Missing and delayed text messages can be frustrating, especially since you may not notice the problem until someone contacts you through another method, asking why you’re not responding or where you are. Fortunately, you can resolve the issue quickly.

How to Fix Androids Not Receiving Texts

If you’re not receiving texts that you know someone is trying to send, these troubleshooting steps can help resolve the issue. Before starting, it’s helpful to test your ability to receive texts from a few different people, if possible, as this could provide clues on where the problem lies.

1. Check the network connection. Mobile networks can be unpredictable. If you see few or no bars, step outside or find a higher spot indoors. At home, consider using a signal booster to enhance reception throughout the house.

2. Check for outage reports. Visit your cellular provider’s website or social media pages for this information. Before addressing device-specific issues, it’s important to determine if your carrier is experiencing network problems.

   Look for any alerts or updates about network issues. If there are problems on their end, you can only wait it out.

   Remember, some texting apps can function reliably over Wi-Fi. If you use apps like Snapchat, WhatsApp, Signal, or Facebook Messenger, all you need is a good Wi-Fi connection. If you’re not receiving texts in those apps, reboot your home network or contact your ISP.

3. Disable Airplane Mode. When this feature is turned on, it prevents your phone from reaching the network, which is necessary for receiving texts.

   Even if Airplane Mode is off already, switch it on for five seconds via the Quick Settings menu, and then turn it back off. This will re-establish a connection to the mobile network and could fix the texting issue.

4. Reboot the phone. Sometimes, issues like endless loops occur behind the scenes that you may not be able to diagnose, but a reboot can easily resolve them.

5. Check for blocked numbers. You won’t receive texts from a number you’ve blocked. If you know someone is trying to reach you but you’re not seeing their messages, double-check your blocked numbers list and remove them if necessary.

6. Deregister iMessage. If you previously used an iPhone, request that an iPhone user who regularly texts you either disable iMessage or send a new text to your number instead of using an old text thread. iMessage threads don’t translate to Android.

7. Update Android. Install any outstanding operating system updates, even if an update doesn’t seem relevant to the problem you are experiencing. Some bug fixes and other repairs may address operations or features the texting app uses. Wait for any updates to finish before texting.

8. Update your texting app. Updates often resolve obscure issues or bugs that may prevent your texts from sending.

9. Clear the texting app’s cache. Then, reboot the phone and restart the app.

After trying all these steps, if you’re still having trouble, it might be time to look for a newer phone. Android models range anywhere from $150 to $2,000.

Causes of Delayed or Missing Texts on Android

Text messaging involves three components: the device, the app, and the network. Each has multiple points of failure. The device might not function correctly, the network might not transmit messages, or the app could have a bug or malfunction.

In some cases, these causes aren’t easy to diagnose. For example, text messages may be delayed because the cellular network is overwhelmed with traffic. It’s best to start with the most common problems and work your way down, as many potential points of failure exist.