How to Fix iMessage Not Working on iPhone After iOS 17 Update Issue

If iMessage is not working on your iPhone after iOS 17 update, our troubleshooting guide will have you back up and chatting in no time at all.

There are a few possible reasons for iMessage not working on iPhone after updating to iOS 17. The good news is that you can fix iMessage problems with just a few troubleshooting steps. If the Messages app is crashing, you can’t send or receive iMessages, or you are experiencing any other iMessage issues after updating to iOS 17, follow the tips below to fix the problem.

QUICK FIX

If iMessage is not working on your iPhone after iOS 17 update, first check to ensure that the issue is not on your end, such as your internet connection. Once that’s ruled out, checking things like iMessage’s current status, restarting your iPhone, and contacting Apple Support should be your next course of action.

There are a few other things you can do to try and fix iMessage not working after iOS 17 update issue. Keep reading to learn all about them.

Check your internet connection

If iMessage is not working after iOS 17 update, it’s possible your internet is down. Test your internet connection to see if it’s still working. You can try opening your browser and visiting a website like geekschalk.com. You should also try using other devices connected to the same network, to see if the internet works on other gadgets.

If your Wi-Fi is not working, try restarting the router. We can’t give you a strict guide on doing this because all routers are different. Some can be rebooted using software, like an app. Others have a reset button, which you can use to turn the unit off and back on. If you don’t have these options, or can’t figure them out, simply unplugging the router, waiting for about a minute, and plugging it back in will do the trick.

If you’re using a cellular network, you should also ensure your mobile data is on. To do that, follow the steps below:

1. Open the Settings app.
2. Tap on Cellular.
3. Make sure the switch next to Cellular Data is toggled on.

If you’re outside the country, or in an area without signal from your carrier, you can also go to the SIMs section and tap on your network. Toggle the Data Roaming option on. Just remember this may incur extra charges, depending on your cellphone plan.

Close and reopen the Messages app

If internet isn’t the problem, then there could be a glitch with the Messages app. One easy fix you can try is simply closing and reopening the Messages app.

First, open up the app switcher. On an iPhone SE (second generation) or newer, double-click the Home button to activate the app switcher. On an iPhone XR or newer, drag a finger up from the bottom of the screen to the center of the screen and pause there until the app switcher opens.

Swipe Messages up and off the top of the screen to close it on your iPhone. Now reopen the Messages app to see if it’s working properly

Restart your iPhone

If closing and reopening the Messages app doesn’t fix the problem, try restarting your iPhone. You’ll be surprised to see how this will troubleshoot iMessage not working on iPhone after iOS 17 update issue.

To restart iPhone XR or newer:

1. Press and hold the power and volume up buttons simultaneously for a few seconds.
2. A power options screen will appear.
3. Use the slide to power off slider to turn the phone off.
4. When the phone is off, press and hold the power button to turn it back on.

To restart iPhone SE (second generation) or newer:

1. Press and hold the power button until the power slider appears on the screen.
2. Swipe the red power icon from left to right to turn off your iPhone.
3. When the phone is off, press and hold the power button to turn it back on.

Now, open up the Messages app and see if you can send iMessages. If not, move onto the next step!

Check if iMessage is down at Apple’s end

We always blame our devices when something isn’t working, but maybe the problem isn’t local. The reason for iMessage not working on iPhone after iOS 17 update could be that the service is down. To check if this is the case, visit Apple’s System Status page and find iMessage. If there is a green dot next to it, it’s working. If there is a red dot next to it, there are technical issues, and you need to wait.

You can also double-check with a third-party source. We like to recommend DownDetector.com. It’s a crowd-sourced website that collects user reports to determine if any service is down. There’s even a live map to see if your problem is local, in which case Apple probably wouldn’t report it on its own status page.

Make sure the correct settings are enabled

If you have an internet connection, you’ve restarted everything, and iMessage is working for everyone else, you need to dig deeper. Assuming iMessage is enabled, the next step is to see if you have misconfigured settings or if your phone carrier is perhaps blocking what you’re trying to do.

MMS messages

If you’re trying to send an MMS message, does your carrier even support MMS messages? Giving them a call would quickly clear that one up.

To check if MMS Messaging is enabled on your iPhone, follow the steps below:

1. Open the Settings app.
2. Tap on Messages.
3. Under the SMS/MMS section, you should see MMS Messaging.
4. Toggle on the feature.

The right contact details

Have you entered the correct phone number or email address for the person you’re trying to reach? Maybe those details are wrong and don’t exist? Editing a contact is simple. Just follow the steps below:

1. Open the Phone app.
2. Tap on the Contacts tab.
3. Find and select the contact you want to edit.
4. Tap Edit and make the changes.
5. When done, tap Done.

Do you have enough space on your iPhone?

If someone is trying to send you images or videos via iMessage, do you have the space on your device to receive them? To check your iPhone storage, follow the steps below:

1. Open Settings.
2. Tap on General.
3. Select iPhone Storage. Here, you can see how full your iPhone’s storage is, as well as how much each file category occupies, and how much your apps are using. Additionally, Apple will give you recommendations to free up some space.

Check the Date & Time settings

Did you set your date and time manually? There is a chance this is causing a conflict with Apple’s servers. Try changing your Date & Time settings to automatic.

1. Open the Settings app on your iPhone.
2. Tap General.
3. Select Date & Time.
4. Toggle on Set Automatically.

Turn iMessage Off And Back On

The iMessage may not be working on your iPhone after iOS 17 update because of an error with the service. We can try to fix a minor glitch with iMessage by turning it off and back on, like we did when we restarted your iPhone.

To turn iMessage off and back on, follow the steps below:

1. Open the Settings app.
2. Select Messages.
3. Tap the switch to the right of iMessage to turn it off. You’ll know iMessage is off when the switch is white and positioned to the left.
4. Tap the switch again to turn iMessage back on.

Contact Apple Support

If you’ve tried all of the above fixes but iMessage is still not working on your iOS 17 device, the last step is to contact Apple Support and ask them for advice. Apple is known for its superb customer service, so chances are you’ll have a great experience with them.