Why Your iMessages Sometimes Appear Green (And How to Fix It)

PDF download Download Article
Find out why your iMessages aren’t the usual blue
PDF download Download Article

If you're an Apple user, you've probably noticed that some of your texts send with a blue background and some with a green background. The blue messages are iMessages , which can only be sent to other Apple users and don't use up texts on your mobile plan. Green messages, on the other hand, are normal SMS/MMS text messages that require a texting plan to send. [1] While swapping between the two is usually no big deal, it can be problematic if you're on a mobile plan with a low monthly text message limit. In this article, we'll go over six reasons your texts are green when they should be blue and tips on how to fix it.

1

Your recipient isn't using an Apple device.

PDF download Download Article
  1. If your recipient is on an Android phone (such as a Samsung or Google Pixel), the messages will be green because they have to be sent as MMS/SMS messages. [2]
    • If your messages to this person used to be blue and are now green, you may want to confirm if they still have an iPhone. If they swapped to Android, you won't be able to send them messages via iMessage anymore.
    2. Advertisement
2

iMessage is disabled.

PDF download Download Article
  1. Your texts will only send as iMessages if you have iMessage turned on ; otherwise, they will send as green MMS/SMS text messages. To check your iMessage status, go to Settings > Messages and see if iMessage is toggled on. If not, toggle it on and try again.
3

Your recipient has iMessage disabled.

PDF download Download Article
  1. If your recipient has disabled iMessage (intentionally or unintentionally) and yours is still enabled, your messages will still be sent as green texts.
    • Check in with your recipient to see if they turned off iMessage, and re-check your message color once they confirm it's back on.
    2. Advertisement
4

You or your recipient have poor service.

PDF download Download Article
  1. If you're in an area with weak or spotty service , your messages might be sent as green text messages instead of iMessages. If you're in an area with bad cellular service, check to see if there's a Wi-Fi network you can use instead.
    • Ensure your cellular data is on by going to Settings > Cellular and ensuring the Cellular Data option at the top of the screen is toggled on.
    • If you have good signal but your messages are still green, you might want to reset your network settings. Go to Settings > General > Transfer or Reset [Device] > Reset > Reset Network Settings to do so, and see if your messages still send as green texts. [3]
    • Note that if you do this, your Wi-Fi networks, passwords, cellular settings, and any VPN settings will be reset.
5

You recently set up a new Apple device.

PDF download Download Article
  1. If you've recently gotten a new Apple device , iMessage can stop working. If you realize your texts aren't sending as iMessages when they should be, Apple says to try the following steps: [4]
    • Update your device to the latest version of iOS or iPadOS
    • Ensure Turn On This Line is toggled on under Settings > Cellular
    • Go to Settings > Messages and turn iMessage off and then back on
    • In the Messages menu, tap Send & Receive and select the phone number you want to use with iMessage
    2. Advertisement
6

Some other glitch is causing an issue.

PDF download Download Article
  1. First, turn your device off and back on again. If that doesn't work, check to see if you've got a pending software update. If your device is up to date and nothing else is working, contact Apple Support or go to an Apple Store for help.

Expert Q&A

Ask a Question
200 characters left
Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered.
Submit
      Advertisement

      Tips

      • A green text message is not an indicator if you've been blocked. If you've been blocked, there is no way of knowing via sending a message. [5]
        Thanks
        Helpful 2 Not Helpful 3
      Submit a Tip
      All tip submissions are carefully reviewed before being published
      Name
      Please provide your name and last initial
      Submit
      Thanks for submitting a tip for review!
      Advertisement

      You Might Also Like

      How to
      Install & Play 8 Ball in iMessage: A Beginner's Guide
      How to
      Play Games in iMessage with Your Friends: Step-by-Step
      Simple Steps to Activate iMessage on Your iPhone, iPad, or Mac
      How to
      Sync Messages Between Your iPhone and iPad
      How to
      Use iMessage
      9 Simple Ways to Fix Pictures Not Showing in iMessage
      How to
      Tell If a Text Was Delivered or Read on iPhone, iPad, or Mac
      How to
      Make a Whale on Apple Messages
      How to
      Delete, Disable, or Mute iMessage on Your Mac Computer
      How to
      Send Fireworks on iPhone
      How to
      See Your Apple Messages History
      How to
      Access iMessages on iCloud: 2 Simple Methods
      How to
      Lock Messages on iPhone: 4 User-friendly Methods
      How to
      Turn Off Auto Delete Old Conversations + Recover
      Advertisement

      References

      1. ↑ https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT207006
      2. ↑ https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT207006
      3. ↑ https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT204051#:~:text=Reset%20your%20network%20settings
      4. ↑ https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT204065
      5. ↑ https://support.apple.com/guide/iphone/block-filter-and-report-messages-iph203ab0be4/ios

      About This Article

      Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 7,395 times.

      Is this article up to date?

      Advertisement