How to fix iPhone not receiving texts from Android after iOS 18 update

If your iPhone is not receiving texts from Android after the recent iOS 18 update, here’s how you can try to fix it

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• To fix an iPhone that won’t receive text messages from Android in iOS 18, check your cellular reception and make sure you’re not blocking the Android’s phone number.
• You should also try restarting it and checking for updates.

Android devices and iPhones don’t have a lot in common, but at they’re core, they’re both phones and need to work alongside each other for voice calls and text messages.

Some iPhone users have reported that they can’t receive text messages from their Android contacts after the latest version of iOS 18 update. If this happens to you, it can be frustrating — but thankfully, there are a handful of common troubleshooting steps that get texts from Android messages in your Messages app quickly and easily.

Here are eights ways to fix your iPhone if it isn’t receiving texts from Android users in iOS 18.

How to fix an iPhone not receiving texts from Android in iOS 18

Realistically, there are very few software reasons why Android texts might fail to get through. Some do exist however, and we’re going to cover them here as a part of our troubleshooting steps. Run through these tactics one-by-one unless a particular solution seems obvious in your case.

1. Toggle Airplane mode

Not getting a text you’re expecting? Perhaps you’re not getting any messages because there’s a glitch with your cellular radio or the wireless software. Turning your phone’s cellular radio off and back on again may resolve the issue. Swipe down from the top right corner of the screen to reveal the control center, then tap Airplane mode to turn it on. Wait a few seconds, then tap it again to re-enable your wireless networks.

2. Make sure you have cellular connectivity

Android Text messages are delivered through cellular service, not Wi-Fi. So in order to get text messages on your iPhone, you need a solid cellular signal. Be sure to check your wireless signal strength in the status bar at the top of the screen, and move outdoors if needed. Toggling Airplane mode can also help reestablish a solid cellular signal.

3. Doublecheck SMS and MMS options in Settings

1. On your iPhone, open the Settings app,
2. Scroll down and tap Apps.
3. Scroll down again and select Messages.
4. Make sure Send as SMS and MMS Messaging are enabled.

Send as SMS is only important for replying to Android texts, but if the MMS Messaging isn’t enabled, you simply won’t receive any Android texts that contain media like photos.

4. Check your blocked contacts

It’s possible that the problem is relatively mundane — you might have blocked the Android contact and that’s why you’re not seeing text messages from that number. Here’s what to do:

1. Open Settings.
2. Scroll down and tap Apps.
3. Scroll down again and select Messages.
4. Scroll down, and select Blocked Contacts.
5. If you recognize any names or numbers in the list that you want to hear from again, tap Edit and then the red circle next to each entry.
6. When you’re finished, tap Done.

5. Update iOS

It’s also possible that there’s a more pervasive problem with your phone, such as a software bug or incompatibility that’s preventing your iPhone from receiving Messages from Android. Check to make sure you are running the latest version of iOS 18 and then install any available updates, if needed.

1. Open Settings.
2. Go into General.
3. Tap Software Update.
4. If an update is available, tap Update Now and follow onscreen instructions.

6. Restart your iPhone

If all else has failed so far, rebooting your iPhone might get your texting working again.

Follow these steps to restart iPhone XR, iPhone 11, iPhone 12, iPhone 13, iPhone 14, iPhone 15, or iPhone 16:

1. Press and hold both the Side button on the right side of the iPhone and any of the volume buttonson the left side. Release the buttons when you see the power off screen.
2. Drag the power off slider to the right. Doing this will turn off the iPhone.
3. Wait for at least 30 seconds.
4. Press the Side button and release it when you see the Apple logo on the startup screen. In a few seconds, your iPhone will turn on.

Follow these steps to restart iPhone SE (2nd generation) and iPhone SE (3rd generation):

1. Press and hold the Side button until you see the power off screen.
2. Drag the power off slider to the right. Your iPhone is switched off now.
3. Wait for at least 30 seconds.
4. Press and hold the same Side button until you see the startup Apple logo.

7. Check for a carrier settings update

Carriers regularly push out network-specific settings updates meant to solve flaws or ensure compatibility. Normally you’ll be automatically prompted to install these, but if you think you missed one, you can install them manually.

1. Open Settings.
2. Tap General.
3. Tap About. If an update is available, you should see a pop-up in a matter of seconds. It may be worth waiting a minute or two to be sure.

8. Reset your network settings

As we’ve said in some other guides, consider this a nuclear option — your iPhone will forget all your networks and their associated login credentials, forcing you to reconnect. It could in theory solve carrier-related issues all of the previous steps haven’t helped, but it’s an immense hassle and probably not worth the effort. If you’re willing to try, follow the steps below:

1. Open Settings.
2. Go into General.
3. Scroll down and tap Transfer or Reset iPhone.
4. Tap Reset.
5. Select Reset Network Settings and follow onscreen instructions.