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How to fix Google Pixel 2 that cannot send or receive text messages or SMS [Troubleshooting Guide]

Majority if not all smartphones nowadays are already equipped with advanced technology, thus offering more advanced features for end-users to benefit from. But what if the simplest feature fails to work on any of these high-tiered devices? Definitely, it’s a bummer but it happens. In fact, it is recently afflicting some users of high-end Android devices including the Pixel smartphone series from Google.

Some have it that they’re unable to send or receive SMS or text messages after installing the latest Android update. Why do these things happen and what should be done as remedy? If you’re searching for answers to the same questions, then this post might be able to help you. Read on to find out which among the possible factors is preventing your device from sending or receiving SMS messages and once you have determined the underlying cause, work on the fix. Keep reading to learn more.

Before we proceed, if you are looking for a solution to a different problem, make sure you visit our Google Pixel 2 troubleshooting page for we have already addressed some of the most common problems with this phone. But if you need for help, then fill up our Android issues questionnaire and hit submit. Rest assured we’ll look into your concern.

Why does your Google Pixel 2 unable to send or receive text messages or SMS?

A smartphone cannot send or receive SMS or text messages for various reasons. It can be a glitch on the network or carrier’s system, account issue, SIM card issue, a software glitch, incorrect settings, and software updates. Generally the problem is related to the software. Although there are also a few cases where users are no longer able to send or receive messages because the device itself is damaged from prior incidents of dropping or liquid exposure. Unless it’s hardware-related, you still can try some means to get the problem fixed without having to pay extra for device repair. Now let’s take a closer look on the software aspect.

Text messaging is among the phone features and services that require network intervention. If a problem occurs on the network like when it’s not available, the rest of network services on your device will likewise be affected or not working and text (SMS) messaging is among them. The same thing can happen if there are some issues with your account that needs to be settled. Often times, outgoing services like calling and texting function are temporarily disabled or unavailable in this case.

Another factor to consider is a bad SIM card. This is likely the culprit if you are getting SIM card errors while attempting to send a text message. Be sure to read and review the error message to find out what went wrong and what needs to be done in order to get things back to work normally again.

Software glitches can also trigger the same problem to occur especially if it is affecting the messaging app in use. It can be isolated to an app like stock messaging or third-party messaging app you are using on your device. Incorrect settings on the messaging app or device itself can also cause a similar issue. You may consider this as the probable cause if the problem started after making some changes on an app or device settings. SMS problems can also be triggered by a faulty update. This is what has happened to a number of Google Pixel users following the Android 8.0 Oreo update.

So what are your options to resolve the problem on sending or receiving SMS, given that the underlying cause is in the software aspect? Answers to this question are highlighted below. Read on to find out.

Potential solutions and workarounds to deal with SMS problems on Google Pixel 2

While waiting for the next update from Google containing the official fix for this bug, you may resort to trying some workarounds as temporary solutions. Of course, no one would want to just wait longer, do nothing, and receive/send no texts on your device. You can take your chances on each of the following methods.

Before you begin performing any of the subsequent methods, make sure that your phone is getting good signal strength from the network as indicated by the signal indicator on the status bar. Also, if you suspect that the problem has something to do with any unsettled issues on your account, contact your carrier or service provider. Finally, if the problem started after making changes to some settings on your Google Pixel 2 then try to revert the changes back to its prior configuration. If none of these is able to help and yet you still cannot send or receive SMS or text message on your Pixel phone, then you may now proceed with these workarounds.

Be sure to test your device after performing each method to determine whether or not the problem has been resolved. Proceed to the next applicable solution if necessary.

First solution: Soft reset.

Turning the device off then back on is one of the very first steps recommended when troubleshooting device issues that are software related. The process is also referred to as a soft reset in mobile devices. A soft reset will not affect data on the device so it’s a safe process. For starters, here’s how a soft reset is done on Google Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL:

Press and hold the Power button located on the right corner.
Tap the option to Power off.
If the device is not responding or frozen, you can just press and hold the Power button for about 10 seconds or until the phone reboots.

Minor software bugs and glitches that might have affected the messaging function on the phone will likely be rectified by a reboot so don’t forget to give it a shot.

Second solution: Remove and reinstall SIM card.

To rule SIM card issues out from the possible causes, try to remove and then reinsert the SIM card on your device. Doing so can also help in fixing problems on sending or receiving calls, or connecting to the Internet. And here’s how to do it properly:

Power off your device completely.
Push a paperclip or SIM eject tool into the circular opening on the SIM card tray to remove it.
Remove the SIM card from SIM tray then place it back in. Be sure to keep it properly secured in the tray.
Push the tray back into the slot.

Turn on your device. Try to create a text message to test if you can now send or receive the message on your device without getting any error. If this trick doesn’t do any good, then try to work on the messaging app with the next method.

Third solution: Clear app cache and data.

Should the problem is caused by any corrupt file or message within the messaging app you are using, clearing the app’s cache and data might be the key to fixing it. Clearing cache means deleting temporary data from certain app on your device while clearing data means permanently deleting of all app’s data. The latter option will therefore erase some of your customized settings and information including passwords used for that app. Be sure to create a backup of this information beforehand. If you haven’t already, follow these steps to clear cache and data on your Google Pixel 2 messaging app:

Tap Settings to open the Settings app.
Tap Apps & Notifications.
Tap See All Apps.
Locate and tap to select the Messaging app you want to clear cache and data from.
Tap Storage.
Tap Clear Data or Clear Cache.

Wait until your device is finished clearing cache and data from the app then reboot your device. After the restart, create a text message or SMS and try to send and receive it on your Pixel phone.

Note: Menu options and steps may vary depending on the messaging app you are using. The above procedures apply to the Stock Messaging app on the phone.

Fourth solution: Reset network settings.

Network problems are among the possible reasons as to why you are not able to send text or email messages on your device. To eliminate this from the possible causes, you can try rebooting the network equipment (modem/router) first, followed by a reboot on the device itself. If none of these is able to fix the problem, then try performing a network settings reset instead. Should there be any incorrect options applied on the device’s network settings, that will be deleted in the process for good.

Before you proceed, please note that this process will erase your Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and cellular network settings including saved networks and passwords on your device. You can backup this information for safekeeping beforehand.

For starters, here’s how a network settings reset is done on your Google Pixel 2 or Google Pixel 2 XL smartphone:

Tap the Arrow Up icon on the Home screen to view all apps.
Tap Settings.
Tap System.
Tap Reset.
Select the Network settings reset from the given options.
Tap Reset Settings to continue.
If prompted, enter the correct passcode, PIN or pattern.
Tap Reset Settings again to confirm action.

Wait until the network settings reset is complete then reboot your device if necessary.

Now see if SMS sending and receiving functions are already working properly on your phone. If not, consider the last option below.

Fifth solution: Factory reset.

Before you proceed, be sure to backup all your important data in Google Cloud. All this information will be deleted in the process. A factory reset often resolves various types of device issues from frozen displays, crashing apps, touchscreen problems, syncing, calling and texting problems. However, you will need to setup and configure your device again from the start. If you want to try your luck on this reset, then follow these steps whenever you’re all set:

Power off your device completely.
Press and hold the Power and Volume Down buttons simultaneously until the bootloader mode (represented by an Android with Start on it) appears. Release both buttons at once when you see this image.
Use the Volume buttons to highlight or select Recovery mode from the given option.
Press the Power button to confirm selection.
The device will then flash the Google start screen briefly and then restarts in Recovery mode.
If prompted with an image of a broken Android bot with No Command label on the screen, press and hold the Power button, and press the Volume Up button once then release the Power button.
Select Wipe data/factory reset option from the Android Recovery screen. Use the Volume buttons to select the option.
Select Yes.
Wait until the factory data reset process is finished. It can take several minutes depending on the amount of data there is to reset.
Select Reboot system now then wait for your device to boot up completely.
Finally, proceed to initial activation and setup.

Once everything is setup properly on your device, try to create a message to send and receive and then see if it will now go through.

Factory Reset Google Pixel 2 through the Settings Menu

Alternatively, you can use the Settings menu to factory reset your Google Pixel 2. Here’s how:

Tap the Arrow Up icon from the Home screen.
Tap Settings.
Tap System.
Tap Reset.
Select the Factory data reset option.
Tap Reset Phone to continue.
If prompted, enter the correct passcode for your device.
Tap Erase Everything to confirm.

Wait until the factory reset is finished then proceed with initial setup on your device. After the reset, try to create a test message (SMS) and then see if you are able to send and receive the message on your phone.

Seek more help

If the problem started after updating your Google Pixel 2 to the latest Android software version, contact your carrier or Google Support to escalate the problem and asked for help. They may be able to reset something on their end and get your messages up and running properly again. Otherwise, try using a different messaging app instead.

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How to fix your LG G5 that can’t send and receive text messages [Troubleshooting Guide]

Understand and learn how to #troubleshoot your LG G5 (#LGG5) that can no longer send and receive text messages.
What to do if your phone can still receive #SMS but can’t send one.
How to fix a G5 that can’t receive text messages but can send without having issues.
Learn how to troubleshoot your LG G5 that can’t send and receive picture messages or MMS.

Being one of the most basic feature, text messaging can be transmitted easily as long as the phone has a decent service provided by a carrier and that the account of the user is in good standing. It’s a shame for a powerful and premium smartphone like the LG G5 not being able to send and receive a byte size text message.

In this post, I will address this problem as we already received some complaints from our readers regarding this issue. In fact, it is widespread across all smartphones regardless of their operating system and technical specifications.

This article will guide you on how to troubleshoot and hopefully fix the following problems:

LG G5 can’t send and receive text messages
LG G5 can’t send text messages but can receive
LG G5 can’t receive but can send text messages
LG G5 can’t send/receive MMS or picture messages

For those who have other issues with their phone, we are always willing to help you. You may contact us and tell us everything about the problem so that we can research on the issue. Just fill up our Android issues questionnaire and hit submit once you’ve provided enough detail. We don’t mind if your description is lengthy because we can gather more information from it.

LG G5 can’t send and receive text messages

“I purchased the new LG G5 and it’s just 3 days since I got it activated. My provider told me the porting of my phone number will take between 24 and 48 hours but I was able to send text messages sooner, which was a sign I already got service after a few hours. Texting has never been a problem until today. I can no longer send and receive text messages; they just failed every time I send them and I can’t receive ones I sent from my other phone. Do you know what the issue is? Can you help me?”

This is just one of the actual messages we received from our readers. Basically, the owner has a brand new phone and he ported (transferred) his number from one carrier to another. Porting may take up to 48 hours to complete and within that period, your device may have service but it may disappear as the system adds information into the server. I think this is the reason why our reader said his service works sporadically. The solution to this problem is to wait it out. After 48 hours, your phone may have already been properly provisioned in your new carrier’s system and naturally so, it will have service.

For those whose LG G5s have been working properly since day 1 and encountered this issue just recently, this is how you troubleshoot it:

Reboot your device if you haven’t done so because there are times when the system glitches and affects some features and services.
Observe closely to see if your signal drops from time to time as that might be the reason why you can’t send and receive text messages.
In case it’s a signal issue (i.e. the coverage was lost), verify your phone didn’t suffer from physical and/or liquid damage. If you’re sure it didn’t, then it might be a network problem especially if it’s the first time it occurred.
To further verify if it’s a network and/or account issue, try to make a call to any number you have on your phone. If the call goes through, then this automatically disqualifies both, which means that the problem might be with the phone.
Issues that point the phone to be the culprit may be fixed by master reset and I suggest you do that.
If problems point to the network or the carrier, then you have to call tech support and troubleshoot with their tech, inquire the status of your account and the service in your area.

LG G5 can’t send text messages but can receive

“Just yesterday everything was working fine with my LG G5 but starting this morning, I can’t seem to send a text message but I do receive some from my friends. I remember there was some kind of an update a few days ago but I’m not really sure if it has something to do with it. Maybe I just messed up something in my phone that’s why it’s not working anymore. Can you please help me fix it?”

Obviously, this kind of problem is not a service or an account issue because if it’s one of the two, you shouldn’t be able to receive text messages, too. To troubleshoot it, there’s a few things you can do but there’s no guarantee that you can fix it on your own. What you can do is to validate some things so that you can explain well to a technician what happened to your device and here’s what you need to do:

Try sending a text message to your own phone number using your LG G5. It will tell you immediately if you can send a text message and/or receive it.
In case the sending failed, verify further if the phone can really receive messages. Borrow a phone from a family member or friend or ask someone to send a text message to you. If you can receive it, then the issue must have something to do with the Message Center Number.
Only very few owners actually know about the Message Center Number and how important it is to sending text messages, so you should call your service provider or carrier about this problem and they sure can help you fix it.

LG G5 can’t receive but can send text messages

“For some reason, my LG G5 can no longer receive text messages yet I can still send without having issues. I have a lot of friends telling me I haven’t responded to their messages this past couple of days. Regularly, we do text each other everyday and I also wonder why I haven’t heard from them even from people I texted. What should I do?”

