May 19, 2025, 9:30 am | 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. This is often due to 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.
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How to Easily Switch from iPhone to Android
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 should work smoothly on the new smartphone again.
Deregistering Online: 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
Deregistration there works in three steps:
- Enter the affected phone number
- Enter a verification code sent via SMS
- Enter this code to finalize the deregistration of the number from iMessage and FaceTime
Even with this method, it may take a little while for SMS messages to arrive as usual again.