What to Do When Your Phone Can Send Texts But Not Receive [Fixed]

Today we’re going to talk about a common issue I usually get asked to help with. It’s a bit of a puzzler since it seems like two different things, but it’s definitely a common problem.

Have you ever experienced that you’re able to send texts but cannot receive them? That can be especially frustrating since you’re in a one-way conversation with yourself. This could be from a number of things, but it is usually due to a software glitch in your system.

Some of the most common things you’ll notice if your phone has been affected by this problem is that you’ll stop receiving any text messages; when you try to text someone, the message might fail to send despite having an appropriate balance or data in it. It could be that the messaging application on your phone starts to malfunction, and you’re unable to use it altogether. 

Many people call or text me because their device won’t receive texts, but they’ll be able to send them just fine. A lot of people think it’s just an issue with their phone, but in reality, it’s because of a few simple and easy reasons.

If you are receiving texts but can’t send them, or if texts you’ve sent have come back as “not delivered”, don’t worry; these are common issues that could be fixed with just a few simple steps.

For the latest tips and tricks or to fix any issue with your android smartphone, click here.

Android Not Receiving Texts

There can be many reasons your phone is not receiving any text messages, such as network issues, low or insufficient memory, improper device configuration, a faulty messaging application, software glitch, and a whole list of other things. It could also be that you do not have any network coverage on your phone despite having bars.

What to Do

Here are some things you can try if you’re not receiving text messages on your phone. 

Restart your device:

Give your phone a soft reset by restarting it, which might help you solve the problem. Almost all the smartphones that come out these days have a dedicated restart option that can be used to do a soft reset. To do this, hold the power button until you see the power menu and click on restart. 

A soft reset can solve a lot of commonly occurring issues in smartphones, such as the inability to send or receive text messages and voice calls, laggy & sluggish UI, audio issues, network-related issues, incorrect network preferences, minor software issues, inability to send or receive files, and unresponsive touch issues. 

These are some problems that a soft reset of your phone can fix. In addition, you should restart your phone at least once a week to power-cycle it and keep it in its optimal state.

Not Receiving Text Messages From a Single Person

There could be a case where you’re not receiving any text messages from a single person on your contact list. You should first try to restart your phone and check that you have proper reception. 

Next, you need to clear the cache of the messaging application. It could be that there is some issue with the messaging application itself, then you can try clearing the cache and data of the application. Clearing the cache will not delete any of your messages but will only delete the temporary files. However, clearing the data will remove all of your messages. Here’s how you can clear the cache of the messages application.  

Unlock your phone and open the settings application. Open the Apps & notifications tab and sift through the applications till you find the messaging application. Now click on the application and select Storage and cache. Here you will see two options; the first one will be to clear the application’s cache. The cache of an application consists of temporary files stored on the device. Clearing the cache does not change or delete the application’s settings but can solve your problem. 

If that does not solve the problem, check that your SIM card is inserted into your phone properly. You will not be able to use cell service, like calling or sending messages, if you have inserted your SIM card incorrectly. Use the SIM card tool with your phone and pull the SIM tray out; check that the SIM card has been inserted properly and in the right direction. After you’ve ensured it is in the correct position, close the tray and restart your phone again. 

You can also check to see if your phone is in Airplane mode; as you know, in Airplane mode, you cannot use any of your phone’s services like calling or messaging via your SIM. You can check whether airplane mode is enabled on your phone by scrolling down from the top of the screen to show the notification panel. Search for the Airplane mode toggle and ensure it is switched off. 

Next, if none of the steps above managed to solve your problem, you can check to see whether your carrier supports SMS and MMS messaging and if you have a valid pack that allows you to do so. 

What else Can I do to fix a Text not received?

If none of the steps above help out, and you still cannot receive texts from that single person, then you can check to see if you’ve blocked that person or not. If you have blocked a person, you will not be able to receive any messages from them, nor will you be notified when they send you a message.

To check this, open the messaging application on your phone and search for the contact whose message you’re not receiving; click on the small three dots on the top right corner of the screen and click on details. Here you will see an option to block the contact; click on it and make sure it is toggled off. 