In the event that you can send text messages but can’t receive them, then you should check if your phone still has enough storage left to store those messages. I understand texts are very small about of data but if you have used up all the storage, then it’s impossible to store those messages. However, you need to further verify everything before seeking assistance from your provider. Here’s what you need to do:

Compose a text message and send it to your own phone number. If it goes through, you should be able to tell as the message will appear as a thread.
If you can’t receive your own text message, check the internal storage of your phone. You may delete some large files and try sending another message to your own number to see if the problem got better.
In case the problem remains, you have to clear the cache and data of the messaging app you’re using.
Lastly, if the issue persists, then perform the master reset before contacting your service provider to help you fix it.

LG G5 can’t send/receive MMS or picture messages

“More often, me and my friends share pictures through text. We’ve been doing it for years now and my phone has always worked. Last month I purchased a new LG G5 and I got it properly set up. My provider helped me with it so it worked. Yesterday, on the other hand, wasn’t the same as before because my text messages with attached pictures can no longer be sent and I haven’t receive any from my friends ever since my issue started. Is my phone faulty? Help me please.”

Multimedia messages, MMS or picture messages need mobile data to go through and be received. It may be as simple as a “text message with a picture” but there’s something you can’t see that’s happening here: when you compose a text without a picture or any special characters, that’s an SMS but if you try to attach a picture, it automatically gets converted to MMS. Therefore, here’s what you need to do:

Make sure mobile data is enabled in your phone.
Compose a text message, attach a picture and send it to your own number. If the message doesn’t go through, then it must be an account issue.
Verify your account isn’t barred from sending/receiving MMS. You need to call your service provider about it but not until you finish this troubleshooting list.
If your account is in good standing and you have enough credits but still can’t send MMS, then it must be an APN problem. You can edit it if you know the correct one or ask tech support about it.
Lastly, before going to the store to have the phone checked, try dong the master reset to see if it works.

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Text Not Sending Troubleshooting

Phones
Samsung Galaxy S7 text not sending
Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge text not sending
Samsung Galaxy S6 text not sending
Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge text not sending
Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge+ text not sending
Samsung Galaxy S5 text not sending
Samsung Galaxy S4 text not sending
Samsung Note 5 text not sending
Samsung Note 4 text not sending
Samsung Note 3 text not sending
Samsung Galaxy J7 text not sending
Samsung Galaxy J3 text not sending
Google Pixel text not sending
Google Pixel XL text not sending
HTC 10 text not sending
LG V20 text not sending
LG G5 text not sending
Motorola Moto G4 text not sending
Nexus 6P text not sending
Nexus 5 text not sending
Huawei P9 text not sending
Xiaomi Mi5 text not sending

How to troubleshoot Huawei P9 that can’t send / receive SMS or text messages [Troubleshooting Guide]

Understand the problem why your Huawei P9 (#HuaweiP9) cannot send and receive text messages (#SMS) and learn how to fix it.

How would you fix your phone that can’t send messages but can receive them.

What you should do if your P9 can send SMS but can’t receive them.

In this post, I will be troubleshooting texting issues with Huawei P9 that some owners reported. Of course, the most common problems are not being able to send and receive SMS.

These issues are very common and not just exclusive to the P9 but all across Android. You may be able to encounter them at any time and while this post is clearly for the Huawei P9, the troubleshooting procedures I cited are universal so they may work with your other devices, although the menus, options and settings may differ.

Troubleshoot Huawei P9 that can’t send and receive SMS
Troubleshoot Huawei P9 that can’t send text messages but can receive
Troubleshoot Huawei P9 that can send SMS but can’t receive them

For those who have other issues, you may visit our troubleshooting page and find problems that are similar or related to yours and use the solutions we already suggested. You may also contact us by completing our Android issues questionnaire and hitting submit. It would be very helpful for us if you provided us with more information about your problem.

Troubleshoot Huawei P9 that can’t send and receive SMS

For newly purchased phones that can neither send nor receive text messages but can go online through mobile data or Wi-Fi, the problem isn’t with your phone but on the provider’s side.

New phones have to be provisioned and entered into the system so that it can receive the basic services the provider is offering like texts and calls. If your provider already told you that the phone has already been set to work, then you should wait it out until services get activated. There are times when provisioning takes longer time than usual.

More often, it would take just an hour or two but if you still don’t have a service after you finished talking with the rep, give it 24 hours before calling again. The rep may not tell you but there might be some minor issues with the system or the network.

On the other hand, if you already have a service but the got lost after a day, call your provider immediately. The rep will be able to fix it in one click.

Moreover, if this problem occurred after months of using the phone without issues and if there was a recent update that got installed, then you should wipe the cache partition to fix it.

Make sure you phone is turned off.
Press and hold the Volume Up and the Power keys for 10 seconds.
Once the Huawei logo appears, release both keys.
Use the Volume Down button to highlight ‘wipe cache partition’ option and press the Power key to choose it.
Once the cache partition is wiped, highlight ‘reboot system now’ and press the Power key to accept it.

Troubleshoot Huawei P9 that can’t send text messages but can receive

Now here goes another common issue–phone can’t send text but can receive. It may occur to a newly provisioned unit or to one that’s already been used for months. It could be an issue with the phone itself or the network.

There were some owners who reported that their phones got updated one day and then this problem started. So, I tried read as many testimonies I can and was able to zero in on one common denominator–majority of them bought their phones from third-party retailers and got their provider set it for them.

We did receive a message from our reader that best explains this issue…

“Hi! I have the Huawei P9 I bought online. I got it activated in the US and it actually worked for weeks. I downloaded a lot of apps into it that it started to become slow. Considering the fact that it’s a powerful phone, I don’t want a hint of sluggishness. So, I decided to reset it. Sure enough it became fast again but now I won’t be able to send a text message but I can receive them. I don’t understand why it had to act like like all of the sudden. Can you guys enlighten me please?”

There’s one thing that’s very important when sending text messages–the Message Center Number. Every device that can send text messages have this and it varies from carrier to carrier. For phones that were purchased from a third-party retailer, they don’t come with default Center Number but during provisioning, your provider will fill it up for you so the phone can have service.

Now, in the description, our reader said that he did reset his phone then the problem started. Here’s what I think happened…

The Message Center Number got deleted during the reset since it wasn’t embedded in the firmware. That’s the reason your phone can no longer send a message but can receive them. Majority of the owners don’t know the Center Number so I suggest you call your provider for it.

Troubleshoot Huawei P9 that can send SMS but can’t receive them

Glitches happen all the time and if your phone started not being able to receive text messages, reboot your phone first. Then, try to see if there’s enough storage space left because it might end up a storage issue rather than text messaging problem.

If all else fails, a reset might be necessary to fix this problem…

Make sure you phone is turned off.
Press and hold the Volume Up and the Power keys for 10 seconds.
Once the Huawei logo appears, release both keys.
Use the Volume Down button to highlight ‘wipe data/factory reset’ option and press the Power key to choose it.
Once the cache partition is wiped, highlight ‘reboot system now’ and press the Power key to accept it.

I am hoping this troubleshooting guide can help one way or the other.

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What to do about your Samsung Galaxy S8 that shows messages failed to send but they’re actually sent [Troubleshooting Guide]

While the Samsung Galaxy S8 is a powerful phone, it still encounters some hiccups from time to time and one of those hiccups has something to do with sending text messages. We have received reports from our readers recently saying their device notifies them their text messages aren’t sent but recipients actually received them. It appears like the error message is triggered even if the sending is successful.

In this post, I will walk you through in finding out what the real problem with your phone is. This way, we can try to formulate a solution that might fix it and even prevent it from happening again in the future. But to be able to do so, we need to rule out every possibility that’s why we need to do some troubleshooting procedures starting from simple ones to more complicated methods. Read on if you’re one of the owners that’s bugged by this kind of problem as we may be able to help you.

But before anything else, if you’re currently experiencing different issues with your phone, then I suggest you visit our Samsung Galaxy S8 troubleshooting page for we’ve already started providing support to our readers who own this device. We understand your phone is still brand new and it should work perfectly without a hitch but not even Samsung can guarantee there won’t be any problems. What we do here is provide help to our readers the best we can so if we haven’t published posts about your concern, feel free to contact us by filling up our Android issues questionnaire.

How to troubleshoot your Galaxy S8 that has issue sending text after an update

Problem: I’ve had my Galaxy S8 for a couple month now and last night I did a software update. Now, all of my text messages are coming back failed, but the people I’m texting are still receiving them.

Solution: This might be just a minor issue with the app or the firmware. In fact, we’ve encountered several issues before that have similar symptoms as this and we’re able to fix them by doing a few procedures for the firmware. Let’s try to see if we can fix this problem using those methods and that said, here’s what I suggest you do.

Step 1: Do the forced reboot procedure

It might be just a glitch in the system or the app and more often, glitches can be fixed by refreshing the phone’s memory. So, I want you to do the forced reboot procedure which is a simulated battery disconnect that is equivalent to the battery-pull procedure.

Press and hold the Volume Down and Power keys together for 7 to 10 seconds.
The device will then reboot.

After you do so, try sending a text message to your number to see if the problem is still happening. If the phone still says message sending failed but you were able to receive it, then move on to the next step.

Step 2: Delete the cache and data of the Messages app

Usually, due to newly installed firmware it’s not far that the files and data of the app will become outdated and create inconsistencies in your phone. This time, we have to delete the cache and data of your messaging app to make sure that all caches can run smoothly to the new system. Here’s how:

From the Home screen, tap the Apps icon.
Find and tap on Settings.
Touch Applications and then Application manager.
Swipe to ALL tab.
Find and touch Messages.
Touch the Force Close button first.
Then, tap Storage.
Tap Clear cache and then Clear data, Delete.

However, after you do so and the issue is still happening you can jump to the next step.

Step 3: Boot in Safe mode to know if third-party apps have something to do with it

Since clearing the cache and data of the app did not resolve the issue there is a possibility that a third-party apps triggered it. We will try to isolate the problem by temporarily disabling all third-party elements in your phone and you can do that by starting it up in safe mode.

Turn the device off.
Press and hold the Power key past the model name screen.
When “SAMSUNG” appears on the screen, release the Power key.
Immediately after releasing the Power key, press and hold the Volume down key.
Continue to hold the Volume down key until the device finishes restarting.
Safe mode will display in the bottom left corner of the screen.
Release the Volume down key when you see Safe Mode.

While in this mode, try sending a text message to your own number to see if the problem still occurs because if so, then we have to proceed to troubleshooting the firmware. Otherwise, we just have to find the app that’s causing the problem and probably do something about it because it’s clear that if the problem is fixed in this mode, one or some of the apps you installed is causing the problem. In which case, you can try updating apps that need to be updated by following the steps below…

From the Home screen, swipe up on an empty spot to open the Apps tray.
Tap Play Store.
Tap the Menu key and then tap My Apps. To keep your apps automatically updated, tap the Menu > Settings then tap Auto-update apps to select the check box.
Choose one of the following options:
- Tap Update [xx] to update all applications with updates available.
- Tap an individual application and then tap Update to update a single application.

Or you may try clearing the cache and data of the apps you suspect or even uninstall them.

How to uninstall applications from your Galaxy S8

From the Home screen, swipe up on an empty spot to open the Apps tray.
Tap Settings > Apps.
Tap the desired application in the default list or tap 3 dots icon > Show system apps to display pre-installed apps.
Tap the desired application.
Tap Uninstall.
Tap Uninstall again to confirm.

Step 4: Try wiping the cache partition so caches will be replaced

Assuming the problem still occurs even in safe mode, then we have to troubleshoot the firmware as this problem might have been caused by some corrupt caches. We need to delete those caches so that they will be replaced by the system. Don’t worry, it may sound a bit complicated but the only thing need to do is to actually just delete them and everything else will be done by the system. Follow these steps to delete all the system caches in your phone…

Turn off the device.
Press and hold the Volume Up key and the Bixby key, then press and hold the Power key.
When the Android logo displays, release all keys (‘Installing system update’ will show for about 30 – 60 seconds before showing the Android system recovery menu options).
Press the Volume down key several times to highlight “wipe cache partition.”
Press the Power key to select.
Press the Volume down key to highlight “yes” and press the Power key to select.
When the wipe cache partition is complete, “Reboot system now” is highlighted.
Press the Power key to restart the device.

If the problem still occurs after this, then move on the next step.

Step 5: It’s time to reset your Galaxy S8

After doing all the steps above and the issue still occurs, then you have no other choice but to reset your phone as it might be a firmware issue. However, all your files and data will be deleted when you do this so make sure you make a backup prior to the reset. After the backup, disable the Factory Reset Protection so that you won’t be locked out.

How to disable Galaxy S8 Factory Reset Protection

From the Home screen, swipe up on an empty spot to open the Apps tray.
Tap Settings > Cloud and accounts.
Tap Accounts.
Tap Google.
Tap on your Google ID email address if multiple accounts are setup. If you have multiple accounts setup, you will need to repeat these steps for each account.
Tap 3 dot icon.
Tap Remove account.
Tap REMOVE ACCOUNT.

