iMessage won't verify my phone number

[lewys]

A few days ago i restored through iTunes using a back up and ever since iMessage will only work with my email and not my number as it says it can't verify it.

i have tried numerous clean installs and trying to install the previous backup again even wiped it through the remote wipe in iCloud (don't ask me why i thought to try this but nothing else was working so i thought i may as well try) but nothing works. I have even been on the phone to apple for over two hours today and they didn't have a clue.

Does anyone have any idea what i could do to fix this? its an iPhone 4s on the latest firmware.

 

[misterjrw]

Check to see if your timezone is set to automatic or not. My wife had this issue the other day, and after scouring the web, finally got it to work by toggling the 'set automatically' toggle within 'date & time' in settings, general.

Verified a few mins after doing that.

Hope this helps

 

[lewys]

it didn't work but i tried to restore from backup again and now it doesn't say it needs to be verified it says my phone number but its all grey. is it supposed to be like that?

it still won't let me send as i message though

 

[violetgoose]

A few days ago i restored through iTunes using a back up and ever since iMessage will only work with my email and not my number as it says it can't verify it.

i have tried numerous clean installs and trying to install the previous backup again even wiped it through the remote wipe in iCloud (don't ask me why i thought to try this but nothing else was working so i thought i may as well try) but nothing works. I have even been on the phone to apple for over two hours today and they didn't have a clue.

Does anyone have any idea what i could do to fix this? its an iPhone 4s on the latest firmware.

BUMP! I am having the same issue. And I even tried to set the date and time and that is set to automatic too.

----------

Check to see if your timezone is set to automatic or not. My wife had this issue the other day, and after scouring the web, finally got it to work by toggling the 'set automatically' toggle within 'date & time' in settings, general.

Verified a few mins after doing that.

Hope this helps

I did that as well... Isn't working. So frustrating, I guess I don't need Imessage then lol

 

[misterjrw]

Not sure what else to suggest. As stated previously, my wife's phone timezone was still set to Prague after a recent works trip, even though she was now back in the UK.

The last iMessage was sent and received just before she left, and all other iMessages after that were sent as normal SMS's.

So i checked in date & time and changed the timezone back to London, and made sure it was set to automatic, and within a few minutes, iMessage was verified.

Sorry i can't help any further.

 

[NJFP]

Friend of mine had the same issue. I turned off iMessage, turned it back on, then did a reboot. (Hold power and home button until screen goes black and the apple comes back on, then let go) After a few minutes, his was accepting iMessages again.

 

[violetgoose]

Friend of mine had the same issue. I turned off iMessage, turned it back on, then did a reboot. (Hold power and home button until screen goes black and the apple comes back on, then let go) After a few minutes, his was accepting iMessages again.

So holding the power and home button is different than just sliding the power off button? I just did that and it's still activating... However, iMessage would only work through email, and not my number, which is so strange. When I go to "receive at my email" my cell phone number has "verifying" besides it and I can't seem to press that. Ugh

 

[ndpitch]

bump. Having this same issue after restoring my iphone 5 as new. Only works through my email now, and the phone number is stuck on "verifying". Anyone else get it working somehow?!

 

[thomasfrdavis]

last week i had the same issue. didnt know my credit was almost out. after i recharged my prepaid simcard, iMessage got verified 5 minutes later.

hope it helps

 

[NiftyMac]

I've ran into this issue a couple of times. What seems to fix this is a factory restore via iTunes. If you are unlucky with the first restore try again as the second time should definiately fix the issue and your number should be displayed but greyed out & iMessage using your number as your caller id again.

 

[ndpitch]

I was able to fix it. I gave it a rest for a day because I heard it has to do with how long the servers will accept an activation request. I let it be for 36 hours. Turned iMessage off. Rebooted the phone. Turned iMessage back on. My phone number is now activated so that's good.

 

[rebeccapullen89]

please help !!
i had same issue, my imessage would not register my number at all, it would only work through email. after trying EVERYTHING and growing old talking to the incompetents in apple, i decided to buy a new sim card from a different phone network. the problem that i have now is that the number is listed but is greyed out and will not verify. i have been having this problem solidly for the last 4 months so please if anyone can help me fix this i would be eternally grateful!!!!

 

[blakforest]

I had the same problem.
I read in another site that you should reset your Network Settings, so.


Go to Settings > Messages>Turn off iMessage.
Go to General > Reset > Reset Network Settings.
Once the iPhone is open.
Go to Settings > Messages>Turn ON iMessage.

Then it should verify your number.
It worked for me.

However when I was sending messages through iMessage the other side would receive it through my e-mail rather then my number, in other words he the other side had two messaging threads for me. One as my number and the other with my e-mail address.

What I did was I Restored (clean, no backup) my phone. At the start up Menu I passed the option to put in my AppleID. Continued through. Opened the Settings app and turned off iMessage.

