Text message on iPad but not iPhone

Forums › Apple iOS and devices › Text message on iPad but not iPhone

OnceBitten

535 posts

Ultimate Geek

#311087 12-Dec-2023 21:31

This is a bizarre one... I've got an iPhone 8, an older iPad that works ok and a newer Macbook Pro

99.9% of the time when someone sends me a text message, it comes to my iPhone only (as it should).... but I checked the iPad this evening when I got home and the message icon had a (1) beside it, so I pressed it and a message came up that was sent yesterday morning.

This is a message that should have only gone to my iPhone, but instead somehow went to the iPad and not to my iPhone.

The person who sent it to me said they sent it as a text, but I never got it on my iPhone only the iPad

Does anyone know why this might be? - it's got me completely stumped

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193 posts

Master Geek

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#3171254 12-Dec-2023 21:59

I would check the send and receive addresses in the messages setting (and compare the setting between the iPad and iPhone).
Chances are someone has sent it to an address that is set up on the iPad but not on the iPhone. I can only assume they have sent it to one of these addresses rather than your phone number.
Weird, but it’s a thought.

lxsw20

3556 posts

Uber Geek

Subscriber

#3171257 12-Dec-2023 22:12

You don't have iMessage enabled on the iPad but not the phone?

OnceBitten

535 posts

Ultimate Geek

#3171259 12-Dec-2023 22:18

MrGadget: I would check the send and receive addresses in the messages setting (and compare the setting between the iPad and iPhone).
Chances are someone has sent it to an address that is set up on the iPad but not on the iPhone. I can only assume they have sent it to one of these addresses rather than your phone number.
Weird, but it’s a thought.

thanks - I checked messages settings on the iPad and something called 'iMessage' is on - I don't really know what iMessage is or what it does, so I don't know if that has anything to do with it?

OnceBitten

535 posts

Ultimate Geek

#3171260 12-Dec-2023 22:22

lxsw20:

You don't have iMessage enabled on the iPad but not the phone?

on the iPad yes, but not the iPhone

as mentioned I don't really know what iMessage is or does and I've been receiving text messages fine on the iPhone without iMessage being on

wellygary

8345 posts

Uber Geek

#3171264 12-Dec-2023 22:29

Are the texts on the phone green or blue.

Possible the texts arriving on the phone are coming from Android phones and are thus going via sms to the phone number,

if you have iMessage turned on it’s likely that texts from other iPhone users are travelling to the iPad via iMessage ( apple’s message protocol) that uses standard ip data rather than the phone company provided sms path..

OnceBitten

535 posts

Ultimate Geek

#3171267 12-Dec-2023 22:34

wellygary:

Are the texts on the phone green or blue.

Possible the texts arriving on the phone are coming from Android phones and are thus going via sms to the phone number,

if you have iMessage turned on it’s likely that texts from other iPhone users are travelling to the iPad via iMessage ( apple’s message protocol) that uses standard ip data rather than the phone company provided sms path..

the texts are all 'green' on the iPhone and iPad

eracode

Smpl Mnmlst
8876 posts

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#3171284 13-Dec-2023 01:18

A green message bubble means that the message was sent via SMS and not iMessage. iMessages have blue bubbles.

It’s not clear if/why you want messages to appear on only one/some Apple devices but not on others. The simplest approach is to enable iMessages on each device, then enable iCloud syncing of the Apple Messages app on each device. You can then send and receive messages on any one of them and everything will show up on the others. You need to be using the same Apple ID on each device. When set up properly it works brilliantly imo.

Sometimes I just sit and think. Other times I just sit.

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OnceBitten

535 posts

Ultimate Geek

#3171298 13-Dec-2023 08:15

eracode:

A green message bubble means that the message was sent via SMS and not iMessage. iMessages have blue bubbles.

It’s not clear if/why you want messages to appear on only one/some Apple devices but not on others. The simplest approach is to enable iMessages on each device, then enable iCloud syncing of the Apple Messages app on each device. You can then message on any one of them and everything will show up on the others. You need to be using the same Apple ID on each device. When set up properly it works brilliantly imo.

