Galaxy A5 (2017) can’t send or receive texts from some contacts

Text messaging is not perfect and from time to time, some users may encounter messaging problems on their device. In today’s post, we bring you the solutions if your Galaxy A5 (2017) device is unable to send or receive texts from some contacts only.

Problem: Galaxy A5 (2017) can’t send or receive texts from some contacts

Hello, My name is Ayube, I am the owner of a Samsung Galaxy A5 2017. Model number SM-A520W. I have been experiencing issue with sending and receiving text messages from some people. Some of my own contacts and some not. This has just started recently. I have called FIDO and they have checked and said that they dont see any problem from their end. I am not sure what to do . I have tried the suggestions you have on line but nothing worked.  Some of these numbers are my own contacts whom used to received and send texts and not cannot. Not all of my contacts just some. Also there are others who tries to text me and I dont get their messages. Can you please help me ? This is very frustrating.

Solution: There’s a whole range of possible factors for this problem. Check out the troubleshooting steps that you can try to fix this issue.

Delete old conversations

Old messages may sometimes cause problems to the system and may become buggy if they contain incompatible codes. On top of that, having lots of old conversations can potentially cause a slow down every time a messaging app loads. So, the first possible solution that you should try in this case is to delete the conversations that involves the contacts you’re having an issue sending to or receiving from. Try to initiate a new thread after deleting the old conversation and see what happens.

Check system date and time

Having incorrect date and time can make sorting of messages problematic. Messaging apps depend on the phone’s date and time when arranging incoming and outgoing calls. Even if the device receives text messages or sends them fine, you may not be able to see them because they will be rearranged differently. So, it’s possible that your Galaxy A5 actually receives or sends messages but responses are buried within the thread, or sorted in the middle. To see if this the cause of the problem, make sure that your device uses the date and time of your network operator. Here’s how what you can do:

1. Open Settings app.
2. Tap General management.
3. Tap Date and time.
4. Enable Automatic date and time.
5. Restart the phone and check for the problem.

Clear cache of messaging app

Apps use a set of temporary files to do tasks efficiently. These files are called cache. Sometimes, an app cache may become outdated which can lead to problems or bugs. To see if there’s an app cache issue behind the problem, you can delete the cache of the messaging app. This will force the app to create a new cache after some time.

To clear an app cache:

1. Open Settings app.
2. Tap Apps.
3. Tap on More settings at the upper right (three-dot icon).
4. Select Show system apps.
5. Find and tap your app.
6. Tap Storage.
7. Tap Clear Data button.
8. Restart your device and check for the problem.

Return messaging app to factory state

Should nothing change after clearing the app cache, the next troubleshooting step is to revert app’s settings to defaults. Doing so will erase all data including your text messages. Make sure to back your messages up ahead of time if you don’t want to lose them.

To delete an app data:

1. Open Settings app.
2. Tap Apps.
3. Tap on More settings at the upper right (three-dot icon).
4. Select Show system apps.
5. Find and tap your app.
6. Tap Storage.
7. Tap Clear Data button.
8. Restart your device and check for the problem.

Add contacts again

A simple yet sometimes effective way to fix texting issues in the past is by deleting and adding a contact in a Contacts app. Make sure to delete the numbers of contacts with problems from your Contacts apps first, then add them again later on.

Reset network settings

This is a staple troubleshooting step for any networking issue. Be sure to follow the steps below to clear your phone’s network settings and return them to defaults.

1. From the Home screen, swipe up on an empty spot to open the Apps tray.
2. Tap Settings > General Management > Reset > Reset network settings.
3. Tap RESET SETTINGS.
4. If you have set up a PIN, enter it.
5. Tap RESET SETTINGS. Once complete, a confirmation window will appear.

Use another messaging app

In case the problem is app-specific and the solutions won’t work, you can use alternatives. There are many good texting apps that you can download for free on Play Store. If you’ve been using the stock Samsung Messages app, you can switch to other apps like Google’s own Android Messages.

Get help from network operator

If the problem remains at this point, the last thing that you can do is to get help from your network operator. There may be a deeper reason for the problem so it’s a good idea if you can get your carrier involved. Just remember, not all network issues is due a phone’s fault. An issue like this may be due to a network bug, outage, or even a problem on your contact’s list.

 

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