How to do the Master Reset on your Galaxy S8

Turn off the device.
Press and hold the Volume Up key and the Bixby key, then press and hold the Power key.
When the green Android logo displays, release all keys (‘Installing system update’ will show for about 30 – 60 seconds before showing the Android system recovery menu options).
Press the Volume down key several times to highlight “wipe data / factory reset.
Press Power button to select.
Press the Volume down key until ‘Yes — delete all user data’ is highlighted.
Press Power button to select and start the master reset.
When the master reset is complete, “Reboot system now” is highlighted.
Press the Power key to restart the device.

I hope this troubleshooting guide helps.

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Troubleshoot Samsung Galaxy S7 that can’t send SMS & MMS messages

Text messaging is the most basic service a phone can offer but some of Samsung Galaxy S7 (#Samsung #GalaxyS7) owners complained not being able to send and/or receive SMS and MMS messages. So, in this article, I will look into this problem and will provide some steps you could use to troubleshoot it.

There are several factors that could have caused this problem. The purpose of this troubleshooting guide is to know, or at least have an idea, what the problem is so that when it’s something you can’t fix on your own, you know how to tell the technician about it so it would be easier and a lot safer to troubleshoot.

Before anything else, here’s one of the actual messages we received from our readers…

“Hi, I am having a hard time sending and receiving MMS through text messaging even though my mobile data is on. I have searched a lot through the internet to look for answers and I saw that APN is also involved in sending and receiving images through text messaging. So, I tried going to Setting>Mobile Networks> APN Settings and I just end up staring at it because there is no way to add or select an APN. And I also found out that I should have the APN settings for sprint which is on the APN names but not selected. What should I do? – Helen”

If you have other concerns with your new Galaxy S7, visit our troubleshooting page as we list down every problem we address. Try to find issues that are similar to yours and use the solutions we provided. If they won’t work or if you need further assistance, don’t hesitate to contact us by completing this questionnaire.

Troubleshooting SMS Issues with Galaxy S7

The Short Message Service (SMS) otherwise known as text messaging requires the device to be connected to the cellular network to be able to send small-size data. Thus, it is totally dependent to the quality of coverage the phone gets. The thing is, the problem can range from a simple phone issue to a more complicated network problem and since we cannot rule out the latter without the help of the provider, it’s better to check on the phone first before calling tech support.

Step 1: Reboot your Galaxy S7

If the problem occurred out of the blue without apparent reason or cause, there’s a chance that it’s just a minor glitch in either the firmware or hardware. Things like this happen all the time but they’re very easy to fix and the most common and effective way to address them is the restart.

Step 2: Check the signal bars for coverage

After the reboot and you still can’t sent / receive SMS, then look at the notification bar to see if the phone is still detecting signal from the tower. If the signal bars are full, it means you’re in an area with an excellent coverage, although there are times when service outages occur.

Step 3: If the signals bars show poor coverage, try to go to an open space

In case your device gets poor coverage when inside your room or home, try to go outside to see if the coverage improves. If not, then you might be in an area with poor signal coverage. You need to call your provider and inquire about it because it’s a network issue.

Step 4: If the signal bars show excellent coverage, check the settings of your phone

If your problem is with sending out text messages, then the problem must be with the Message Center Number; it might have been messed up, deleted, edited, etc.

Open your messaging app and tap MORE > Settings > More settings > Text messages > Message center. There should be a number visible to you, copy it and call your provider to confirm if it’s correct or not.

If the Message Center number in your phone is correct and the problem still occurs, then verify there are no bars in your account that hinder you from transmitting text messages.

Step 5: If the signal bars are full but you can’t receive messages

Try to check if there’s enough storage space left in your phone. I understand it’s new but 32GB is easy to fill, in fact, it’s not enough to hold a few full HD movies. My point is, there’s a chance it’s a storage space problem than anything else.

You may want to transfer files over to your microSD card if you have one mounted on your phone.

In case there’s enough storage left, it’s time you cleared the cache and data of the Messages app. You may lose all your SMS and MMS when you do this:

From the Home screen, tap the Apps icon.
Find and tap on Settings.
Touch Applications and then Application manager.
Swipe to ALL tab.
Find and touch the Messages app.
Touch the Force Close button first.
Then, tap Storage.
Tap Clear cache and then Clear data, Delete.

Step 6: If all else fails, perform the master reset

If the problem remained after step 5, then it’s time you brought the phone back to its factory settings. It is also the best way to prepare your phone for checkup or replacement as the reset deletes all your personal information. But before you do that, make sure you backup all your data and then remove your Google account and disengage screen lock so as not to trip the anti-theft feature.

Turn off your Samsung Galaxy S7.
Press and then hold the Home and Volume UP keys, then press and hold the Power key.

NOTE: It doesn’t matter how long you press and hold the Home and Volume Up keys, it won’t affect the phone but by the time you press and hold the Power key, that’s when the phone starts to respond.

When the Samsung Galaxy S7 shows on the screen, release the Power key but continue holding the Home and Volume Up keys.
When the Android logo shows, you may release both keys and leave the phone be for about 30 to 60 seconds.

NOTE: The “Installing system update” message may show on the screen for several seconds before displaying the Android system recovery menu. This is just the first phase of the entire process.

Using the Volume Down key, navigate through the options and highlight ‘wipe data / factory reset.’
Once highlighted, you may press the Power key to select it.
Now highlight the option ‘Yes — delete all user data’ using the Volume Down key and press the Power button to select it.
Wait until your phone is finished doing the Master Reset. Once completed, highlight ‘Reboot system now’ and press the Power key.
The phone will now reboot longer than usual.

After the reset and the problem remained, send it in for checkup and possible replacement.

Troubleshooting MMS Issues with Galaxy S7

The first thing you should know about the Multimedia Messaging Service or popularly called as MMS is that it uses mobile data to be able to transmit your messages, pictures, files, etc. Needless to say, the mobile data in your Galaxy S7 should be enabled to connect to your provider’s network. However, your device should be registered in the network and configured properly to be able to use this service.

Services that are commonly referred to as group text, picture messaging, attaching a file to text, sending contact info or Vcards, enhanced messaging, etc. are considered MMS. There has been a lot of confusion about group texting lately; many users think it’s just another form of SMS but it’s not. The moment you group chat, you’re already using data and before I forget, attaching emojis to your text messages will also convert (by default) it into MMS.

Here are some simple steps I want you to do if you’re having issues with this service:

Step 1: Verify that mobile data is enabled in your phone

The moment you’re getting issues sending and receiving MMS, immediately check if mobile data is enabled. It might just save you a lot of time troubleshooting.

Step 2: If mobile data is already enabled, then try rebooting your phone

The very reason for this is to refresh the phone’s memory and close all apps running in the background. If the issue occurred without apparent reason, then it might just be a glitch or an app issue. Restart your phone and see if that makes a difference.

Step 3: Check the APN settings in your phone

Assuming the problem wasn’t fixed by the reboot, then it’s time to check the APN. The Access Point Name is a set of data used by your phone to connect to your provider’s mobile data network. If it has been messed up with or edited, there’s no way for your phone to get service.

If you know the correct APN, go ahead and compare it with the one set in your phone. However, if you don’t know the correct one or if the one set in your device is correct yet you’re still not getting data service, then it’s time you called your provider.

The company may have changed the APN and your phone needs to be reconfigured. Or, there might be some issues with your account.

At this point, your service provider is the one that can help you better.

I hope that this troubleshooting guide can help you fix your Samsung Galaxy S7 SMS and MMS issues. Feel free to leave a comment and I’ll get back to you as soon as I can, or you may contact us through this form.

Text Not Sending Troubleshooting

Phones
Samsung Galaxy S7 text not sending
Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge text not sending
Samsung Galaxy S6 text not sending
Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge text not sending
Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge+ text not sending
Samsung Galaxy S5 text not sending
Samsung Galaxy S4 text not sending
Samsung Note 5 text not sending
Samsung Note 4 text not sending
Samsung Note 3 text not sending
Samsung Galaxy J7 text not sending
Samsung Galaxy J3 text not sending
Google Pixel text not sending
Google Pixel XL text not sending
HTC 10 text not sending
LG V20 text not sending
LG G5 text not sending
Motorola Moto G4 text not sending
Nexus 6P text not sending
Nexus 5 text not sending
Huawei P9 text not sending
Xiaomi Mi5 text not sending

Fix Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge Plus “Unfortunately, IMS Service has stopped” error & other texting problems

Learn how to troubleshoot Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge Plus that is showing the error “Unfortunately, IMS Service has stopped,” which started after the Marshmallow update.
S6 Edge+ won’t send text messages unless they’re converted to MMS. Learn how to fix this problem.
Phone heats up after the update and keeps showing “This app is not available for your device. (com.samsung/svoiceprovider:2290:4002).” when Messages app is launched.
Galaxy S6 Edge Plus takes time over a minute to send text messages and 30 seconds to view messages received. How can you fix this issue?
User can no longer send text messages through Verizon’s messaging app after the Marshmallow update.
Predictive texting seems to have been messed up after the Marshmallow update. Learn how to fix and work around it.
Bubbles suddenly disappeared from Galaxy S6 Edge+.

Samsung and its partner carriers already rolled out Android 6.0.1 Marshmallow update for your Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge Plus and while many have been anticipating it, they were disappointed as it seemed to have brought problems instead of fixing issues with the previous firmware.

Text messaging issues are among the most common ones. Some owners experienced not being able to send and receive SMS messages while others were prompted with the error message “Unfortunately, IMS Service has stopped.” There were also others who reported they couldn’t send SMS unless it’s converted to MMS.

Basically, this problem could be a combination of network, settings and device issues. Read on to learn more about the problems I included in this article. You may encounter one of these issues in the future so it’s better that you know how to deal with it as early as now.

As to our readers who have other issues, please visit our S6 Edge+ troubleshooting page for we have already addressed a lot of issues with this phone. Find ones that are similar or related to yours and use the solutions we suggested. If they don’t work or if you need further assistance, then contact us as we’re always willing to help you. Just fill up our Android issues questionnaire and provide us with more details. We’ll do all the research to help you fix your problem. Don’t worry, it’s a free service.

Q: “Just started since marshmallow update. When typing a text message I get “Unfortunately, IMS service has stopped” almost every time I text.”

A: You need to isolate the problem first so try to boot your phone in safe mode and compose a text message to see if the error still pops up. Here’s how you boot your S6 Edge in safe mode:

Press and hold the Volume Down and Power keys for 20 to 30 seconds.
Once you see the Samsung logo, release the Power key immediately but continue pressing the Volume Down key.
Your phone should continue booting up and you will be prompted to unlock your phone as usual.
You will know if the phone successfully booted in safe mode if the text “Safe mode” is displayed at the lower-left corner of the screen.

If the error still shows up, try to clear the cache and data of the Messages app and if the problem remained, backup your data and do the master reset.

From any Home screen, tap Apps.
Tap Settings.
Scroll to ‘APPLICATIONS,’ then tap Application manager.
Swipe right to the ALL screen.
Scroll to and tap Messages.
Tap Clear cache.
Tap Clear data, then OK.

I hope this helps.

Q: “My Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge Plus will not send out text messages unless they are MMS.”

A: If the problem is that you cannot send out text messages but can receive them, then the problem must be with the Message Center Number. It might have been deleted or changed for some reason. You need to call your service provider and ask the representative to set it up for you. Unless the Message Center Number is properly setup, you can never send out SMS.

On the other hand, if you both can’t send and receive SMS, it must be a network or account issue. Still, you need to call your provider for it.

Q: “I updated my phone to Marshmallow, and now my phone is very hot and it doesn’t let me open my messages. My phone also likes to reset itself randomly. I’m so disappointed and I don’t know what to do anymore. Another error message i am getting is “This app is not available for your device. (com.samsung/svoiceprovider:2290:4002).”

All of these error codes for a new update. Do you know if they will be fixing any of this?”

A: It must be the new firmware that’s corrupt or lacking some files. Unfortunately, there’s nothing you can do about this except re-install the firmware but since the new update has already been downloaded and installed to your phone, you can’t do the same process. So, the firmware has to be manually flashed. You can do so using Odin and a computer but if you don’t know how to do it, then let a technician do it for you.

This is probably just an issue with the S Voice app but since it is embedded in the firmware, you need to reinstall it to fix the problem.

Q: “Since downloading and updating my phone, it has become much slower. Text messaging is an absolute nightmare. Messages take over 1 minute to send and don’t even show up as sent for a few minutes. When I receive a text it takes about 30 seconds to show up in my inbox. The battery life has dropped considerably. Within two hours of being awake the phone is at 50%. Something is not right. I know phones and androids very well. This new software needs a patch.”

