How to fix disappearing iMessages after switching from iPhone to Android
As mentioned in this morning's news roundup, a number of iPhone users who have since switched to Android are finding that they are unable to receive messages sent from iPhone users. The problem lies in the fact that some folks have phone numbers tied to iMessage even after leaving the iOS ecosystem.
Lifehacker EIC Adam Pash recently experienced this problem and detailed it in a post aptly titled "iMessage purgatory."
I recently switched from an iPhone to Android, and discovered shortly thereafter that my phone number was still associated with iMessage, meaning that any time someone with an iPhone tried texting me, I'd receive nothing, and they'd get a "Delivered" receipt in their Messages app as though everything were working as expected.
While disassociating one's number from its associated Apple ID seems to fix the problem for some, Pash, and others, are still finding that texts sent from iPhone users aren't coming through.
This isn't an entirely new problem as there are a number of support threads on the topic on Apple's website.
Fix 1:
The official response from Apple, naturally, is for users to deactivate iMessage.
To deregister your phone number, tap Settings > Messages and turn iMessage off.
Funny enough, Eric Schmidt's guide on converting to Android from iPhone even mentions this.
An in-depth guide for deactivating iMessage can be found here on OS X Daily.
Fix 2:
Another recommendation via Apple's support forums reads:
Go to: https://supportprofile.apple.com/MySupportProfile.do
Log in if not already logged in.
Click on "edit products"
Click on the "x" to the right of the product.
Click "unregister"
Fix 3:
Some commenters on Apple's discussion forums also recommend that users sign out of their App Store accounts if possible. While some users have found that texting the word "stop" to 48369 seems to alleviate the problem after about a 12 hour period, Apple's support document explicitly states that doing so "won't deregister iMessage."
How to prevent this problem in the first place!
To hopefully avoid this type of frustrating experience altogether, Apple reportedly recommends that users should deactivate iMessage before switching their phone number to a new device.
If none of the above serve to fix the problem, or if you happen not to have access to your iPhone anymore, Apple recommends contacting Apple support at 1-800-My-Apple.
