How To Fix “iMessage Waiting for Activation†Error on iPhone.imessage an error occurred during activation.How To Fix iMessage Waiting for Activation  Error on iPhone .
Activating iMessage on Apple devices is usually done by walking in the park. In fact, activation occurs automatically in the background without any user interaction. However, there are times when iMessage activation fails, making the messaging service unusable.
When your Apple device is unable to activate iMessage, you will see error messages such as “Waiting for activation”, “Activation failed”, “An error occurred during activation”, etc. We highlight the factors responsible for the failure of iMessage activation on iPhone and their corresponding fixes.
1. Troubleshoot Your Internet Connection and Settings
An internet connection is essential for activating and using iMessage on Apple devices. Your iPhone will display a “Waiting for Activation” message if your Wi-Fi or cellular connection is slow or not working.
If you are unable to visit web pages or use internet applications, the problem is most likely with your connection. Reboot your Wi-Fi router or contact your ISP to report the problem.
One more thing: make sure the Settings app has internet access on your device, especially if you’re using a cellular network.
Open your device’s settings menu, select Cellular, find Settings in the list of apps, and make sure it’s turned on.
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Resetting iPhone network settings to factory defaults can also restore Internet connectivity, especially if devices other than yours can connect to the Internet over the same Wi-Fi or cellular network.
Go to Settings> General> Reset> Reset Network Settings. Select Reset Network Settings again to continue.
Turn on cellular data on your device or connect to a Wi-Fi network and see if that fixes the iMessage ‘Waiting for activation’ error.
2. Check iMessage Server Status
You cannot activate or use iMessage on your iPhone, iPad, or other Apple devices if there is a problem on the server running the messaging service. Visit Apple’s System Status page and check if iMessage is working properly.
If the status light next to iMessage is green, the iMessage servers are up and running.
On the other hand, a yellow light means there is downtime in iMessage. In this case, you can either wait for Apple to fix the problem or contact Apple Support to report the problem.
3. Re-Enable iMessage
Disabling iMessage and setting up your messaging service from scratch can fix the “Waiting for activation” message.
Open the Settings app, select Messages, and turn off iMessage. Wait approximately 5 seconds and enable this option again.
Please note that depending on your region, your network carrier may charge you to activate iMessage each time you re-enable iMessage on your iPhone or iPad. Skip to the next troubleshooting solution if the iMessage status is still pending activation.
4. Re-Enable FaceTime
Restarting FaceTime can cause your iPhone or iPad to activate iMessage.
Go to Settings, select FaceTime and turn off FaceTime. Wait 5-10 seconds and enable this option again after about 5 seconds.
5. Check Date, Time, and Location Settings
Setting the date and time incorrectly will cause some Apple apps and services to fail. Some third-party apps (such as Google Maps) that rely on the accuracy of your iPhone’s date and time settings may also stop working as expected. Go to the settings menu and make sure your iPhone automatically sets the time and date to match your current time zone.
Open the Settings app, go to General, select Date & Time, and enable Install Automatically.
The auto time setting option may not be available if your iPhone or iPad has a screen time passcode. Go to the iPhone Screen Time settings, disable the passcode, and return to the Date & Time settings menu to set the device time automatically.
It should also be noted that not all cellular operators allow users to automatically set the time on their devices. Apple also notes that the “Install Automatically” option may not be available in all countries and regions.
If the date and time on your device remains incorrect, check your iPhone settings and make sure your location is used to determine the exact time zone.
- Open “Settings” and select “Privacy”.
- Select geolocation services.
- Make sure location services are enabled. After that, scroll down the page and select System Services.
- Turn on the time zone setting.
6. Restart Your Device
If you still can’t get iMessage to work on your iPhone or iPad due to the “Waiting for Activation” error, please restart your system and try again.
Go to Settings> General> Power Off and move the Power Off slider to the right.
Wait for your device to turn off completely and hold the Side or Power button to turn your device back on. Connect your device to the internet, go to the messaging settings menu and check if iMessage is active.
7. Update Your Device
IOS and iPadOS bugs sometimes cause iMessage to crash. If your iPhone’s iMessage status is still “Waiting for Activationâ€, installing the latest OS might fix the issue.
Go to Settings> General> Software Update and select Download and Install. Restart your device to complete the update and check the iMessage activation status.
8. Sign Out of Apple ID
Disabling Apple ID and re-signing in worked magically for iPhone users who faced iMessage ‘Waiting for Activation’ issue. You should try this if the troubleshooting steps above did not help. Although we must warn you that when you sign out of your Apple ID, some personal files (such as Apple Music downloads) will be deleted from your device.
Therefore, we recommend that you back up your iPhone before signing out of your Apple ID account. This will allow you to easily recover data lost in the process.
- Open Settings and choose your Apple ID name.
- Scroll down the page and select Exit.
- Enter your device password and click Turn Off to continue.
Restart your device, reconnect your Apple ID account and check if iMessage activates successfully.
9. Contact Your Cellular Carrier
IMessage activation can hit a brick wall if your network operator experiences network downtime. Contact your mobile operator’s support team for assistance or check if there are any disruptions to mobile networks such as short message service (SMS).
10. Contact Apple Support
If your carrier is okay, contact Apple Support to report the problem. Better yet, speak directly with an Apple Support representative from another iMessage-enabled device. You will receive step-by-step instructions on how to fix the problem in real time.
11. Wait It Out
IMessage and FaceTime sometimes take up to 24 hours to activate, according to Apple. Activation time usually depends on factors such as region and mobile operator. Check out this Apple Support article for a list of supported mobile and wireless carriers that support iMessage.
How To Fix “iMessage Waiting for Activation†Error on iPhone
How To Fix “iMessage Waiting for Activation†Error on iPhone
imessage an error occurred during activation
imessage an error occurred during activation
How To Fix iMessage Waiting for Activation  Error on iPhone