A: It is apparently a firmware issue, however, we just can’t pinpoint what the problem really is. So, you need to do some general troubleshooting procedures starting with deleting the system cache. That said, here’s how you do it:

Turn off the device.
Press and hold the following three buttons at the same time: Volume Up key, Home key, and Power key.
When the phone vibrates, release the Power key but continue to press and hold the Volume Up key and the Home key.
When the Android System Recovery screen appears, release the Volume Up and Home keys.
Press the Volume Down key to highlight ‘wipe cache partition.’
Press the Power key to select.
When the wipe cache partition is complete, ‘Reboot system now’ is highlighted.
Press the Power key to restart the device.

This procedure might just take care of the problem but if it fails, then doing the master reset will, however, you need to backup all your important data and files as they’ll all be deleted. This is how you do the master reset:

Turn off your Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge.
Press and hold the Volume Up, Home and Power keys together.
When the device powers on and displays ‘Power on logo’, release all keys and the Android icon will appear on the screen.
Wait until the Android Recovery Screen appears after about 30 seconds.
Using the Volume Down key, highlight the option, ‘wipe data/factory reset’ and press the Power key to select it.
Press the Vol Down button again until the option ‘Yes — delete all user data’ is highlighted and then press the Power key to select it.
After the reset is complete, highlight ‘Reboot system now’ and hit the Power key to restart the phone.

Q: “Once the update was installed I could no longer text through the normal Verizon option, phone locks up as soon as you try to open it and if you click on a text once it opens screen goes black and can’t do anything. Texting works fine in Samsung Message option though. Tried rebooting and resetting and nothing works to fix that.”

A: You should call Verizon about it as it is apparently an issue with the app itself. I’m not sure if you already did the master reset but it may be worth a try.

Q: “Since the phone updated to the marshmallow OS the auto correct has been changing words to things that do not even make sense. If I type anything with an ! or ? it changes it to I!, which is something I’ve never typed in my life. So haha! changes to I! any word followed by question mark also changes to whatever it wants. Even if I type it and press and hold to save it, it still defaults back.”

A: It might be just a glitch in the system–the new firmware. So, try to wipe the cache partition first and in case if that won’t work, clear the cache and data of the Samsung Keyboard or any keyboard you’re using for that matter.

There’s also a workaround to this problem in case you want a different route and that’s to disable predictive text feature:

From the Home screen, tap the Apps icon.
Find and tap on Settings.
Touch Language & input.
Choose Samsung Keyboard.
Turn off Predictive Text.

Q: “Just got phone today. Option to change background and bubbles has suddenly changed and “bubble” option has totally disappeared. It just says background. There is no longer any option to change bubble. I know it was there when I first looked at phone.”

A: For some reason, Marshmallow update took that feature away. So, there’s nothing much we can do about it as it concerns the firmware. Even your provider may not be able to do something about it as it’s a Samsung thing.

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How to fix Samsung Galaxy Note 7 that can’t send and receive text messages [Troubleshooting Guide]

Text messaging is one of the most basic services smartphones offer and when a powerful, premium phone such as the #Samsung #Galaxy Note 7 (#Note7) is concerned, sending text messages is a very simple task and it should work all time, right? Wrong. Based on complaints we received, text messaging is among the most commonly reported issues with Samsung’s flagships starting from the very first Galaxy.

Galaxy-Note-7-text-messaging-problems — Img credit: Android Authority

In this post, I will tackle the problem wherein the phone cannot send and receive text messages or SMS. Aside from that I will also address yet another common problem related to texting–multimedia messaging or MMS.

Before anything else, if you have another issue with your new device, make sure you visit our Note 7 troubleshooting page where we list down all links that point to problems our readers sent. We update the page every week so try to browse through it to find related issues and feel free to use our suggested solutions or troubleshooting guides. If they don’t work for you, however, you can always reach out to us by completing our Android issues questionnaire.

Troubleshooting Galaxy Note 7 that can’t send / receive text messages (SMS)

Majority of smartphones in the United States are carried by big carriers and service providers so these units are already provisioned when they reach the hands of the users. In short, they must be ready to use after purchase and while other services might take a little time activating, sending and receiving text messages should be the first service to be fully working. So, what would you do if your new device cannot send and receive SMS?

Step 1: Reboot your phone

The moment you notice your Note 7 failed to send a simple text message, don’t do anything yet, instead reboot your phone as hardware and firmware glitches happen all the time. A reboot is a very effective troubleshooting procedure you can do for issues that occurred without apparent reason such as this.

After the reboot, try to compose a text message and send it to your own number.

Step 2: Check the signal bars

If a text message doesn’t go through, check the signal bars to see if it has something to do with the reception. Remember, if the phone cannot receive decent signal from the tower, it may not be able to send and receive text messages and even calls.

Assuming the device shows that it’s getting good signal, try making a call to any number on your contact list to know if that goes through. If it does, then the problem might be with the Message Center Number and since we don’t know what’s the correct series, you need to call your service provider and ask the rep to give it to you or set it up on your device.

If the test message, however, went through but your phone hasn’t received it, immediately check the number it was sent to and if it’s correct, verify your phone has enough storage. Your phone downloads messages into its internal storage so if there’s not enough space, try to move some apps, files, pictures, etc. to your SD card if you have one just to free up some space.

But then again, if you’re relying on your phone to notify you when messages come in, double-check if there are unread messages in the inbox. It might have received it without you knowing about it.

Step 3: Do the master reset

If your Galaxy Note 7 is getting a decent signal from your provider and that test message didn’t go through, then take time backing up your data and files and reset your phone to bring it back to its factory defaults as it might be just a misconfiguration issue:

Backup your data and files saved in the phone’s internal storage.
Remove your Google account to deactivate the anti-theft function of the phone.
Turn off your Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge.
Press and then hold the Home and Volume UP keys, then press and hold the Power key. NOTE: It doesn’t matter how long you press and hold the Home and Volume Up keys, it won’t affect the phone but by the time you press and hold the Power key, that’s when the phone starts to respond.
When the Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge shows on the screen, release the Power key but continue holding the Home and Volume Up keys.
When the Android logo shows, you may release both keys and leave the phone be for about 30 to 60 seconds. NOTE: The “Installing system update” message may show on the screen for several seconds before displaying the Android system recovery menu. This is just the first phase of the entire process.
Using the Volume Down button, highlight the option ‘wipe data / factory reset’’ and press the Power key to select it.
Press the Volume Down button a few times to highlight ‘Yes — delete all user data’ and press the Power key to select it.
It may take a few seconds to complete the reset so just wait.
Once completed, the option ‘Reboot system now’ must be highlighted, so press the Power button to restart your phone.
The Note 7 will then boot up normally.

If all else fails, send the phone back and request a replacement.

Troubleshooting Galaxy Note 7 that can’t send / receive picture messages (MMS)

Picture messages or texts with attached pictures and/or files are considered MMS. Even simple texts that use emojis belong to this category. The big difference between SMS and MMS is that the latter require mobile data to transmit files that are potentially large in size or beyond the limit of the cellular network used for SMS.

If the SMS has the Message Center Number to connect to the cellular network, MMS also has an APN (Access Point Name) to connect to your provider’s mobile data network. With those things said, here’s what you need to do if your new Note7 fails to send and/or receive MMS…

Step 1: Verify if mobile data is enabled in your phone

It is the first requirement that should be met. Without it, there’s no way for your phone to connect to the network, thus, transmission of files and messages that should be sent through it won’t work.

If it’s already enabled, try composing a test MMS attaching a small sized file or photo and send it to your own number. If it goes through, try sending a test message to one of your contacts and confirm if he/she receives it and if so, then the problem might be with the size of file your send. Compressing the files or downsizing the photo may fix this issue. I also suggest you call your provider to inquire about size limit in MMS.

Step 2: Check the APN settings

If the mobile data is already enabled and your Note 7 can’t still send and receive MMS, then it must be the APN settings that have a problem. Such information can always be found in your provider’s website so try to check if the APN in your phone is correct or not and if not, then make necessary changes. If the problem still persists or if you can’t edit the APN, you should call your service provider and let the rep take care of the problem for you.

Step 3: Call service provider for account-related concerns

Do this if mobile data is enabled and that you’ve verified that the APN on your phone is correct. When everything else seems fine yet your phone is having a problem, then it must an account-related issue. Obviously, we can’t do something about it except call your provider and inquire whether there’s a bar on your account from using such service.

Also, if your phone is carried by your current service provider and that there was a recent update, you should try wiping the cache partition or even go as far as the master reset before bringing it back to the store. Here’s how you wipe the cache partition…

Turn off your Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge.
Press and then hold the Home and Volume UP keys, then press and hold the Power key. NOTE: It doesn’t matter how long you press and hold the Home and Volume Up keys, it won’t affect the phone but by the time you press and hold the Power key, that’s when the phone starts to respond.
When the Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge shows on the screen, release the Power key but continue holding the Home and Volume Up keys.
When the Android logo shows, you may release both keys and leave the phone be for about 30 to 60 seconds. NOTE: The “Installing system update” message may show on the screen for several seconds before displaying the Android system recovery menu. This is just the first phase of the entire process.
Using the Volume Down button, highlight the option ‘wipe cache partition’ and press the Power key to select it.
Use the Volume Down button again to highlight ‘yes’ and press the Power key to select.
It may take a few seconds to completely wipe the cache partition so wait a little.
Once completed, the option ‘Reboot system now’ must be highlighted, so press the Power button to restart your phone.
The Note 7 will then boot up normally.

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Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge automatically attaches pictures to text, other text messaging problems

Learn how to troubleshoot your #Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge (#GalaxyS7Edge) that automatically attaches pictures to text message threads.
What to do if your S7 Edge cannot send and receive both text messages and MMS.
How to troubleshoot your phone that only plays text notifications randomly when it’s set to notify all the time.
User reported not being able to reply to text alerts from his bank.
How to make your Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge to download picture messages upon receipt.

One of the trending problems with the Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge involves the Messages app that reportedly attaches pictures to the threads. The photo it attaches appears as though it has been sent although recipients don’t actually receive it. Also, the app choose random photos from the Gallery or even from Facebook. It’s a weird problem but it seems to be like a bug or a glitch.

Read on to learn more about this problem as well as other issues I addressed in this post. If you’ve contacted us regarding a similar issue, then try to go through each problem as they may be similar to yours. You may also want to visit our troubleshooting page as we already addressed a lot of problems with this phone since it was released.

For those who need further assistance, you can always contact us by completing our Android issues questionnaire but please be thorough in describing your problem so that we can provide you with more accurate solutions. We may not entertain messages that contain one sentence.

Q: “Sometimes, when I send a text, a photo from my gallery or from Facebook (Might be from the Verizon cloud…) pops up in my feed. Only I can see it. Why?”

A: I assume you’re using the stock or native messaging app. This is actually some kind of a bug or a glitch. I heard it before but some users said their issues were fixed on their own. However, if it started happening to you recently without apparent reason, I suggest you clear the cache and data of the messaging app.

From the Home screen, tap the Apps icon.
Find and tap on Settings.
Touch Applications and then Application manager.
Swipe to ALL tab.
Find and touch Messages.
Touch the Force Close button first.
Then, tap Storage.
Tap Clear cache and then Clear data, Delete.

I hope this helps.

Q: “Switched recently from the iPhone. Group texts are not being received, SMS and MMS. This has been a ridiculous issue and I’ve legitimately tried everything. Read numerous articles to troubleshoot, called my carrier multiple times, talked to Apple support, and Samsung. It’s honestly ridiculous that this is such a common issue with the phone. What else can I do?”

A: When it comes to not being able to send/receive SMS, you have to call your service provider as there’s only so much you can do about it. The phone should be able to transmit text messages as soon as it’s powered on and if it detects a decent cellular signal. So, if there’s a problem with that, it’s often a network issue or a problem with your provider’s system.

While your provider plays a great role in allowing your phone to connect to its mobile data network, there’s something you can do about it to make sure the problem isn’t on your end. For instance, you can check if mobile data is enabled and if it is, you can verify the APN settings to see if it conforms with the correct one. And since we’re talking about group texting here, you can check under the settings in the Messages app to see if Group conversation is enabled or not. But at the end of the day, your provider should be the first one to help you fix these problems.

Q: “Text notification is random. I have checked configuration and text notification is on. Sometimes I will receive notifications for every text in a series. Next time I may not receive any notification. I read above there are known problems with notifications – is this one that will resolve by a reset that deletes all of my user data? I hate to lose my contacts although losing text history and the like – that happened when I recently replaced my iPhone 5S with my S7 Edge and I survived.”

A: If the problem started just recently and if your phone’s firmware was updated, then there’s a chance it’s just some corrupt caches that cause it. I suggest you try to wipe the cache partition first:

Turn off your Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge.
Press and then hold the Home and Volume UP keys, then press and hold the Power key.
When the Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge shows on the screen, release the Power key but continue holding the Home and Volume Up keys.
When the Android logo shows, you may release both keys and leave the phone be for about 30 to 60 seconds.
Using the Volume Down key, navigate through the options and highlight ‘wipe cache partition.’
Once highlighted, you may press the Power key to select it.
Now highlight the option ‘Yes’ using the Volume Down key and press the Power button to select it.
Wait until your phone is finished wiping the cache partition. Once completed, highlight ‘Reboot system now’ and press the Power key.
The phone will now reboot longer than usual.

