May 17, 2025, 12:04 pm | Read time: 2 minutes
Switching from an iPhone to another smartphone can be tricky: Suddenly, text messages stop arriving. The cause often lies with a service many overlook—but the issue can be resolved even without the old device.
If you keep your phone number but switch from an iPhone to an Android device, you might encounter an unpleasant surprise: SMS messages from other iPhones don’t arrive. The reason is often a forgotten deregistration from iMessage and FaceTime.
iMessage Blocks SMS – What’s Behind It
If SMS messages stop coming in after switching to a new smartphone, even though the number remains the same, it’s often due to Apple’s proprietary messaging service.
Failing to properly deregister your iPhone from iMessage and FaceTime risks messages from other iPhones still being sent as iMessages—and these won’t arrive on the new device.
Deregistering with an Existing iPhone: Step by Step
If the old iPhone is still available and not reset, deregistration can be easily done directly on the device:
- Reinsert the SIM card into the iPhone
- Turn on the device
- In Settings under “Apps,” go to “Messages” and deactivate iMessage
- Also under “Apps,” navigate to “FaceTime” and turn off the service using the slider
After a short time, SMS reception on the new smartphone should work smoothly again.
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Online Deregistration: If the iPhone Is No Longer Available
If the iPhone has already been sold, given away, or reset, Apple’s online service for deregistering iMessage can help: https://selfsolve.apple.com/deregister-imessage/de/de
The deregistration works in three steps there:
- Enter the affected phone number
- Enter a verification code sent via SMS
- Enter this code to permanently deregister the number from iMessage and FaceTime
Even with this method, it may take a little while for SMS messages to arrive as usual again.