9 ways to fix Android phone not receiving text messages

If your Android phone is not receiving text messages, you may miss out on OTPs and other important messages. So, it is important that you resolve this issue quickly. Here are 9 ways to fix Android phone not receiving text messages!

1. Check spam and blocked folders

You might be wondering why you're not receiving text messages when the problem is that they're being filtered into a separate hidden folder. Your SMS app can automatically forward all text messages from senders you block or consider spam (if you have spam protection turned on) to your Spam folder.

Assuming Google Messages is your preferred messaging app, you can view filtered messages by tapping on your profile picture or text in the top right and selecting Spam & blocked .

If you are using Truecaller or any other Android app for SMS messaging then the steps you need to follow may be different.

If you haven't received a message from a particular contact, you may have blocked their number. Google Messages doesn't store messages from blocked contacts in your Spam folder. In these cases, first unblock the contact so you can receive text messages the next time you send them.

2. Clear storage space

Modern smartphones have a lot of storage, so this may not be an issue. However, if you have a lot of media files and your phone memory is full, your device may not receive new messages. If this is a problem, your Android phone will notify you that messages will not be sent or received until storage space is available.

The only way to fix this is to clear up your Android storage by navigating to Settings > Storage . You can see a breakdown of your device's storage usage here. Select a category to check and delete unnecessary items. Deleting media files is a good start (after backing up your data), as they often take up a lot of space.

If an app is taking up the most memory, you can clear its memory or completely uninstall the app you no longer need. This will free up significant storage space for receiving and storing text messages.

3. Make sure airplane mode is not turned on

Airplane mode will automatically turn off mobile data, meaning you won't be able to send or receive text messages. This may seem obvious at first, but be sure to check that airplane mode is turned on on your device.

Normally, when airplane mode is turned on, the corresponding icon will appear on the status bar of your Android phone at the top.

You can also check this by swiping down from the top of the screen to see the Quick Settings menu. If you don't see the airplane mode toggle, swipe down again from the top and tap the airplane icon to turn it off if it's on.

If you've customized the Quick Settings menu and removed the airplane mode toggle, you can access this feature by navigating to Settings > Network & internet .

4. Check network connection

If Airplane Mode is not turned on, you may still not receive messages due to poor or unavailable network connectivity. Android phones typically display network status using various Android status bar icons.

One way to confirm your network status is to check the icon in the status bar. If there is no signal indicator or only one bar is displayed, there may be a problem with the cellular network.

You can fix this by turning on airplane mode and then turning it off after a few seconds. Another option is to restart your device as most smartphone issues can be fixed by restarting. If that doesn't work, try the next method.

5. Reset network settings

Another option to try is resetting your network settings. This can help resolve any unexpected network issues you may be experiencing. Resetting your network settings may sound scary, but it doesn’t have to be.

Unlike resetting your Android phone , this won't affect your data. It will only restore network-related settings (Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, and mobile networks) to their original state. To reset network settings, follow these steps:

1. Open the Settings app on your phone and select System .
2. Tap Reset options and select Reset Mobile Network Settings .
3. Tap Reset settings . You may be asked to enter your phone password to continue.
4. Finally, click Reset settings on the next page to confirm.

If you have a Samsung phone, go to Settings > General management to find the Reset option . You can also use the search bar in the Settings app to find it easily.

6. Turn off iMessage if you just switched to a new device from iPhone

If you've recently switched from iOS to Android, turn off iMessage. Since iMessage isn't officially available on Android, you'll need to use an iPhone to turn off the service. Google says turning off iMessage is important because if it's on, it can cause SMS messages to continue to be sent to your iPhone.

Turn off iMessage on iPhone by going to Settings > Messages and turning iMessage off.

If you no longer have access to your iPhone, you can use Apple's self-service portal to deregister your phone number from iMessage.

7. Turn off power saving mode

Power saving or battery saving mode is generally optimized to improve battery life. This power saving feature limits the number of background processes running on the device.

As a result, some apps may not function properly. For example, some app notifications may be delayed. Make sure to turn off power saving mode, as messaging apps may be one of the affected apps.

8. Update messaging apps

If you still can't receive text messages on your phone, it's time to double-check your messaging app for bugs that could be affecting it. App developers release updates to fix bugs and make sure everything is working properly.

You can use the Play Store to check for app updates. Tap your profile icon in the top right corner and select Manage apps & device > Updates available . You'll see all the apps that have new updates available. Tap the Update button next to the messaging app to install the latest version.

9. Update Android phone

If none of the above methods work, updating your Android phone could be the magic pill that solves your problem. Like app updates, system updates often come with fixes for existing software bugs.

The update may include a fix for a bug that prevents your phone from receiving text messages, so always make sure your phone is updated as soon as a new version of Android is available.

You can check for software updates by going to Settings > System > Software update > System update and tapping Check for update . An Internet connection is required on your device to check for updates.

As you can see, there are a number of factors that can affect your Android phone’s ability to send and receive text messages. But by following the various fixes discussed in this article, you should be able to receive text messages again. If you’re still having no luck, it’s time to contact your carrier for personalized help.