However, if the problem persists after deleting the system cache, then you should try doing the master reset. I understand you’re hesitant to do that considering there’s no guarantee it’ll be fixed it’s worth a try. You just have to backup your data, files, contacts and everything you don’t want to lose.

Q: “Suddenly every time I receive a text, a random picture is attached. It may be a photo from my gallery or it may be a photo that came from who-knows-where. Other people can’t see the picture on their phones- only I can see it. Sometimes when I SEND a text a random picture is attached as well. Again, the picture does not show up on anyone else’s phone. It’s really bizarre and irritating and now I can’t tell if people are actually sending me pictures or if my phone has just decided to attach one to a message. Any help you could provide would be appreciated!”

A: It’s basically the same as the first issue I addressed in this post. Try to follow what I suggest above, then clear the cache and data of the Messages app and if that doesn’t work, try to do the master reset. That should get rid of this very annoying problem.

Backup your data.
Remove your Google account.
Disengage screen lock.
Turn off your Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge.
Press and then hold the Home and Volume UP keys, then press and hold the Power key.

When the Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge shows on the screen, release the Power key but continue holding the Home and Volume Up keys.
When the Android logo shows, you may release both keys and leave the phone be for about 30 to 60 seconds.

Using the Volume Down key, navigate through the options and highlight ‘wipe data / factory reset.’
Once highlighted, you may press the Power key to select it.
Now highlight the option ‘Yes — delete all user data’ using the Volume Down key and press the Power button to select it.
Wait until your phone is finished doing the Master Reset. Once completed, highlight ‘Reboot system now’ and press the Power key.
The phone will now reboot longer than usual.

Q: “I have the S7 Edge for a month now. In the last 3 days, I am receiving picture and group texts to my text app but it has my email address. If I reply to it, it opens a new text box with my name, my email address and my husbands phone number and the reply is sent out as him. I have reset my phone to factory settings 3 times and its still happening. Any ideas?”

A: Group texts and pictures messages need mobile data to be sent and received. So if you don’t want to receive them, turn off mobile data. However, please try to read the first problem as well as the one before this as you may have the same issue.

Q: “I signed up for text alerts from my bank. Once I tried to reply to this number, I was given a notification that sending messages to this number may cost additional money. I accidently pushed “don’t send” and now I can not send messages to that number, they all fail. I have searched for a setting that controls this feature but can’t find anything. I have also cleared cache and data and the issue persists. TIA”

A: There are numbers we can’t send or reply to and I’m afraid this is the case in your phone. To verify that, however, try sending messages to other numbers or even to your number. If you can send/receive texts from others, then the issue isn’t with your phone. You should call your bank and inquire about it as they can provide you more accurate answers as to why you can’t reply to their alerts.

Q: “When I get group messages or picture messages it says tap to download. I tap it but just ends up saying message not downloaded. Please help.”

A: First of all, so that you can receive and send MMS, you need to enable mobile data on your phone. Then, go to Settings > Applications > Messages > More > Multimedia messages > enable Auto retrieve. This option will automatically download pictures or whatever it is that’s attached to the text message.

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How to fix your Sony Xperia XZ Premium smartphone that won’t send or receive SMS/text messages [Troubleshooting Guide]

Being unable to use the core functions of your phone, particularly SMS sending and receiving is definitely a big deal. Nonetheless, it’s inevitable to bumped into such issues given the fact that it’s among the network-related services on your device. Network problems are inevitable, so you have no choice but to deal with them whenever they occur. Highlighted in this post are simple solutions and suggested workarounds that are used to troubleshoot SMS problems on a Sony Xperia XZ Premium smartphone.

If you own this same device and need more inputs on how to fix a similar issue, then you may refer to this walkthrough. Read further to find out what to do if text or SMS messages won’t send or be received on your Xperia XZ Premium device.

For smartphone owners who found our site while trying to find a solution, try to see if your phone is one of the devices we support. If it is, then visit the troubleshooting page for that device, browse through it to find issues that are similar with yours and feel free to use our solutions and workarounds. However, if you still need our help after that, then fill up our Android issues questionnaire and hit submit to contact us.

How to troubleshoot Xperia XZ Premium that won’t send / receive text messages

Before you start troubleshooting, check the signal indicators on the status bar of your phone and make sure it’s getting a stable network signal. If your phone is getting weak and unstable signal or no signal at all, then try to move to a different location that’s free from any signal barriers. At least 2 bars of signal strength will do. If you’re using your phone in an area that’s already out of your network’s coverage, then you can do nothing but use network services on your phone again whenever you get back to your network coverage area. If you’re within the coverage area but having trouble getting a good network signal, you’ll need to deal with network problems first to make use of your phone’s SMS functions.

Also ensure that your phone’s memory isn’t full. You may not be able to send or receive further SMS or text messages unless you free up some space by deleting old message threads and conversations, or any other unwanted files from your phone storage. If you still cannot send or receive SMS after doing that, then try these subsequent workarounds. These are actually generic solutions that are found to be working wonders to many Android phone owners who have dealt with SMS sending and receiving problems.

First solution: Reboot your phone (soft reset).

Minor software errors affecting your messaging application are usually the main reason why SMS functions suddenly failed. To clear these errors, perform a soft reset or simply reboot your phone with these steps:

Press and hold the Power key for a few seconds until the menu opens.
Tap Restart from the given options.
Then wait for your phone to reboot.

Other transpiring symptoms from minor software glitches and errant cache are likewise cleared in the process. All saved information on the internal memory will still intact, so there’s no need for backups.

Second solution: Reset network settings on the phone.

Rectifying network settings errors on the phone can also be the key to solving the problem especially if it started after modifying some settings on your device. Invalid options and network configurations can be cleared by resetting network settings and here’s how it’s done:

Tap to open the Settings app.
Select Network & Internet.
Tap the Menu icon (three vertical dots) to view more options.
Select Network settings reset.
Then tap RESET SETTINGS to confirm.

Wait until the reset is finished then restart your phone to apply new changes. When your phone has completed the boot-up sequence, configure necessary options and enable network features you want to use on your device including Wi-Fi and cellular data network.

Third solution: Set or change SMS service center number on your SIM card.

Another trick you can try on if the problem continues following a network settings reset is to change or set the SMS service center number. Here’s how it’s done:

Tap the Apps icon from the Home screen.
Scroll to and tap Phone.
If necessary, tap the dialpad icon.
Key in *#*#4636#*#* to the dialer.
Tap Phone information.
Scroll down to SMSC.
Tap Refresh to view the current number and the format it uses. If you’re getting a Refresh error or Update error, contact your network service provider or carrier for more help. Otherwise, continue to the next step.
Enter the relevant SMSC number in the input field using the correct format and then tap Update.

If you see an Update error, contact your carrier again for help.

Fourth solution: Install new system update for your device.

Installing the latest system update for your Xperia XZ Premium smartphone can also help if the problem is somehow triggered by random bugs. Software updates do offer security patches that are needed to address bug-inflicted errors and problems on the phone.

To check the current software version of your phone, go to Settings-> System-> About phone-> Build number.

If a new system update is available, you will see a Refresh icon on the status bar. To download the update, follow these steps:

Drag the status bar downwards to open the notification panel.
Scroll down and tap to select the desired system update.
Tap Download to start downloading the update.
Wait until the update is completely downloaded and then tap Install to start installing the system update on your phone.

Follow every on-screen prompt to complete the system update installation and then restart your phone when done.

Fifth solution: Remove and reseat the SIM card on your phone.

Misplaced or damaged SIM card may also be the underlying cause of the problem. To make sure this isn’t causing your SMS troubles, remove and reseat the SIM card on your phone with these steps:

Turn off your phone completely.
With your phone powered off, insert the SIM tray ejector or small paperclip into the provided hole on the tray until it pops out.
Gently remove the tray from the phone and then remove the SIM card from the tray.
Check the SIM card for any visible signs of damage and if it shows none, place it back into the SIM tray in the same position before you removed it. The gold contacts must be facing down the card tray.
Secure the SIM card and then push the tray back into the phone. Make sure that the tray is locked in place.

Removing and reinstalling the SIM card is also another way of refreshing network-related services on your device. If you suspect that the SIM card is damaged, contact your service provider for recommendations. A new SIM card replacement may be necessary.

Other things you need to check

If your problem is only with sending SMS, double check the phone number and make sure it’s correct. Your message may have an incorrect phone number or recipient address that needs to be rectified.
Another thing to check is your account status. You may not be able to send or receive text messages because the feature is blocked on your account. Ask your carrier or network service provider about this matter so they can make necessary settings and message preferences on your account.

Seek more help

If you started to have trouble sending or receiving SMS/text messages on your Xperia XZ Premium smartphone after installing a new system update or modifying some settings on your device and the problem persists after applying the previous workarounds, you can ask further assistance from Sony Xperia Support team. Advanced solutions may be needed to clear complex software errors that caused the SMS system to stop working on your phone.

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Samsung Galaxy S6 shows “Unfortunately, Messages has stopped” error, other texting & calling issues after update [Troubleshooting Guide]

Text messaging issues seem to plague many of the Samsung Galaxy S6 owners as of late especially after a firmware update. Some of our readers contacted us regarding the issues they’ve encountered. One of those is the error message “Unfortunately, Messages has stopped,” which basically notifies the owner about the built-in messaging app that crashed for some reason.

In this post, I will tackle this error message as well as other relevant issues concerning the phone’s capability to send / receive text messages and make / receive incoming and outgoing calls. If you own this phone, continue reading below for our troubleshooting guide as it may be able to help you figure out what the problem with your phone is.

For those who are looking for a solution to a totally different issue, visit our troubleshooting page for we have already addressed hundreds of problems since we started supporting this device. Find issues that are the same or similar with yours and use the solutions and/or troubleshooting guides we suggested. If they don’t work for you or if you need further assistance, then fill up our Android issues questionnaire and hit submit to contact us.

Step-by-step guide on how to get rid of “Unfortunately, Messages has stopped” error

Problem: Hi droid guys. My phone is a Galaxy S6 and it’s still a few months old but it seems like its most basic function, which is texting, is no longer working. Why? Because every time I try to compose a text message and open the app, an error would show up saying unfortunately, messages has stopped. Oh, it also shows when I try to read a text message. I don’t know how to fix it so if you guys know what to do, please help me. Thanks.

Troubleshooting: More often than not, error messages just like this one may be a sign of a minor app-related problem. However, we’ve seen cases wherein a simple app crash is just one of the symptoms of a more serious firmware issue. It is imperative, therefore, that we take time troubleshooting your device to know what the problem is all about and whether or not we can do something to fix it. Here’s what needs to be done about this problem…

Step 1: Find out if the error is caused by one of the third-party apps

Third-party apps can also cause built-in apps to crash. We’ve seen such cases several times in the past that’s why we often take into consideration this possibility whenever we troubleshoot just to be thorough. That said, the first thing that you should do is to restart your Samsung Galaxy S6 in safe mode to temporarily disable all third-party apps and allow your device to run in diagnostic state wherein there would be no interference from third-party services, apps and other processes. To do this, follow these steps:

Turn the device off.
Press and hold the Power key.
When the Samsung Galaxy S6 logo appears, release the Power key, then immediately press and hold the Volume down key.
Hold the Volume down key until the device finishes restarting.
When ‘Safe mode’ appears in the bottom left, release the Volume down key.

While the phone is in this mode, try to open the messaging app, compose a text message or read existing ones just to know if the error still occurs. Assuming the error doesn’t show up, it confirms our suspicion that the problem is caused by one of the apps you downloaded and installed. Find the culprit and uninstall it.

1. From the Home screen, tap Apps.
2. Tap Settings.
3. Under ‘Device,’ tap Applications.
4. Tap Application manager.
5. Swipe right to the DOWNLOADED screen.
6. Tap desired app, then tap Uninstall.
7. Tap Uninstall to confirm

You may have to uninstall more than one app and reboot your phone a hundred times just to test if the problem still occurs or not and I know how tiring that could be but I recommend you do that for the sake of your data and personal files.

Assuming, however, that the error still shows up every time you open the Messages app when in safe mode, it could be a sign of an app problem or a firmware issue. Move on to the next step.

Step 2: Reset Messages to bring it back to its default settings

This procedure is very important since, obviously, we’re dealing with an error wherein the Messages app is specifically mentioned. You may lose some of your messages but I recommend you go through with it. You can reset an app by clearing its cache and data and this is how you do it on your Galaxy S6:

From the Home screen, tap Apps.
Tap Settings.
Tap Applications.
Tap Application manager.
Tap the desired app.
To display pre-installed apps, tap MORE > Show system apps.
Tap Storage.
Tap Clear data, then tap OK.
Tap Clear cache.