Thanks - I would ideally like the messages to appear on both the apple devices, but mainly my iPhone (wife has newer iPhone and iPad) I don't normally look at the iPad for text messages - only use my iPhone for that

Unfortunately I've not sorted out the iCloud thing - keeps telling me that our iCloud is full and wants me to pay $$ for more storage. I need to delete / remove all the photos from the iPhone or something and stop any backup going to iCloud to free up space

eracode

Smpl Mnmlst
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#3171317 13-Dec-2023 09:03

OnceBitten:

Thanks - I would ideally like the messages to appear on both the apple devices, but mainly my iPhone (wife has newer iPhone and iPad) I don't normally look at the iPad for text messages - only use my iPhone for that

What about your MacBook? It can be synced too if you want.

Surely the point of syncing is convenience. If I’m using my iPad and hear a message come in, I don’t want to have to put the iPad down and look at the message on my iPhone - as you would have to do under your arrangement. I can just see it on the iPad. Same for MacBook.

Sometimes I just sit and think. Other times I just sit.

MrGadget

193 posts

Master Geek

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#3171325 13-Dec-2023 09:32

Unfortunately I've not sorted out the iCloud thing - keeps telling me that our iCloud is full and wants me to pay $$ for more storage. I need to delete / remove all the photos from the iPhone or something and stop any backup going to iCloud to free up space

I think you will find the photo's do not count to the icloud storage, so you can spend a lot of time clearing out for nothing. See what is using the space - Settings - iCloud (your name) - iCloud - Manage Account Storage. This will show you the iCloud usage, largest to smallest.

But you should still be able to have iMessage set up without that being an issue. Just in Settings - Messages - Send & Receive, make sure the relevent addresses are listed. If this has not been turned on previously, you may find it takes a while to activate.

Dynamic

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#3171328 13-Dec-2023 09:42

If you've not already done so, have a look under Settings, iMessage (or Settings, Messages) and look for an area similar to my screenshot. Normally you would want everything ticked on your phone, but you may wish to de-select some of the items on your iPad or turn off iMessage completely on the iPad.

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eracode

Smpl Mnmlst
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#3171346 13-Dec-2023 10:22

MrGadget:

I think you will find the photo's do not count to the icloud storage, so you can spend a lot of time clearing out for nothing. See what is using the space - Settings - iCloud (your name) - iCloud - Manage Account Storage. This will show you the iCloud usage, largest to smallest.

Apple say: "iCloud Photos uses your iCloud storage to keep all of your photos and videos up to date across your devices. You can make more space in iCloud when you delete photos and videos that you no longer need from the Photos app on any of your devices. 21 Sept 2023."

Photos and videos are commonly the biggest user of iCloud storage space and can easily use more than the total of all the other stuff being stored.

Sometimes I just sit and think. Other times I just sit.

SpartanVXL

1323 posts

Uber Geek

#3171394 13-Dec-2023 13:01

If you’re on the base iCloud tier you only get 5GB which gets quickly used if you enable device backups or photos backup.

If you don’t want to pay the $1.69 per month for 50GB then you need to disable all of that and do it yourself manually on local storage. Granted it’s a pain to do but if you really don’t want to use Apple’s ecosystem (but you bought an iDevice so ??) you can.

https://www.computerworld.com/article/2476176/mac-os-x-how-to-avoid-paying-apple-for-extra-icloud-storage.amp.html

lxsw20

3556 posts

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#3171537 13-Dec-2023 17:52

OnceBitten:

lxsw20:

You don't have iMessage enabled on the iPad but not the phone?

on the iPad yes, but not the iPhone

as mentioned I don't really know what iMessage is or does and I've been receiving text messages fine on the iPhone without iMessage being on

Either turn it on, on every device or turn it off. It will get very confusing if its on on some and not others.

Personally i'd turn it on on everything.

https://support.apple.com/en-nz/HT207006

wellygary

8345 posts

Uber Geek

#3171582 13-Dec-2023 19:32

MrGadget:

I think you will find the photo's do not count to the icloud storage, so you can spend a lot of time clearing out for nothing. See what is using the space - Settings - iCloud (your name) - iCloud - Manage Account Storage. This will show you the iCloud usage, largest to smallest.

There used to be a free service called "My photo stream" that would sync your photos across I-Devices without storing them in the cloud...

Apple killed it earlier this year, with the general consensus being that the closure was to force users to opt for a paid tier iCloud plan...

Now-days any photo syncing needs you to have enough iCloud storage equivalent to your device photo storage...

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