Fix Can’t Send Or Receive Text Messages On Android

Fix Can’t Send Or Receive Text Messages On Android: Although there are a number of applications using which you can easily send messages or communicate with your friends & family but most of these apps require internet connectivity to work. So the alternative is sending an SMS which is far more reliable than all the other third-party instant messaging app. Although there are certain benefits to using a third-party app such as sending photos, images, videos, documents, large and small files, etc but if you don’t have a proper internet then these won’t work at all. In short, even though a lot of instant messaging apps have arrived in the market, but the text SMS is still an important feature in any mobile phone. Hence, facing Error 98 SMS Termination Denied would be quite a pickle.. Hence, facing Error 98 SMS Termination Denied would be quite a pickle..

Now if you have purchased any new flagship Android phone then you would expect it to send & receive text messages anytime & anywhere you want without any issues. But I am afraid that is not the case since many people are reporting that they can’t send or receive text messages on their Android phone.

Fix Cant Send Or Receive Text Messages On Android

Sometimes, when you send or receive text messages you face several issues like you are not able to send text messages, the message you have sent has not received by the receiver, you stopped receiving messages all of a sudden, instead of messages some warning appears and many other such issues.

Why I can’t send or receive text messages (SMS/MMS)?

Well, there are several reasons due to which the problem occurs, few of them are listed below:

  • Software conflict
  • Network signals are weak
  • Carrier problem with Registered Network
  • Misconfiguration or wrong configuration in your Phone Settings
  • Switching to a new phone or switching from iPhone to Android or from Android to iPhone

If you are not able to send or receive messages due to any of the above problems or any other reason, then don’t worry as using this guide you will be able to easily resolve your problem which you are facing while sending or receiving text messages.

Fix Can’t Send or Receive Text Messages On Android  

Below are given methods using which you can solve your problem. After going through each method, test if your problem is resolved or not. If not then try another method.

Method 1: Check Network Signals

The first and the basic step you should perform if you are not able to send or receive messages on Android is to check the signal bars. These signal bars will be available at the top right corner or top left corner of your phone screen. If you can see all the bars as expected, it means your network signals are good.

Check Network Signals

If there are less bars it means network signals are weak. To resolve this issue switch off your phone and then switch it on again. This may improve the signal and your problem may be resolved.

Method 2: Replace Your Phone

It may be possible that you are not able to send or receive text messages due to the problem in your phone or some hardware issue on your phone. So, to resolve this problem insert your SIM card (from the problematic phone) into some other phone and then check if you are able to send or receive text messages or not. If your problem still exists then you can resolve it by visiting to your service provider and ask for SIM replacement. Otherwise, you may need to replace your phone with a new phone.

Replace your old phone with a new

Method 3: Check the Blocklist

If you want to send a message but you are not able to then first, you should check if the number to which you trying to send a message is not present in your device Blocklist or Spam list. If the number is blocked then you will not be able to send or receive any messages from that number. So, if you still want to send a message to that number then you need to remove it from the blocklist. To unblock a number follow the below steps:

1.Long press on the number you want to send a message to.

2.Tap on Unblock from the Menu.

  • Tap on Unblock from the Menu

3.A dialog box will appear asking you to Unblock this phone number. Click on OK.

Click OK on the Unblock this phone number dialog box

After completing the above steps, the particular number will be unblocked and you can easily send messages to this number.

Method 4: Cleaning up old Messages

If you’re still not able to send or receive messages then this issue can also be caused due to your SIM card might be completely filled with messages or your SIM card has reached the maximum limit of messages it can store. So you can resolve this issue by deleting messages which are not useful. It is advised to delete text messages from time to time so that this problem can be avoided.

Note: These steps can vary from device to device but basic steps are roughly the same.

1.Open the in-built messaging app by clicking on it.

Open the in-built messaging app by clicking on it

2.Click on the three-dot icon available at the top right corner.

Click on the three-dot icon available at the top right corner

3.Now tap on the Settings from the menu.

Now tap on the Settings from the menu

4.Next, tap on More settings.

Next, tap on More settings

5.Under More Settings, tap on Text messages.

Under More Settings, tap on Text messages

6.Click or tap on Manage SIM card messages. Here you will see all the messages stored on your SIM card.

Click or tap on Manage SIM card messages

7.Now you can either delete all the messages if they are of no use or can select messages one by one which you want to delete.

Method 5: Increasing the Text Message Limit

If your SIM card space fills up with text messages (SMS) too quickly then you can resolve this issue by increasing the limit of the text messages that can be stored on the SIM card. But there is one thing to keep in mind while increasing the space for text messages that is the space for Contacts on the SIM will reduce. But if you store your data in Google account then this shouldn’t be an issue. To increase the limit of messages that can be stored on your SIM card, follow the below steps:

1.Open the built-in messaging app by clicking on it.

Open the in-built messaging app by clicking on it

2.Tap on the three-dot icon available at the top right corner.

Click on the three-dot icon available at the top right corner

3.Now tap on Settings from the menu.

Now tap on the Settings from the menu

4.Tap on Text message limit & the below screen will appear.

Tap on Text message limit & the below screen will appear

5.Set the limit by scrolling up & down. Once you have set the limit click on the Set button & your text messages limit will be set.