After this, open the app and see if the error still shows up and if it does, then move on to the next step.

Step 3: Reset your phone to bring it back to its factory default settings

After doing the first two steps and the problem still remains, it’s time you did the reset on your device to ultimately rule out the possibility of a firmware problem. After this and the error still shows up, you have to bring the phone back to the shop as the firmware may need to be reinstalled.

However, resetting your phone will delete all your personal files and data. Make sure you make a backup of things you don’t want to lose. After which, disable the Factory Reset Protection (FRP) so you won’t be locked out of your device after the reset. Here’s how…

From the Home screen, tap Apps.
Tap Settings.
Tap Accounts.
Tap Google.
Tap the Google ID email address. Repeat for each Google email address.
Tap MORE.
Tap Remove account.
Tap REMOVE ACCOUNT to confirm.

After disabling the FRP on you Galaxy S6, follow these steps to reset it…

Turn off the device.
Press and hold the Volume Up and Home keys, then press and hold the Power key.
When the Samsung Galaxy S 6 logo displays, release only the Power key.
When the Android logo displays, release the Volume Up and Home keys. ‘Installing system update’ appears for 30 – 60 seconds, followed by the Android system recovery menu.
Press the Volume down key until “wipe data / factory reset” is highlighted, then press the Power key.
Press the Volume down key until “Yes — delete all user data” is highlighted, then press the Power key.
When the master reset is complete, “Reboot system now” is highlighted.
Press the Power key to restart the phone.

I hope this helps.

Galaxy S6 SMS sending and call dropping issue after update

Problem: On my Galaxy S6 I have always had problems sending a text message with a picture or a video. I’ve had to resort to uploading the video to YouTube in order to send it and even wait a long time to even send a picture. I have contacted Verizon and been told different things but nothing works. I have to use Wi-Fi because despite the fact I have the fastest speed internet and a network extender I still drop calls. Also I just did a software update and now in the text messaging application instead of displaying the autocorrect it shows a dark rectangular box which is difficult to read want to suggested correction is. Is there any way to lighten it up or display it in another form to make this process easier to see? I can click and long press the Box and it brings up the correction in Orange but it doesn’t always work properly and is time consuming. It is probably the same in emails but I haven’t even checked that yet. This software update has been pretty extensive and changed a lot of things and I’m still learning how how to operate it efficiently.

Solution: Most of the time, this issue occurs if the signal strength in your area is unstable or there’s a problem with your service provider. But as you stated that you already contacted Verizon about it to no avail, then there might be another factor that triggered the issue. It could be third-party apps or the firmware itself was messed up after the update. Now, what we have to do is to isolate the issue by spending time performing troubleshooting procedures on your phone to determine what caused the problem to occur. Here’s what you should do:

Step 1: Clear the cache and data of the app for it might be corrupted

So, the first thing that we should do is to make sure that it is not the cache and data of the app caused it. In this procedure, we have to bring back the app to its default settings to make sure that the files that will be using is all new and could run perfectly to the new system you installed. Follow these steps to clear the app’s cache and data:

From the Home screen, tap Apps.
Tap Settings.
Tap Applications.
Tap Application manager.
Tap the desired app.
To display pre-installed apps, tap MORE > Show system apps.
Tap Storage.
Tap Clear data, then tap OK.
Tap Clear cache.

But after doing the method and the device is still misbehaving, then you can perform the next procedure.

Step 2: Boot your device in Safe mode for there may be an app that’s causing the problem

Since clearing the cache and data hasn’t fix the problem, there is a possibility that a third-party app is responsible for it. So, through safe mode we can determine if some of the apps you’ve installed is preventing the device to function normally. But take note, this method won’t fix the issue, instead, it will temporarily disable all third-party apps and allow the pre-installed to run in the system alone.

Turn the device off.
Press and hold the Power key.
When the Samsung Galaxy S6 logo appears, release the Power key, then immediately press and hold the Volume down key.
Hold the Volume down key until the device finishes restarting.
When ‘Safe mode’ appears in the bottom left, release the Volume down key.

While in safe mode try to send a text message (SMS) to your number as well as make a phone and see if the issue still happening. If not,then there should be an app caused it. Try to find what that app is and uninstall it. However, if there’s no changes in the phone’s performance, then try performing the next step for further troubleshooting.

Step 3: Delete the cache partition to delete and replace system caches

The cache partition are temporary files stored in the cache directory to make it easier for the device to access quickly if you have to browse a web, access an app and other task that you want to do on your phone. However, if these caches were outdated or corrupted there is a chance that several issues will occur on your phone. So, the best thing that you should do now is to reset its cache partition and observe if the issue persists. Follow these steps:

Turn off the device.
Press and hold the Volume up, Home, and Power keys together.
When the Samsung Galaxy S 6 logo screen displays, release only the Power key.
When the Android logo displays, release the Volume up and Home keys. ‘Installing system update’ appears for 30 – 60 seconds, followed by the Android system recovery menu.
Press the Volume down key until ‘wipe cache partition’ is highlighted.
Press the Power key to select.
Press the Volume down key until ‘yes’ is highlighted.
Press the Power key to select.
When the wipe cache partition is complete, ‘Reboot system now’ is highlighted.
Press the Power key to restart the device.

Step 4: Perform the Factory reset procedure on your Galaxy S6

But if the procedure still doesn’t have effects on the issue, then you don’t have a choice but to reset the device. Unlike previous steps, this method is more complicated and will erase everything stored in your phone including contacts, photos, music and videos. Before doing so, we advise that you should transfer all of them to your SD card or computer.

From the Home screen, tap Apps.
Tap Settings.
Tap Backup and reset.
If desired, tap the Back up my data slider to ON or OFF.
If desired, tap the Restore slider to ON or OFF.
Tap Factory data reset.
Tap Reset device.
If screen lock is enabled, enter PIN or password.
Tap Continue.
Tap Delete all.

We’re hoping we have helped you, somehow.

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We are always open to your problems, questions and suggestions, so feel free to contact us by filling up this form. We support every Android device available and we are serious in what we do. 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.

Messaging app keeps crashing on Samsung Galaxy Note 5 running Android Nougat [Troubleshooting Guide]

The error message “Unfortunately, Messages has stopped” has always been one of the most commonly reported issues with the Samsung Galaxy Note 5 or any Galaxy device for that matter. It basically speaks about the default messaging app that crashes for some reason. While the error leaves an impression that it’s a complex problem as the user cannot send / receive text messages, it’s actually just a minor issue that can be fixed by basic troubleshooting.

So, in this post, I will tackle this issue once again since a lot of our readers reported to have experienced this problem with their Note 5 shortly after Android 7 Nougat update was rolled out. It may appear as though it’s a firmware issue, we really just can’t be sure if it really is that’s why we need to troubleshoot your phone. So, if you own a Note 5 and are currently experiencing the same issue, feel free to read our troubleshooting guide below.

But before we jump right into our troubleshooting, try to visit our troubleshooting page if you happen to have a problem that’s not the same as the one we’re trying to fix here. We have already addressed hundreds of problems since the phone was released and odds are that there are already existing solutions to your problems. Find ones that are similar with yours and use the solutions and/or troubleshooting guides we suggested. If they don’t work for you, then contact us by completing our Android issues questionnaire.

Troubleshooting Note 5 with “Unfortunately, Messages has stopped” error

We need to troubleshoot your phone so we will know what the problem is really all about, what causes it, what triggers the error and what needs to be done to get rid of it and even prevent it from happening again in the future. But before we go to the steps, here’s one of the problems sent by one of our readers that best describes this error…

“My phone is Galaxy Note 5 running Android 7.1 Nougat. I just updated it this week and while everything is working properly, there’s one app that keeps crashing–the Messages. Whenever I try to compose a text or read one, the error “Unfortunately, Messages has stopped” would show up and there are only a couple of options; either to tap OK or REPORT but either way, the app would close and I couldn’t do what I need to do. Can you please suggest what I can do to fix it? Thanks a bunch!”

The error message may just show up on its own or triggered by the app itself. Such is the case of many of the problems we’ve tackled before way back 2012 when we were still supporting the Galaxy S3. The point is, we’ve already seen this error in action before and we know it’s easy to fix. That said, here’s what needs to be done:

Step 1: Reboot your in safe mode to see if third-party apps have something to do with it

Let’s try to isolate the problem first by bringing to phone to start in its diagnostic state wherein only built-in apps are running. Here’s how you boot your Note 5 in safe mode:

Turn off the phone completely.
Press and hold the Power key.
Once ‘Samsung Galaxy Note5’ shows, release the Power key and immediately press and hold the Volume Down button.
The phone will restart but keep the Vol Down button pressed.
Once the phone has finished restarting, ‘Safe mode’ will be display in the lower-left corner of the screen.
You may now release the Volume Down button.

While your phone is in this mode, try to open Messages to see if the error still shows up and if so, then move on to the next step, otherwise, you have to find the culprit that triggers the error because, apparently, it’s a third-party app that’s causing it. Once found, uninstall the app so it can no longer cause any more trouble.

Tap Apps from the Home screen.
Tap Settings.
Tap Application Manager.
Tap to select the application you want to uninstall.
Tap Uninstall.
To confirm uninstallation of the selected app, tap Uninstall again.

Step 2: Wipe the cache partition so system caches will be replaced

Considering the fact that your phone has recently been updated to Nougat, there’s a chance some of the system caches the phone is using have been corrupted. When the phone continues to use those corrupt files, performance-related issues and apps crashes may occur. You just have to delete the old caches so they’ll be replaced and here’s how you do it:

Turn off your Samsung Galaxy Note 5 completely.
Press and hold the Volume Up and the Home buttons first, and then press and hold the Power key.
Keep the three buttons pressed and when ‘Samsung Galaxy Note5’ shows, release the Power key but continue holding the other two.
Once the Android logo shows, release both the Volume Up and Home buttons.
The notice ‘Installing system update’ will show on the screen for 30 to 60 seconds before the Android system recovery screen is shown with its options.
Use the Volume Down key to highlight the option ‘wipe cache partition’ and press the Power key to select it.
When the process is complete, use the Volume Down key to highlight the option ‘Reboot system now’ and hit the Power key to restart the phone.
The reboot may take a little longer to complete but don’t worry and wait for the device to become active.

After this, open the app again to see if the error still occurs and if so, the next step might help.

Step 3: Clear the cache and data of the Messages app

You may lose your messages when you do this but it’s necessary at this point. You just have to reset the app to make sure it’s not about corrupt app cache, data or incorrect settings. This is how you do it:

From the Home screen, tap the Apps icon.
Find and tap Settings.
Under the ‘APPLICATIONS’ section, find and touch Application manager.
Swipe to the left or to the right to display the appropriate screen but to display all apps, choose the ‘ALL’ screen.
Find and tap Messages.
Touch Clear cache to delete its cached files.
Touch Clear data and then OK to delete downloaded messages, login information, settings, etc.

If the problem remains after this, then a reset is necessary.

Step 4: Reset your Note 5 to bring it back to factory defaults

You have no other choice at this point and you have to reset your phone to rule out the possibility that it’s caused by some corrupt system files and data. You may lose all your personal files and data when you do this so make sure you create a backup. After the backup process, disable anti-theft or Factory Reset Protection (FRP) so you won’t be locked out of your device after the reset.

This is how you disable anti-theft…

From the Home screen, tap the Apps icon.
Tap Settings.
Tap Accounts.
Tap Google.
Tap your Google ID email address. If you have multiple accounts setup, you will need to repeat these steps for each account.
Tap More.
Tap Remove account.
Tap REMOVE ACCOUNT.

Now, to reset your phone, follow these steps:

Turn off your Samsung Galaxy Note 5 completely.
Press and hold the Volume Up and the Home buttons first, and then press and hold the Power key.
Keep the three buttons pressed and when ‘Samsung Galaxy Note5’ shows, release the Power key but continue holding the other two.
Once the Android logo shows, release both the Volume Up and Home buttons.
The notice ‘Installing system update’ will show on the screen for 30 to 60 seconds before the Android system recovery screen is shown with its options.
Use the Volume Down key to highlight the option ‘Yes — delete all user data’ and press the Power key to select it.
When the process is complete, use the Volume Down key to highlight the option ‘Reboot system now’ and hit the Power key to restart the phone.
The reboot may take a little longer to complete but don’t worry and wait for the device to become active.

I hope that this troubleshooting guide somehow helped you fix the problem and get rid of the error message.

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What to do about your HTC U11 that can’t send or receive text messages [Troubleshooting Guide]

Among the most common issues that we often receive are related to text messaging so we find it really necessary to address problems that have something to do with sending or receiving of messages. Recently, we started receiving complaints from HTC U11 owners that’s why we need to find out if those problems are widespread or isolated. We need to do some troubleshooting procedures to try to fix the problem.

In this post, I will walk you through in troubleshooting your HTC U11 that might have this kind of issue. Let’s try to consider every possibility and rule them out one by one until we can easily pinpoint where the problem really lies. That way we can try to formulate a solution that might fix it for good. So, if you’re one of the owners of this phone and are currently bugged by a similar concern, continue reading below as this post may be able to help you.

