How to fix a Nokia 6 2019 smartphone that cannot send / receive text message or SMS (easy steps)

Emerging as one of the most common issues encountered by Android phone owners is on texting or SMS errors. Such problems are usually attributed to network errors, thus inevitable. Other factors that can cause texting problems among smartphones would include but not limited to errant apps, software glitches, bugs and malware, as well as invalid settings on the phone. There are also a few cases in which a faulty hardware is to blame, like when the device is suddenly unable to send or receive SMS after it fell or got wet. Unfortunately for hardware-related texting problems, service would already be necessary. Meanwhile, software-related SMS problems can still be aided by some workarounds. This means you have to troubleshoot your device. Highlighted in this post are generic solutions and suggested workarounds to deal with a similar issue on a particular device that is the Nokia 6 2018. Read on to find out what to do if you will encounter the same issue on the same smartphone.

Before we proceed, if you’re looking for a solution to a problem with your phone, try to browse through our troubleshooting pages to see if we support your device. If your phone is in the list of our supported devices, then go to the troubleshooting page and look for similar problems. Feel free to use our solutions and workarounds. Don’t worry it’s free. But if you still need our help, then fill up our Android issues questionnaire and hit submit to contact us.

How to troubleshoot Nokia 6 2018 that can’t send / receive text messages

Before you begin troubleshooting, make sure your phone is getting a good signal at least 2 bars of stable signal strength to rule weak or no service out from the underlying causes. If the signal indicators/bars on your phone appeared to be very weak or showing no signal at all, then you are more likely out of your network carrier’s range like when you’re way too far from the cellular towers. In this case, try to move to a different location wherein the signal strength is better and stronger. Also make sure that your account status is good. Carriers would usually impose a soft disconnection or temporarily disables outgoing services on your account if you happen to have unsettled account issues. Also check for any ongoing outage in your place that might have affected network services, thus SMS is currently unavailable.

After checking on all the aforementioned factors and yet you still cannot send or receive SMS or text messages on your Nokia 6 2018 handset, then you can proceed and troubleshoot your device with these workarounds.

First solution: Force close Messaging app then restart.

Random errors on the messaging app that might have prevented your phone from sending or receiving SMS are usually dealt with by an app restart and soft reset on the device. Here’s how:

Tap the Menu or square icon.
Locate the Messaging app then tap the X on it.

If you have other running apps or background apps, then you might as well consider closing them all to prevent them from causing conflict with your messaging services.

To do so, press the Menu icon then swipe up through all apps. Finally, tap Clear All.

After clearing your apps, reboot your phone.

Second solution: Clear app cache and data.

When you use apps on your device, various data are stored as temporary files or cache in the app’s memory or phone’s internal memory as well. These temporary data can also get corrupted and when this happens other functions of your device will likely be affected. To make sure this isn’t what’s preventing you from sending or receiving SMS or text messages on your Nokia 6 2018, clear cache and data on your messaging app with these steps:

Tap Settings then go to Apps.
Locate and select your Messaging app.
Tap Storage.
Tap Clear Cache to delete temporary files from the app’s memory.
Press the Home key to go back to the Main screen or Home screen.

Open your messaging app then try to create a test SMS message to send and receive.

Third solution: Install app updates and software update available.

Updates also contain fix patches or security enhancements. If the problem is inflicted by certain bugs or malware, then installing the new update will likely fix it. Here’s how to get started:

Tap Settings.
Tap About phone.
Select System updates.
Tap Check for update.

Wait for your phone to check for available updates. You will be prompted with an update notification if a new software update is available for download. Before you download the update file, make sure your phone has enough memory space, at least 30 percent of battery, and a strong Wi-Fi Internet connection. All these are necessary to complete the update download and installation process.

Fourth solution: Switch to a different network mode.

If you cannot send or receive SMS and cannot make voice calls too, then try switching between network modes. Here’s how:

Slide your finger from the top down to the bottom of the Home screen.
Tap Settings.
Tap More.
Select Mobile networks.
Tap Preferred network type.
Select a different network mode by tapping on the network mode field.
Go back to the Home screen then restart your phone to apply the new changes.

After the restart, try to create a test SMS message and see if you can now send and receive the message. If not, then try other network modes available.

Fifth solution: Reset and restore your phone to factory defaults.

As your last resort, you may opt for a full system reset or master reset to wipe everything from your device including your personal data, settings, apps, along with any bugs, malware, and other corrupted contents. Just don’t forget to back up all your important data before you proceed. Once you’re all set, follow these steps to reset your Nokia 6 2018 to factory defaults:

Go to the Main Menu or Home screen.
Tap Settings.
Tap Backup and Reset.
Select Factory Data Reset from the given options.
Mark or select the Reset phone option to erase all data stored on the internal memory of your phone.
Tap Erase everything to confirm.

Wait until the reset is finished and when it’s done, your phone will restart automatically. By then you can proceed with the initial device setup.

Alternatively, you can perform an external reset via recovery mode. It works the same as the previous reset process but done using the hardware keys. In case you find the need to reset your phone this way, then just follow these steps:

Turn your phone off.
Press and hold the Volume Up and Power buttons simultaneously for about 20 to 30 seconds.
Release both buttons when the Recovery Mode screen appears.
Press the Volume Down button several times until the Wipe data/factory data reset option is highlighted or selected.
Then press the Power button to confirm option selection.
Press the Volume button again to highlight Yes — delete all user data then press Power to confirm.
When the reset is finished, the Reboot system now option is highlighted. This would be your cue to reboot your device. To confirm and instigate device restart, press the Power button.

When your phone boots up completely, follow the setup wizard to set everything up and use your phone again.

If you cannot send text messages to a specific number, then the error could be on the receiving end. Try to send a text message to another number to see if it will go through. Also make sure that the recipient details are correct.

Ask further assistance

You may contact your network service provider or carrier to verify your account status as well as your network services. There might be some issues on your account that need to be settled for your services to resume. Otherwise, contact Nokia Support for other options and recommendations.

Connect with us

We are always open to your problems, questions and suggestions, so feel free to contact us by filling up this form. This is a free service we offer and we won’t charge you a penny for it. But please note that we receive hundreds of emails every day and it’s impossible for us to respond to every single one of them. But rest assured we read every message we receive. For those whom we’ve helped, please spread the word by sharing our posts to your friends or by simply liking our Facebook and Google+ page or follow us on Twitter.