US EditionApple Addresses iOS 26 Bug Affecting iMessage
Apple resolved an iMessage activation issue in iOS 26 caused by conflicts between active and inactive SIMs sharing the same phone number, affecting iPhone users worldwide.
- Since iOS 26 was released last month, Apple published official troubleshooting steps for iPhone users who can't activate iMessage, alongside iOS 26.0.1 fixes released recently.
- When iOS 26 detects both an active and inactive SIM tied to the same number, iMessage activation may fail, Apple says the issue stems from SIM recognition rather than carrier outages.
- Apple's guide tells users to delete an unused eSIM or remove a physical SIM before re-enabling iMessage in Messages app > Send & Receive, with signing out of Apple ID or toggling FaceTime if needed.
- Affected users see `Not Delivered` alerts and undelivered iMessages, with messages falling back to SMS/RCS green bubbles disrupting heavy iMessage users, though Apple says fixing it is simple for the small number of users.
- Apple recently released iOS 26.0.1 and posted a support document addressing the issue, though the scope remains unclear and users with dual‑SIM or migrated SIMs face higher risks.
11 Articles
11 Articles
If You Can't Activate iMessage After Updating to iOS 26, Try This
Did you know you can customize Google to filter out garbage? Take these steps for better search results, including adding my work at Lifehacker as a preferred source.When you updated your iPhone to iOS 26, you were probably expecting to try out a bunch of new features. Maybe you were excited to see the new Liquid Glass design, or interested to see how the new spam prevention tech works. But if you opened Messages to send a text after updating, y…
How to fix iMessage activation issue on iOS 26
iPhone users on iOS 26, iMessage activation may be blocked by an inactive SIM — here's how to fix it.How to solve iMessage activation problem in iOS 26Some users are finding that they can't activate iMessage with their phone number. This results in an inability to send messages — or send them correctly — from the Messages app.Odds are, if you've been affected, you already know. However, Apple highlights a few different ways you can tell if you'r…
iMessage Not Activating in iOS 26? Here’s the Fix
While iOS 26 adds some cool new features in the Messages app, it appears that not everyone has been able to fully enjoy them. Following the update, multiple users reported problems getting iMessage to work with their phone numbers. The good news is that Apple has now explained why this was happening and published a […]Read More...
Since the release of the final version of iOS 26, iPhone users have been experiencing issues with iMessage, Apple's secure messaging service (the famous blue bubbles). They've been having trouble sending and receiving messages, or even simply being unable to activate the system. The manufacturer has a solution.
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