Apple has explained why iMessage may not activate in iOS 26 and how to fix it
By ForGeeks
iOS 26 brought a major design update and many improvements, but along with them came some issues. One of them was that some iPhone users are unable to activate iMessage using their phone number. Apple has published instructions to help fix this bug.
Apple has published a guide to help users activate iMessage using their phone number.
According to the company, the glitch occurs if the device has an inactive SIM or eSIM with the same number as the active SIM. In this situation, users see a «Not Delivered» notification when sending messages in iMessage, and the messages themselves go out via SMS or RCS. Sometimes iMessage may not use a number but a linked email for sending.
To fix the issue, Apple recommends removing the inactive SIM. For an eSIM, this can be done through the «Cellular» section in settings by selecting and deleting the unused card. If it’s a physical SIM, however, you just need to remove it from the iPhone. You can then reactivate iMessage in «Messages» → «Send & Receive» by selecting a phone number.
It’s important to note that this isn’t an iOS 26 bug, but a feature of how the system works. Apple notes that only users with duplicate numbers on both active and inactive SIMs will encounter it.
It’s important to note that it’s not a bug in iOS 26, but a feature of the system.
Although the launch of iOS 26 drew mixed reviews due to the controversial new design and bugs, the company has already fixed the most annoying bugs in the 26.0.1 update and offers users clear instructions for fixing such issues.