Method 6: Clearing Data & Cache

If your messaging app cache is full then you might face the issue where you won’t be able to send or receive text messages on Android. So, by clearing the app cache you can resolve your problem. To clear data and cache from your device follow the below steps:

1.Open Settings by clicking on the Settings icon on your device.

Open Settings by clicking on settings icon on your device

2.Tap on Apps option from the menu.

3.Make sure that the All apps filter is applied. If not then apply it by clicking on the dropdown menu available at the top left corner.

Make sure that the All apps filter is applied

4.Scroll down and look for the in-built Messaging app.

Scroll down and look for the in-built Messaging app

5.Click on it then tap on the Storage option.

Click on it then tap on the Storage option

6.Next, tap on Clear data. 

Tap on Clear data under Messaging app Storage

7.A warning will appear saying all of the data will be deleted permanently. Click on the Delete button.

A warning will appear saying all of the data will be deleted permanently

8.Next, tap on the Clear Cache button.

Tap on the Clear Cache button

9.After completing the above steps, all the unused data & cache will be cleared.

10.Now, restart your phone and see if the issue is resolved or not.

Method 7: Deactivating iMessage

In iPhones, messages are sent and received using iMessage. So, if you have changed your phone from iPhone to Android or Windows or Blackberry then you probably facing the problem of not being able to send or receive text messages because you might forget to deactivate iMessage before inserting your SIM card into the Android phone. But don’t worry as you can easily resolve this by deactivating the iMessage by inserting your SIM again into some iPhone.

To deactivate iMessage from your SIM follow the below steps:

1.Insert your SIM card back into the iPhone.

2.Make sure your mobile data is ON. Any cellular data network like 3G, 4G or LTE will work.

Make sure your mobile data is ON

3.Go to Settings then tap on Messages & the below screen will appear:

Go to Settings then tap on Messages

4.Toggle off the button next to the iMessage to disable it.

Toggle off the button next to the iMessage to disable it

5.Now go back to the Settings again then tap on FaceTime.

6.Toggle off the button next to FaceTime in order to disable it.

Toggle off the button next to FaceTime in order to disable it

After completing the above steps, remove the SIM card from the iPhone and insert it into the Android phone. Now, you may be able to fix can’t send or receive text messages on the Android issue.

Method 8: Resolving Software Conflict

When you visit Google Playstore to download any application, then you will find a lot of apps for a particular functionality. So in case, if you have downloaded multiple apps that perform the same function then this can cause software conflict and hamper the performance of each application.

Similarly, if you installed any third-party app to manage texting or SMS, then it will definitely create a conflict with the in-built messaging app of your Android device and you may not able to send or receive messages. You can resolve this issue by deleting the third-party application. Also, it is advised not to use any third-party app for texting but if you still want to keep the third party app and do not want to face software conflict issue then perform the below steps:

1.First of all, make sure that your messaging app is updated to the latest version.

2.Open Google Playstore from your home screen.

Open Google Playstore from your home screen

3.Click or tap on three lines icon available on the top left corner of the Playstore.

Click on three lines icon available on the top left corner of the Playstore

4.Tap on My apps and games.

Tap on My apps and games

5.Look if there is any update available for the third-party messaging app you have installed. If available then update it.

Look if there is any update available for the third-party messaging app

Method 9: Perform Network Registration Reset

If you are not able to send or receive messages, there may be an issue with your network. So, by registering it again using another phone which will override the network registration on your number may resolve the problem.

To perform the network registration again follow the below steps:

  • Take the SIM card from your current phone and insert it into another phone.
  • Turn the phone ON and wait for 2-3 minutes.
  • Make sure it has cellular signals.
  • Once, it has cellular signals, turn OFF the phone.
  • Take out the SIM card again and insert it into the phone in which you were facing a problem.
  • Switch ON the phone and wait for 2-3 minutes. It will automatically reconfigure the network registration.

After completing the above steps, you may not face any problem in sending or receiving text messages on your Android phone.

Method 10: Perform a Factory Reset

If you have tried everything and still facing an issue then as a last resort you can factory reset your phone. By factory resetting your phone, your phone will become brand new with default apps. To factory reset your phone follow the below steps:

1.Open Settings on your phone by clicking on the settings icon.

Open Settings by clicking on settings icon on your device

2.Settings page will open up then tap on Additional settings.

Settings page will open up then tap on Additional settings

3.Next, tap on Backup and reset.

Tap on Backup and reset under additional settings

4.Under backup and reset, tap on Factory data reset.

Under backup and reset, tap on Factory data reset

5.Tap on Reset phone option available at bottom of the page.

Tap on Reset phone option available at bottom of the page

After completing the above steps, your phone will be factory reset. Now, you should be able to send or receive text messages on your device. 

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I hope the above steps were helpful and now you will be able to Fix Can’t Send Or Receive Text Messages On Android, but if you still have any queries regarding this tutorial then feel free to ask them in the comment section.

1 thought on “Fix Can’t Send Or Receive Text Messages On Android”

  1. Tried all the above. Even factory reset. 4 times.
    with no third party apps installed and in safe mode.
    Still cant send and receive picture messages.
    Ule fone Armour 8
    android 10
    1P mobile network. ( settings set to allow )

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