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You are here: Home / Not working? / iOS 16: How to fix unsend Messages not working on iPhone

iOS 16: How to fix unsend Messages not working on iPhone

Last Updated: September 15, 2022 by Dave Johnson

With iOS 16, you can unsend a message in just a couple of steps. But it can be heartbreaking if the feature fails to work or isn’t available for you. In this article, I’ll explain why you can’t unsend a message on your iPhone running iOS 16 and show you how to fix the problem.

To Unsend a message on iPhone in iOS 16, simply touch and hold the message bubble, then tap Undo Send. A note confirming that you unsent the message appears in both conversation transcripts: yours and your recipient’s.

Why is Undo send not available or working for me and How to fix it

There can be a couple of reasons why this feature is unavailable for you or why this feature isn’t working as intended. Here are some of the prominent reasons and fixes that should help you get Undo Send working on your iPhone again.

  • You have not updated your iPhone to iOS 16 iOS 15 or lower versions of iOS do not support Undo Send. This means that if you aren’t updated to iOS 16 then it could be the first reason why this feature isn’t available to you.
  • You’re trying to unsend the message after 2 minutes: You can undo a recently sent message for up to two minutes after sending it.
  • Text Messages are not supported: You can’t unsend text SMS on iPhone in iOS 16. Text messages are sent via your carrier, and once they leave your iPhone, Apple can’t unsend them. Undo Send works only for iMessage, Apple’s encrypted messaging service that works using Wi-Fi or cellular data.

Note: If the receiver’s device isn’t updated, and you unsend the message from your end, in that case, it won’t actually delete the sent message from the recipient’s device. Secondly, if the recipient uses iMessage on two devices (say, iPhone and Mac), the unsent message will be erased only from the device that’s running the compatible software.

How To Fix Unsend Message Not Working on iPhone in iOS 16

1. Make sure you are running iOS 16

To unsend text messages, you must be using iMessage with iOS 16 or later.

2. Force Quit the Messages app

If you are using an iPhone with Face ID, swipe up from the bottom of the screen and hold. If your iPhone has a Home button, quickly double press it. From the App Switcher, drag the Messages app card all the way up to force quit it. After a few seconds, open the Messages app again and try unsending an iMessage.

3. Reset iMessage and Reboot Your Device

A reboot can help, but there’s another step you’ll want to take to resolve iMessage issues. You’ll want to turn off iMessage, reboot, then turn it back on.

Launch Settings, then scroll down to Messages. The iMessage toggle is located near the top of the screen. Turn it off, reboot your device, then turn it back on using the same method.

4. Check iMessage server status

Visit Apple’s official System Status page and check if iMessage is working or not. When it is, you will see a green dot next to it. If it is down, please wait until Apple implements a fix.

Have you managed to fix unsend message not working in iOS 16? Do you have a better solution or more questions? Use the comments to share your feedback!

About Dave Johnson

Dave Johnson is the editor-in-chief of iPhoneArena. He covers how-to guides, and troubleshooting instructions for iPhone, iPad, Mac, and Apple Watch.

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