Another thing you can try is to note down the contact number in some other place, like the notes application on your phone, and then delete the contact from your list. After that, open the contacts application again and add the number back again. If the contact is from another country, then check if you have the proper code prefixed behind the phone number.

Clean up your texts if Having problems receiving texts but you can send them

If you’re having trouble receiving texts but can send them without issue, one potential solution to check is cleaning up your texts. Sometimes, an overloaded inbox can cause problems with receiving new messages. Here are a few steps to take:

1. Go through your text messages and delete any that you no longer need. This could include old conversations, spam messages, or messages with attachments that you’ve already saved elsewhere.
2. Check for any message threads that have a large number of messages. These can take up a lot of space and can slow down your phone’s ability to receive new texts. Consider deleting or archiving these threads.
3. If you’re still having trouble after clearing out your text messages, try restarting your phone. This can help clear any temporary glitches or bugs that may be causing the problem.
4. Check for any storage issues on your phone. If your device is low on storage it could cause trouble with messaging. Consider freeing up some storage space on your device

It’s worth noting that cleaning up your texts may not be the only solution for this issue, but it is a quick and easy step to try before moving on to more complex troubleshooting methods. If you’ve tried these steps and are still having trouble receiving texts, it may be worth checking other potential causes such as network connection, phone settings, or apps.

Investigating Within Your Apps: Resolving Text Messaging Issues

Another potential cause of this issue could be related to specific apps on your phone. Some apps, such as messaging apps or social media apps, have their own settings for notifications and message blocking. Here are a few things to check:

• Make sure that the app is set to receive notifications for incoming messages. This can usually be found in the app’s settings or in the phone’s settings under “Apps” or “Notifications.”
• Check for any message blocking or filtering settings within the app. Some apps allow you to block certain contacts or numbers from sending you messages. Make sure that you haven’t accidentally blocked the number or contact that is trying to send you a text.
• Check if the app is updated to the latest version. Outdated apps may cause some bugs or glitches that can affect the messaging functionality.
• Try disabling and re-enabling the app, or even uninstalling and reinstalling it. This can help clear any bugs or glitches that may be causing the problem.
• If none of the above steps work, try using a different messaging app to see if the problem is specific to the app you were using.

Exploring Solutions with your Service Provider: Troubleshooting Text Messaging Issues (Can Send but Not Receive)

If you’ve tried the above steps and are still having trouble receiving texts but can send them, it may be worth contacting your service provider. Here are a few things they may be able to help with:

Confirm that your account is active and in good standing. Your service provider may be able to tell you if there are any issues with your account that are preventing you from receiving texts.

Check for any network outages or maintenance in your area. Your service provider may be able to tell you if there are any known issues that could be causing problems with text messaging.

Check if your phone is compatible with the carrier’s network and services. If your phone is not compatible with the carrier’s network, you may experience issues with text messaging.

Check for any issues with the SIM card. Your service provider may be able to help you troubleshoot or replace the SIM card if it is the cause of the problem.

Confirm that your phone number is not blocked. If your phone number is blocked, you will not be able to receive texts.

Check if you have reached your monthly text limit, or if you have any other restrictions on your plan that could be causing the problem.

If none of the above steps work, your service provider may be able to provide further assistance or escalate the issue to their technical support team.

It’s important to note that some of the above steps may require you to have access to your account information or the device in question.

Final Verdict

Often it seems, that all of our technology doesn’t work as it should. Disappointingly, many times, simple solutions can help. In this case, sending texts becomes an issue. You receive texts just fine, but when you attempt to send, you can’t seem to get any texts to go through. If you are having this issue, we discuss all the solutions above you can apply one by one and resolve the issue.

If you are having difficulties receiving text messages but are able to send messages just fine, then here is how to fix this issue. For Android & iPhones, you will need to go into your phone’s settings menu, then tap on General and then Reset. Select Reset Network Settings, then tap Reset Network Settings again. You can then reattempt sending and receiving text messages.