems on various devices. 
  • To restart iPhones you need to long-press the power button and volume button to turn them off. 
  • Then after a while, you have to press them again to turn it back on again.

4. Enable and disable Airplane Mode

This is a very quick and often used method to solve such complex situations.

  1. Swipe down the notification panel or open the control center and you’ll notice the airplane icon.
Location of Airplane Mode icon
  1. Click on the airplane icon and it will turn orange
Airplane Mode turned orange
  1. After 30 seconds or one minute tap on it again and it will be disabled
  2. Then, wait for the system to adjust to the change and your iMessage might start operating again.

5. Pending Software Update

Most of the time software ios update seems to be the solution to most of the issues. Check if there is any software update pending on your device.

To check so here are the steps:

  1. Click on the settings app on your iOS device 
  2. Click on general
  3. Now click on software update
  4. If your device shows that your iOS version is up-to-date then it’s fine but if it is not, then download and update your device to the latest ios.

6. Reset Network Settings

It is essential to reset the pre-existing or pre-saved network settings on your device to let it work normally by default.

Doing so won’t delete or erase any personal data on your device like music, photos, documents, apps, etc; but it will delete or erase all the network settings that were saved previously by you.

Then the settings will change to the default settings as it was when you first bought the device.

Here are the steps to do so:

  1. Guide yourself to the settings icon on your device 
  2. Click on general
  3. Scroll down and you’ll notice the option “Reset”. Click on it,
  4. Then, Click on the reset network settings option and proceed according to the options displayed
Location of reset network setting option

7. Delete your Stuck iMessage Conversation

This is a rare case but sometimes a failed message can block the way for new messages to be sent successfully. Hence, it is advised to remove the stuck or failed messages from the chat/conversation to allow the new messages to flow successfully.

This is as easy as it is. 

  • To delete the stuck/failed messages go to the Messages app 
  •  Click on the particular conversation or chat and long press on the failed message 
  • You will see the option of delete or a dustbin icon. Click on it and the stuck messages will be deleted

Now type a new message and try to send it. If the message fails to deliver, try deleting the entire conversation and sending the message again.

Sometimes the problem is not on your device but might be on the device of the recipient. Now, how to detect that? 

Try sending a message to someone else and check if the message is being delivered to that recipient. If the message is delivered, you will know that nothing is wrong on your end but the end of the former recipient.

It would also help the former recipient to know that their iMessage setting needs to be checked.

8. Erase All Content and Existing Settings

If resetting the network settings did not work you may try resetting all the settings on your IOS device. This will erase all your data hence it is advisable to keep a backup of all the credentials and data.

Follow the steps below to do so:

  •  Click on the settings icon
  • Then tap on General
  • Now search for the reset option and click on it
  •  Click on the “erase all content and settings” option and follow the steps that will be displayed after.
Location of erase all content and settings option

9. Switch From iMessages to SMS

When iMessage is unavailable or not working, iOS enables its users to send text messages as SMS instead of iMessage.

This is not a solution to your iMessage issue, but this alternative makes sure that your messaging doesn’t come to a halt.

Here are the steps to do so:

  • Guide yourself to the settings app
  • Click on the “message” option
  • You will notice the option “Send an SMSslider
  • Turn on the toggle and you are good to go

10. Sign out and sign in your Apple ID

To do so the steps are listed down below:

  • Guide yourself to the Apple settings app 
  • Click on your apple account, displaying your name at the top of the screen
  • Scroll to the bottom of the screen and you will notice the option sign out. 
  • Click on it
  •  Restart your iPhone
  • Click on the Settings app again and you’ll notice a sign-in at the top of the screen. Click on it
  •  Sign in to your Apple account using your credentials and launch the iMessage app and check if it works alright.

11. Check to send and receive settings

This is one of the common reasons why you are seeing such an error. It is due to incorrect information in your send and receives settings.

Check so using the following steps:

  •  Click on the Settings app on your iOS device
  • Scroll until you find “messages” then click on it
  • Look for the option “send and receive
  • After clicking on it you will see your personal information which is your email ID and your mobile number

It is essential to check if the information is valid and correct, as iMessage sends and receives messages using your Apple ID, registered with the same email ID and phone number hence you should update or edit your email ID or phone number if needed.

Wrapping Up

Hopefully, all these solutions were helpful and now your iMessage is working properly once again.

If you ever get such an error, try using these common and easy solutions and you can easily get rid of any such issues.