(Used iCloud to get my contacts back)

Messaged my friend to delete my threads on his phone. Sent another message so he has my number as a thread. Turned on iMessage but didn't put an email address(apple ID) and waited for my number to be verified. Sent an iMessage and it worked. Now I added my e-mail address and its still under the same thread on my friends phone. So it's not showing up as being sent through my e-mail.

A tad tedious and I don't know if this is a solution for other people but it worked for me. I honestly don't know if the other end needs to delete your message thread, it's just a precaution.

Hope this helps
blakforest

 

[absolutetwoddle]

Friend of mine had the same issue. I turned off iMessage, turned it back on, then did a reboot. (Hold power and home button until screen goes black and the apple comes back on, then let go) After a few minutes, his was accepting iMessages again.

This worked for me. I turned the iMessage off and then on again. I then held down the power and home button, it showed the off slider and I let go. I then held them down again and it turned off. I let go and then held the power button to turn on. Went back into the messages setting and it had sorted itself

 

[Originalbossman]

All u have to do is delete your email that is associated with ur iMessage then ur phone will b forced to use ur number. Then just re add ur email. If u had a conversation already started you will have to delete the convo and start a new one

 

[cdrinkwine]

All u have to do is delete your email that is associated with ur iMessage then ur phone will b forced to use ur number. Then just re add ur email. If u had a conversation already started you will have to delete the convo and start a new one

U da man. Simplest solution is usually correct.

 

[Terry508]

verification

I had exactly the same problem
It was my card had expired on my billing details with iTunes
I updated the new card details and immediately my mobile number was verified
Hope that works for you all too

 

[pjki]

toggling auto date/time

Check to see if your timezone is set to automatic or not. My wife had this issue the other day, and after scouring the web, finally got it to work by toggling the 'set automatically' toggle within 'date & time' in settings, general.

Verified a few mins after doing that.

Hope this helps

Wow, I SCOURED the web too. Have been working on this for a couple hours. Asked Google every question every which way possible, and FINALLY came upon THIS post! THAT DID IT.

My iphone 5 has been verified for MONTHS, but someone tried to send a message and they were receiving a message that my iMessage was not set up. Only way I knew that the phone number was supposed to be checked is I looked at our iPhone 4, and the phone number under iMessage IS checked. On iPhone 5 it was not.

So all those other posts that want you to go through a nightmare of reinstallation, rebooting and going to another device and reinstalling Apple accounts, reactivating, deleting, restoring iPhone to factory settings, on and on and on and on -- and here all it took was just TOGGLING the auto date/time!

Thanks for posting this! I'm glad I found it!

 

[keepaheadback]

Originally Posted by misterjrw View Post

Check to see if your timezone is set to automatic or not. My wife had this issue the other day, and after scouring the web, finally got it to work by toggling the 'set automatically' toggle within 'date & time' in settings, general.

Verified a few mins after doing that.

Hope this helps

 

[sugar iphone]

Make imessage activate faster AND with imessage with your number

A few days ago i restored through iTunes using a back up and ever since iMessage will only work with my email and not my number as it says it can't verify it.

i have tried numerous clean installs and trying to install the previous backup again even wiped it through the remote wipe in iCloud (don't ask me why i thought to try this but nothing else was working so i thought i may as well try) but nothing works. I have even been on the phone to apple for over two hours today and they didn't have a clue.

Does anyone have any idea what i could do to fix this? its an iPhone 4s on the latest firmware.

Well i guess i fixed it
1)turn off imessage
2) go to contacts and create your own contact with only your own number, no email
3)go to settings-phone-my number, and type in your number without the +61
4)go to settings-general-date and time. make sure the 'set automatically' is on
5)go to settings-mail,contacts,calenders, then in my info, select your own contact.
6)forget your wifi network and then join again
7) turn on imessage.
it should work. it worked for me. step 3-6 doesnt necessarily have to be in that order.

 

[axy60]

I had the same issue...

Just toggled the on/off button in my iPhone settings>Messages>iMessage and after a few seconds I receive the questions whether to add my phone number to FaceTime and iMessage.

 

[Persival]

Finally my phone number verified from iMessage

I had exactly the same problem
It was my card had expired on my billing details with iTunes
I updated the new card details and immediately my mobile number was verified
Hope that works for you all too

When I change my sim card, iMessage not verifying my mobile number.
I put a valid credit card on my apple id and then verified.

It is very stupid, like a new iPhone, activated only with a sim card without pin

 

[bryanthatcher]

Friend of mine had the same issue. I turned off iMessage, turned it back on, then did a reboot. (Hold power and home button until screen goes black and the apple comes back on, then let go) After a few minutes, his was accepting iMessages again.

[doublepost=1490811593][/doublepost]After trying a million different voodoo like fixes, this one worked for me, Thanks

 

[mloehr]

I have solved this problem (moved 4 phones from one plan to another). On the phone that is stuck in VERIFYING, go to this page: https://selfsolve.apple.com/deregister-imessage/ and deregister your phone number. After deregister, power off and back on the phone and it will verify with the new carrier and SIM card. Super easy!