Verizon is one of the leading names in cellular service providers, and it’s with good reason. They are reliable and affordable, but that doesn’t mean that your service will always be perfect. Many users have had the frustration of Verizon texts not going through.
Verizon texts not going through happens when you or the recipient doesn’t have service. Texts also won’t go through if you or the recipient is on airplane mode or if you are a blocked contact. Remove unused apps, old texts, and pictures from your phone to free up space if Verizon texts are not going through.
You may even need to remove and reinsert your SIM card if it’s in the wrong position. Unfortunately, there is nothing that you can do if the recipient has blocked you. Follow along as we explore the causes and solutions for Verizon texts not going through.
Why are Texts not Going Through With Verizon?
Verizon texts not going through can be due to service problems and software problems with your phone. Service problems are common with any provider, and that includes Verizon despite the typically reliable performance. Let’s take a look at the main reasons for Verizon texts not going through.
Recipient Doesn’t Have Service
Your Verizon texts won’t go through if the person you’re texting doesn’t have service. It’s easy to check if this is the problem if your Verizon texts are not going through only to one recipient. Send a text message to another person to see if it goes through.
If your text to another person goes through, then it’s a sign that the problem was on someone else’s end. They could either be in an area with poor service or they don’t have cellular data enabled. This can also happen if they’ve met their monthly threshold for their particular plan.
You can also attempt to contact them through other means such as email if it’s an emergency. Otherwise, you will need to wait it out until they regain service. However, you will need to keep troubleshooting if your texts are not going through to any of your contacts.
Airplane Mode is Enabled
You won’t be able to send or receive texts through Verizon if your phone is in airplane mode. It’s easy to accidentally enable airplane mode, especially if you have an iPhone. In my experience, I accidentally enable airplane mode when I reach into my pocket.
Airplane mode is one of many options available on an iPhone’s control center. The control center appears when you either swipe up on old iPhones or swipe down from the corner on new iPhones. An airplane icon appears in the top left corner of the control center.
You can tell that airplane mode is enabled if the airplane icon is orange. Look for an airplane icon in the top left corner of your phone’s screen as well if your texts are not going through. Tap the airplane icon to disable airplane mode if it is enabled. Send a text message to someone to see if it goes through.
Software is Outdated
Outdated firmware can stop Verizon texts from going through and affect your phone’s overall functionality. Verizon users typically receive a notification alerting them that an update is available. It is up to you to download the software update if you don’t have automatic updates enabled.
Even if you do have automatic updates enabled, the update may not download on its own. Software updates will only install if you have enough space on your phone or if has enough battery life left. Outdated software can affect everything from sending and receiving texts to using your apps.
This is the easiest problem to fix because you simply need to update your phone. You can do this from the settings menu on your phone whether you have an iPhone or Android. Make sure that your phone has enough space and is fully charged before you update it.
Blocked Contact
One of the main reasons for Verizon texts not going through is that they are a blocked contact. This can also happen if the contact has blocked you. It’s easy to accidentally block the wrong contact, and in this case, none of your texts will go through.
Open the settings menu on your phone and scroll down to Messages if you have an iPhone. Scroll down to the section that reads SMS/MMS and tap Blocked Contacts at the bottom. Look for the contact that you are trying to reach in the list of blocked numbers and unblock them if necessary.
Android users can access this list from the settings menu under the People and Sharing tab. Select Contacts and check to see if the recipient is on the list of blocked numbers. Of course, there is nothing that you can do if the recipient has blocked you.
How to Fix It
There are several fixes for Verizon texts not going through from restarting your phone to deleting apps.
The proper solution varies based on the cause of the problem, but there are only a few fixes to troubleshoot. Luckily, I have spent plenty of time troubleshooting and found the best fixes for Verizon texts not going through.
Restart Your Phone
You can fix a variety of problems if you restart your phone. This should be your first instinct if Verizon texts are not going through. All that Android users need to do is hold the power button until two options appear: restart and power off. Select restart and wait a few minutes to see if your texts will go through.
If you have an iPhone, all that you need to do is hold the power button and volume button simultaneously for a few seconds. Wait for a prompt to appear at the top of the screen that says “slide to power off”. Slide the bar to the right to turn it off, leave it alone for a moment, and turn it back on to restart it.
Restarting your phone helps with many problems because all of your apps and processes will shut down. This can help reboot your phone to speed up your service and affect its performance. In my experience, this is the easiest fix if you cannot send or receive texts as a Verizon customer.
Reinsert Your SIM Card
Your subscriber identity module, or SIM card, is largely responsible for your phone’s service and performance. This tiny piece of hardware is delicate and can stop Verizon texts from going through if it is in the wrong position. It is easy for Verizon users to accidentally insert their SIM cards incorrectly.
You need to remove your SIM card and reinsert it in many cases if your Verizon texts are not going through. First, you need to turn off your phone before you remove your SIM card to prevent further problems. You can either use a SIM removal tool or a paper clip to remove the SIM card.
It’s ideal to use a SIM removal tool, but a paper clip will suffice if you don’t have one. Push the tool or paperclip into the hole beside the SIM card slot to pop the tray out of place. Gently slide the tray out, remove the SIM card and flip it into the right position. Make sure that the gold part of the SIM card is facing downwards.
Delete Apps and Data
Your phone won’t work as well as it should if it is out of space. Excessive data on your phone can prevent you from receiving and even sending texts. Sure, text messages don’t take up a lot of space, but you won’t be able to receive the if you’ve run out of storage.
You can start by deleting old text threads, especially if it’s an old threat that you won’t return to. Make sure to delete all spam texts to free space and avoid getting them in the future. Next, you can delete apps that you no longer use to remove as much useless data as possible.
In my experience, the best way to free up storage space is to delete pictures from your camera roll. It’s easy to max out your camera roll’s storage, and pictures take up plenty of space. Delete any duplicates and pictures that you don’t necessarily need. You can always upload them to the cloud so that you don’t lose them forever.
Contact Verizon
Contact Verizon if your texts are still not going through. You can either call them at 1-800-837-4966 or visit one of their locations to get help. Verizon also offers chat services on their website so that you can troubleshoot your problem.
However, the chat feature can be difficult to navigate, and sometimes it’s easier to call them. They may recommend that you visit a Verizon store after you explain the problem. Make sure that you visit an official Verizon store and not just a store that offers Verizon plans and phones.
Change Your Service Provider
If all else fails, you may need to change your cellular service provider. Sometimes, a service provider like Verizon will work well for you for a long time and eventually stop and become less reliable. There are many great comparable providers to choose from between Sprint, AT & T, and T-Mobile.
So, Why are Verizon Texts not Going Through?
A key cause for Verizon texts not going through is that you are out of storage space. Delete apps, old text message threads, and pictures from your camera roll to free up space. Make sure that your phone isn’t on airplane mode or else you won’t be able to send and receive texts.
Open your SIM card tray with a paperclip to make sure that it is facing the right way. Position your SIM card so that the gold side is facing downward toward the back of your phone. The easiest fix is to restart your iPhone or Android if your Verizon texts are not going through.
Hold the volume button and power button, slide to power off, and turn it back on to restart your iPhone. You can restart an Android by holding the power button until a prompt appears for you to restart it. Otherwise, your Verizon texts may not be going through if they are a blocked contact or if they have blocked you.