But before we go to our troubleshooting, if you happen to be looking for a solution to a different problem, then I suggest you visit our HTC U11 troubleshooting page for we may have already addressed concerns that are similar with yours. Feel free to use our solutions and workarounds. If they don’t work and you need further assistance, you can always contact us by completing our Android issues questionnaire and hitting submit.

How to troubleshoot HTC U11 that can’t send text messages

Your phone should be connected to your provider’s network to be able to send and receive text messages. But when it comes to sending a text, we simply have to rule out the possibility that it’s not an issue with your phone before calling your provider about it. That said, here’s what you should do…

Step 1: Reboot your phone

If this is the first time you failed to send a text message, don’t do anything yet except reboot your phone to refresh its memory and probably fix glitches that’s causing the sending of text messages fail. We have, of course, encountered similar issues with other devices before and some of them were fixed by a simple reboot so it’s worth trying.

After the reboot, send a text message to your own number so that you would know if it’s successfully sent and received. If the sending fails once again, move on to the next step.

Step 2: Run your phone in safe mode and try sending a text

We have to rule out the possibility that this kind of problem is due to a third-party app you installed on your phone. We don’t really know which app it is so we will try to temporarily disable all third-party apps by booting your phone up in safe mode, here’s how…

While your phone is on, press and hold the POWER button for a few seconds to turn your phone off.
When prompted, press and hold Power off.
When you see the Reboot to Safe mode dialog box, tap OK.Your phone will restart and you should see Safe mode at the lower portion of the screen.
Test your phone to see if Safe mode resolves the issue.If yes, uninstall a recently-downloaded app that might be causing the problem.
To switch back to Normal mode, turn off your phone, and then turn it back on again.

Or you can try this procedure…

Turn the HTC U11 off.
Press the Power button to turn it on.
When the HTC logo displays on the screen, let go of the Power key and immediately press and hold the Volume Down button.
Let go of the button when you see Safe mode at the lower left portion of the screen.

Now try to send a text message to your number to know if it goes through. If it doesn’t, move on to the next step, however, if you’ve successfully sent the message, it means one or some of the apps you installed is causing the problem. The next thing you should do is try to update the apps that have available updates…

From any Home screen, tap the Apps icon.
Tap Play Store.
Tap the Menu key and then tap My Apps. To keep your apps automatically updated, tap the Menu key, tap Settings, and then tap Auto-update apps to select the check box.
Choose one of the following options:
- Tap Update [xx] to update all applications with updates available.
- Tap an individual application and then tap Update to update a single application.

If you’re already suspecting an app or two, try clearing its cache and data…

From any Home screen, tap the Apps icon.
Tap Apps.
Browse to the app you want to clear and then tap it.
Tap Storage.
Tap Clear data and Clear cache.

Or, you can uninstall it if clearing its cache and data won’t fix the problem…

From any Home screen, tap the Apps icon.
Tap Apps.
Tap the application you want to uninstall.
On the App info screen, tap Uninstall.
Tap OK to confirm.

If the phone can’t still send a text message in safe mode, however, then try the next step.

Step 3: Clear the cache and data of the Messages app

It’s now time to reset the messaging app you’re using. I assume you’re still using the built-in messaging app and haven’t installed any third-party apps that offer the same function. Try clearing the cache and data of the Messages app to reset it and bring it back to its out of the box settings…

From any Home screen, tap the Apps icon.
Tap Apps.
Find and tap Messages.
Tap Storage.
Tap Clear data and Clear cache.

After this and you can’t still send a text message, then you have no other option but to do the next step.

Step 4: It’s time to reset your HTC U11

You’ve already done everything you could but your phone is still unable to send a text message so it’s time to make a backup of your important files and data so you can restore them later. After this, reset your phone to bring it back to its factory default settings…

Your HTC U11 should be turned off before you can proceed.
Get your phone into the Download Mode by pressing and holding the Volume Down and Power keys together. If you can see red, blue and yellow text on a black background after doing this, then it means you have successfully entered the download mode.
Now, using the Volume Down key, highlight the option “reboot to bootloader” and then press the Power key to select it.
Using the Volume Down key again, highlight the option “reboot to recovery” and press the Power key to choose it.
When you’re prompted with the triangle and exclamation mark, press and hold the Power key and press the Volume Up button until you see another screen with yellow, blue and white texts.
Use the Volume Down key to highlight the option “wipe data/factory reset” and to select it, press the Power key.
It may take a few seconds for the HTC U11 to delete all the system caches and when it’s done, you will another options. This time, highlight “Reboot system now” and press the Power key to confirm.

This doesn’t only reset your phone but also deletes all your personal information so that in case you need to bring your phone to a tech, your privacy is protected.

If the phone can’t still send a text message after the reset, call your service provider as it might have something to do with the message center number and only them know what the correct center number is.

How to troubleshoot your HTC U11 that can’t receive text messages

Not being able to receive text messages is a bit easier to fix than the previous problem. It’s because there’s not much to do about your phone that’s try to receive incoming messages, although there are still a few things you should do. Without further adieu, here are the steps in troubleshooting your U11 that can’t receive SMS…

Step 1: Make sure your phone gets good signal

Signal is a prerequisite, without it, you won’t be able to receive anything. Just by looking at the notification bar and checking the signal indicator is enough to tell you that your phone gets a good coverage or not. And assuming your phone shows there’s good signal in your area, try sending a text message to see if it goes through and if your phone can receive it. If it does go through, then you have no issues with the signal nor with your account. If it doesn’t go through however, as early as now, you should call your service provider or follow the steps above.

But assuming the message was sent but not received by your phone, then do the next step.

Step 2: Make sure you’re not trying to receive MMS

When you insert an emoji in your text message, it will automatically be converted to MMS and you need to turn on mobile data to be able to receive it. If the mobile data is turned off on your phone, try turning it on and send the same text message to your own number. If it goes through this time, then your phone should have mobile data enabled to receive all other messages that contain pictures or any sort of special characters.

Try sending a text message that contain a few letters only and without any special characters and attachments. If this kind of message is sent and received by your phone, then it must have something to do with the type of message your phone was trying to receive. If you can afford to have mobile data turned on most of the time, then do it.

Step 3: Make sure your phone still has enough storage space

Messages are being downloaded when they’re received and they’re saved in your phone’s internal storage. If there’s not enough space, those messages won’t be downloaded and it may appear as though your phone can’t really receive texts. To address this, you just have to delete some large files or even uninstall apps you don’t use anymore. After which, your phone should be able to receive messages already.

Step 4: Wipe Cache partition

If your phone has enough storage space but can’t receive messages, then try wiping the cache partition as it’s possible the problem is caused by some corrupt caches in the system. Don’t worry, it’s a safe procedure and none of your data will be deleted.

Your HTC U11 should be turned off before you can proceed.
Get your phone into the Download Mode by pressing and holding the Volume Down and Power keys together. If you can see red, blue and yellow text on a black background after doing this, then it means you have successfully entered the download mode.
Now, using the Volume Down key, highlight the option “reboot to bootloader” and then press the Power key to select it.
Using the Volume Down key again, highlight the option “reboot to recovery” and press the Power key to choose it.
When you’re prompted with the triangle and exclamation mark, press and hold the Power key and press the Volume Up button until you see another screen with yellow, blue and white texts.
Use the Volume Down key to highlight the option “wipe cache partition” and to select it, press the Power key.
It may take a few seconds for the HTC U11 to delete all the system caches and when it’s done, you will another options. This time, highlight “Reboot system now” and press the Power key to confirm.

If this procedure still fails to fix the problem, then the next step might.

Step 5: It’s time to reset your HTC U11

Backup all your files and data as they will be deleted during the reset. It’s necessary to reset your phone now that every troubleshooting procedure failed to fix the problem. If this is one of those minor issues with the firmware or app, then a reset will fix it, otherwise, you need a technician to check it out for you. Here’s how you reset your phone…

Your HTC U11 should be turned off before you can proceed.
Get your phone into the Download Mode by pressing and holding the Volume Down and Power keys together. If you can see red, blue and yellow text on a black background after doing this, then it means you have successfully entered the download mode.
Now, using the Volume Down key, highlight the option “reboot to bootloader” and then press the Power key to select it.
Using the Volume Down key again, highlight the option “reboot to recovery” and press the Power key to choose it.
When you’re prompted with the triangle and exclamation mark, press and hold the Power key and press the Volume Up button until you see another screen with yellow, blue and white texts.
Use the Volume Down key to highlight the option “wipe data/factory reset” and to select it, press the Power key.
It may take a few seconds for the HTC U11 to delete all the system caches and when it’s done, you will another options. This time, highlight “Reboot system now” and press the Power key to confirm.

I hope this helps.

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How to fix HTC 10 that won’t send text messages & other texting issues [Troubleshooting Guide]

Learn how to #troubleshoot a brand new HTC 10 (#HTC10) that can’t send text messages but can receive them after the owner did the factory reset.
Understand and troubleshoot the infamous error message “Unfortunately, Messages has stopped” that causes the phone to freeze or reboot.
How to troubleshoot an HTC 10 that cannot receive SMS but can send text messages just fine.
What to do if your phone cannot send and receive picture messages, group conversations or MMS.

Many HTC 10 owners reported about some texting issues they encountered including not being able to send and receive SMS and MMS. Others have more complicated problems like messaging app crashes, which may affect the phone’s overall performance that may result to freezes, hangs and even random reboots.

I have addressed some of the problems sent by our readers in this post so if you’ve contacted us regarding a similar issue before, try to browse through the list of problems to see if I’ve included your concern.

Brand new HTC 10 can’t send text messages
HTC 10 Messages app keeps crashing and cause the phone to lag
HTC 10 can’t receive SMS but can send them
Unable to send and receive picture messages or MMS

If you have other issues with your HTC 10, feel free to contact us as we’re always willing to help you. Just fill up our Android problems questionnaire and we’ll do all the research. As long as we have the information we need to troubleshoot the issue, we should be able to provide you with a solution or a troubleshooting guide.

Brand new HTC 10 can’t send text messages

Problem: Hi! Can you please look into my problem? It’s an HTC 10 and I just got it a couple of days ago but I can’t seem to send text messages. I bought online and then went to my provider to have it configured. Initially I was able to send text message but I noticed my phone keeps lagging I installed some app so did the factory reset and after that, the problem started. I can receive text messages though. Please help me. Thanks. — Janice

Troubleshooting: Hi Janice. I think the problem has something to do with the Message Center Number. That being said, let me explain it to you why this issue occurs according to your description.

You said the phone was bought online brand new and then you brought it to your provider to have it configured. First few days it was working fine but the problem started after the reset. For devices that aren’t carried by any service providers don’t have default Center Number setup. Your provider, of course, configured it to work on its network but since you reset your phone, the number must have been deleted. So, to fix this problem, call your provider and ask for the Message Center Number and ask the representative to set it up on your phone or, at least, walk you through on how to do it.

Now, for users whose phones are carried by a service provider but encountered the same issue, it might still has something to do with the Message Center Number. If you can find the set of numbers online, try to compare it with the number that is setup in your phone. You can then edit it if it doesn’t conform with the correct one.

However, if it’s not the Center Number, then other settings may have been changed or your phone was totally messed up. In this case, you just have to do the master reset to bring the phone back to its default settings but you need to backup your data and files as they’ll be deleted. Here’s how you reset your phone:

If the phone is still on, turn it off.
Press and hold the Volume Down button.
Press and hold the Power key and when the phone vibrates, release it.
Continue holding the Volume Down button.
When a black screen with red and blue line of texts appears, release the Volume Down key.
Press the Volume Down button to highlight the option “reboot to bootloader” and press the Power key to confirm it.
When the white screen with colored texts appears, press the Volume Down button to highlight the option “BOOT TO RECOVERY MODE” and press the Power key to select it.
The screen will display the white HTC screen and will turn black. A few moments later, another black screen with red and blue texts will appear.
Press the Volume Down key to highlight “wipe data/factory reset” and press the Power key to choose it.
In the next screen, press the Volume Down button again to choose “Yes — delete all user data” option and confirm it with the Power key.
Wait until the device finishes the reset and choose “reboot system now” to restart your phone.

HTC 10 Messages app keeps crashing and cause the phone to lag

Problem: Hi guys. I own an HTC 10 and I been using it for a few months without any problems then suddenly when I open the messaging app to read some texts or open news ones, it either closes or there’s an error saying it has stopped working. When this happens, all I can do is close the app but the phone would lag or freeze for a few moments. As a person who depends on his phone, it’s very inconvenient not to mention annoying. If there’s something you can suggest that I can do to try to fix it, that would be great! — Smith

Troubleshooting: Apparently the app is crashing the phones performance is affected. There are various factors that may cause this problem and that’s what we’re going to find out so that we can formulate a solution. Since we are dealing with a certain app, let’s try to see if other third-party apps have something to do with it then we’ll move to other possibilities. So, here’s what we’re going to do:

Step 1: Reboot your HTC 10 in safe mode to disable all third-party apps

Booting your phone in safe mode will put it into diagnostic mode wherein all third-party apps and services are disabled. If one or some of those apps are causing the problem, then the issue shouldn’t occur if the phone is in that state. Here’s how you boot your device in safe mode:

Press and hold the Power key until an options window appears.
Touch and hold the Power off option until a prompt telling you to ‘Reboot in safe mode’ appears.
Tap on the ‘Reboot in safe mode’ prompt and the touch OK to confirm.
The reboot may take up to 30 seconds to complete.
You’ll know if your phone has already booted in safe mode as you can see ‘Safe mode’ in the lower-left corner of the screen.

Once you’re phone is in this state, try to open the messaging app again to see if it would still crash and if so, then the problem must be rooted in the firmware and you need to continue your troubleshooting.

However, if the issue doesn’t occur in that state, it means that one or some of your downloaded apps is causing the problem. It’s easy to fix it but the most challenging part is finding which app is the culprit. The easy way out is to do the reset but that too will take a lot of work as you have to backup your data and files before that.

Step 2: Clear the cache and data of the messaging app you’re using

Assuming the problem still occurs in safe mode, it’s time to go after the app that’s specifically mentioned in the error message or the one that you’re having problem with. Let’s reset the app by clearing its cache and data:

From the Home screen, tap the Apps icon.
Find and touch Settings.
Scroll down to ‘Phone’ section and then tap Apps.
Find the apps you’re having problems with (in this case it Messages).
Tap Storage.
Touch Clear Cache and then Clear Data.
Now tap OK to confirm.

This will reset the app and delete all caches and data it has been created. If the problem still occurs after this, then it’s time you cleared the system cache.

Step 3: Wipe the cache partition to force the system to create new caches

System and apps caches can easily get corrupted and when this happens, the phone’s performance will suffer and some apps may crash and that’s probably what you’re experiencing now. So, here’s what you need to do if booting in reboot and clearing the cache and data didn’t fix the problem:

If the phone is still on, turn it off.
Press and hold the Volume Down button.
Press and hold the Power key and when the phone vibrates, release it.
Continue holding the Volume Down button.
When a black screen with red and blue line of texts appears, release the Volume Down key.
Press the Volume Down button to highlight the option “reboot to bootloader” and press the Power key to confirm it.
When the white screen with colored texts appears, press the Volume Down button to highlight the option “BOOT TO RECOVERY MODE” and press the Power key to select it.
The screen will display the white HTC screen and will turn black. A few moments later, another black screen with red and blue texts will appear.
Press the Volume Down key to highlight “wipe cache partition” and press the Power key to choose it.
Wait until the device finishes the choose “reboot system now” to restart your phone.

Step 4: To conclude your troubleshooting, do the master reset if everything else failed

After following the first three steps and the problem remained, it’s time you reset your phone to bring it back to its factory defaults as it might be a serious issue with the firmware. Just follow the instructions in the first problem to perform the more effective reset, which reformats both the cache and data partitions.

HTC 10 can’t receive SMS but can send them

Problem: It’s a bit strange that I’m experiencing this problem but my new HTC 10 can send text messages but no replies go through, needless to say, it can’t receive text messages. I don’t have any idea why this is happening. The phone is brand new and has been working since I bought it now the problem started all of the sudden. Can’t seem to figure out what’s wrong with it so can you guys help me out with it, please? — Mariah

Answer: So you haven’t received text messages from people you sent messages to but have you verified if your phone can’t really receive SMS? Try to compose a text message and send it to your own number. Since you don’t have issue sending texts, it will go through and if you can’t receive it, then the first thing you should do is make sure there’s enough internal storage left. Next is clear the cache and data of the Messages app or any messaging app you’re using.

From the Home screen, tap the Apps icon.
Find and touch Settings.
Scroll down to ‘Phone’ section and then tap Apps.
Find Messages app and tap on it.
Tap Storage.
Touch Clear Cache and then Clear Data.
Now tap OK to confirm.

After clearing the cache and the data of the messaging app and the problem still occurs, you may try resetting your phone and if that fails as well, it’s time you called your service provider.

Unable to send and receive picture messages or MMS

Problem: Hi TDG! I’ve been following your blog for a few weeks now and I haven’t found posts for HTC 10. But anyway I have a problem with it. Everything else is working except MMS. I can’t send and haven’t received any picture messages to and from my friends. I can send a text message but when I try to attach a picture however small it is, it just won’t go through. Can you please assist me how to send MMS? — Julia

Answer: Mobile data, that’s the key to sending and receiving picture messages or MMS. So, the first thing you should look into is whether it is enabled or not. Assuming it’s already enabled and you still can’t send and receive MMS with your HTC 10, then it must have something to do with the APN settings. These are a set of characters that needs to be setup properly on your device so that it can connect to your provider’s mobile data network. If you don’t know what the correct APN for your phone is, then I suggest you call your provider and ask the rep to walk you through in setting it up to make it work.

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Text Not Sending Troubleshooting

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How to fix your Google Nexus 6P that can no longer send & receive text messages [Troubleshooting Guide]

Read and understand why a premium smartphone like your Google Nexus 6P suddenly unable to send and receive SMS or text messages. Also learn how to troubleshoot the device in case the problem happens to you in the future.
Learn how to troubleshoot your device that can no longer send and receive picture messages or MMS and understand why a problem like this happens out of the blue.

Text messaging is a basic service any cellular phone could do without having much of a trouble provided the device is getting signal from the tower and that the account isn’t barred from using it. High-end smartphones like the Google Nexus 6P shouldn’t have any problem transmitting SMS (short message service) messages as they are just small amount of text data that can be transmitted over the cellular network.

In this post, I will tackle issues while sending and receiving both SMS and MMS messages. The latter is basically just an update of the former as users can now attach files, pictures, videos, etc. to their text messages. However, mobile data is required for the transmission of data so there’s basically a different configuration for this kind of text messaging.

We will have to look into possibilities and I will suggest some procedures you can use in a bid to fix the problem with your phone. So, if you own a Google Nexus 6P phone and are currently bugged by a messaging problem or two, continue reading the troubleshooting guides below as they may be able to help you.

But before anything else, if you have a different issue, you may visit our troubleshooting page as we’ve already addressed the most common issues reported by our readers. There may already be existing solutions to your problem so just try to find ones that are similar with yours and use our solutions or troubleshooting guides. If they don’t work for you or if you need further assistance, fill up our Android issues questionnaire and hit submit to contact us directly.

How to troubleshoot Nexus 6P that won’t send and receive text messages (SMS)

Text messaging is a basic service offered by any cellular. In fact, cellphones of the last decade could send text messages without having much of a problem as manufacturers and telcos focused on texting and calling. Nowadays, there are just too many services a smartphone offers, while cellular technologies have already improved, there are still a lot of users that are complaining about not having been able to send and receive text messages. So, in this section, we’ll tackle the sending and receiving issues for the SMS.

Step 1: Verify your phone is receiving decent signal strength from the tower

Without signal, your phone can never send and receive text messages, so, this must be the first thing you have to look into because when it comes to cellular services, signal is king. It’s easy, you just have to look at the signal indicator at the upper right corner of the screen. If there’s no reception, immediately check if flight mode is enabled; disable it to re-enable wireless services on your device. If there’s only a bar of signal, poor reception might still be the cause why your Nexus 6P can neither send nor receive text messages. However, if it’s the first time that this problem happened, your service provider might just be undergoing service maintenance in your area. It’s better you call tech support and inquire about it; consider it as your way of reporting possible network issue in your area.

However, if you device is showing there’s an excellent service in your area and yet you cannot send and receive text messages, the next step might help.

Step 2: Verify that your account is still in good standing and that it’s not barred from using the service

It is very important that your account isn’t barred from using the texting service. More often, for troubled accounts, the phone would still be able to get signal from the tower but services are disabled. This is actually one way of reminding subscribers that they have to settle everything before they can enjoy a service without any interruptions. You may call your service provider about it or inquire through other methods provided by your provider.

For those who cannot send text messages but can receive, it must be the Message Center Number that has some issues. Either it was deleted or changed. You may verify with your provider what the correct Message Center Number to use in your phone.

For users who can send but not receive, try to check the storage space in your device. Remember that messages are being downloaded so they, too, take up some space in your phone. If you have hundreds of pictures and videos, naturally you’ll run out of space and messages may not be downloaded anymore and it may appear as though you’re not receiving them. Try to free up some space by moving some files to a computer or by deleting them.

Step 3: Verify you’re sending messages to a correct number

Messages can’t be sent to a phone number that’s not registered in any network especially contacts that are lacking a digit or two. So, make sure that phone number you’re sending text messages to is correct. Better yet, you may try sending a message to your own number to see if it goes through and if you can actually receive it.

Step 4: Bring the phone back to its original configuration as some settings may have been messed up

Of course, if the problem persists after doing the troubleshooting procedures above, you have a choice to send the phone in for checkup. However, before you actually do that, backup your data and files and reset your phone. It doesn’t only bring your device back to factory defaults but also deletes all your personal information for privacy purposes. Here’s how you master reset your phone:

To boot in recovery mode, follow these steps:
Press and hold the Volume Down button first and then press and hold the Power key.
Once you see some information on the screen, release the buttons.
The Phone will boot into Bootloader Mode.
Using the Volume buttons, highlight Recovery Mode.
Press the Power key to confirm you want to boot into recovery mode.
An Android with exclamation mark will be displayed on the screen.
Press and hold the Power key and then press and hold Volume Up.
The recovery options will soon appear on the screen.
Highlight ‘wipe data/factory reset’ option using the volume keys.
Press the power key to confirm you want to wipe the cache partition.
Highlight ‘Yes’ option and then hit the power key again to select it.
Wait until the device finishes deleting the system cache and then highlight ‘Reboot system now’ and press the power key.

If the phone is provided by your service provider you’re currently subscribed to, there’s a big chance the texting service may work again, but if not, then it’s time you sent it in for further checkup.

How to troubleshoot your Nexus 6P that can no longer send and receive MMS

As I said earlier, Multimedia Messaging Service (MMS) is basically an upgrade of SMS but the phone must be connected to the mobile data network of your service provider to be able to transmit messages. If your device can no longer send and receive MMS or picture messages, here’s what you have to do:

Step 1: Make sure mobile data is enabled in your phone

It must be the very first thing you have to check if one day your device just stopped sending and receiving picture messages. The device must be connected to the internet via cellular data to transmit MMS. While there are apps or services that allow you to send MMS through Wi-Fi, when you’re using the default messaging app, having a connection through Wi-Fi is useless.

Just go to the Settings menu and locate the mobile data and turn it on but remember you may be charged differently by using this service.

However, if the problem happened for the first time, try to reboot your phone as it may just be a symptom of a minor firmware or hardware glitch.

Step 2: Verify your phone has the correct Access Point Name (APN) settings

The APN is actually a set of characters that allow your phone to connect to your provider’s mobile data network. If it’s changed or deleted, no matter what you do, your device could never get data service and you won’t be able to send and receive MMS. You may turn to Google and search for the APN for your provider or you can head straight to your carrier’s website and try to find it there. If you can’t find it online, you may call tech support, that way the rep will guide you in setting it up on your device.

Step 3: Verify your account is still in good standing and that you have enough credits to use it

Again, since it’s a service related problem, your account should be in good standing and you must have enough credits to use data. More often, even prepaid subscribers can avail unlimited data credits, however, there may be a cap that if you reach a certain threshold, your connection will be throttled and send and receiving of MMS might be affected. But then again, you should call your provider to verify this information.

Step 4: Try wiping the cache partition if it occurred after an update

If there was a firmware update prior to this problem, then some caches or data might have been corrupted and affected some of the core functions of the phone. Try to wipe the cache partition first, then do the master reset if it failed:

To boot in recovery mode, follow these steps:
Press and hold the Volume Down button first and then press and hold the Power key.
Once you see some information on the screen, release the buttons.
The Phone will boot into Bootloader Mode.
Using the Volume buttons, highlight Recovery Mode.
Press the Power key to confirm you want to boot into recovery mode.
An Android with exclamation mark will be displayed on the screen.
Press and hold the Power key and then press and hold Volume Up.
The recovery options will soon appear on the screen.
Highlight ‘wipe cache partition’ option using the volume keys.
Press the power key to confirm you want to wipe the cache partition.
Highlight ‘Yes’ option and then hit the power key again to select it.
Wait until the device finishes deleting the system cache and then highlight ‘Reboot system now’ and press the power key.

To reset your device, follow the procedure above but you should backup your files and data before doing so.

Step 5: Bring it back to the store and have it checked

As far as basic troubleshooting is concerned, you’ve done what you need to do in a bid to fix this problem. So, it’s time that you sent the phone or brought to the store to have it checked. It would help the tech diagnose the problem if you told him what really happened to your device.