Text messages are still very popular, and they can forward your messages fast. Further, you can insert media to make it an MMS. However, users have complained that they face issues regarding text messages not downloading. It’s been hours, and the receiver can’t download the text message on their device.
If you are experiencing the same text messages not downloading problem, you might be frustrated. Well, the good news is that you can easily overcome the issue. If it’s a glitch due to your mobile phone or any other network device, there are dedicated ways to recover from the problem. Try out the following solutions and revive your text message services.
How to Solve the ‘Text Messages not Downloading’ Issue?
Nowadays, users utilise a variety of applications for sending texts or chatting purposes. Whether it’s WhatsApp, Messenger, WeChat, or the default messaging application, the issue can arise on any application.
Let’s check out how you can eradicate the ‘text messages not downloading’ problem on Android or iOS devices.
Address Particular Messaging Application
Reported by users, the unnecessary cache and clutter of data might be prohibiting the messaging application from downloading text messages. The easiest way to get rid of the situation is to resolve the problem at its root.
Follow the guidelines below and eliminate the ‘text messages not downloading’ instance:
- Go to Settings or gear-shaped icon on your Android device.
- Now, tap the Apps option.
- Locate the definite messaging app and tap on it.
- Proceed with both ‘Clear Data’ and ‘Clear Cache’ options.
These steps will erase unnecessary data and cache from the application. For iOS devices, you can simply double-press the Home button promptly and remove applications for a quick rescue.
If your iPhone doesn’t come with a Home button, then you can go to General under Settings. Tap iPhone Storage and select the messaging app that you want to refresh. After all, you can press the Offload App option to delete its cache.
Check the Status of your Phone’s Carrier
If your default messaging app isn’t downloading any message, you have to ensure that there’s no glitch with the carrier. Check the cell reception of your carrier. If it isn’t satisfactory enough, then you are quite likely not to get text messages, and they won’t get downloaded.
If it’s a particular messaging application, then the network connection might fuel its sending and receiving operations. Therefore, you should activate your mobile data to receive text messages in those applications.
Otherwise, you can enable the Wi-Fi connection and connect your device to a reliable network. This might be fruitful to mitigate the ‘text messages not downloading’ issue.
Deactivate the Auto-Retrieve Option on Definite Messenger
This solution applies to every messaging app, including the default one. However, there’s no guarantee that every messaging app should have this particular option in its settings. First, you should explore the default messaging application on your communication device. Go to its Settings and locate the Auto-retrieve option.
Check if that specific option is enabled or not. If enabled, then tap on it to disable it. This is important when you are receiving MMS on your network device. If you keep it enabled, you might face a bug while downloading the message.
Instead, you can manually download the MMS. And, when you are downloading MMS, then there are higher chances that they will be successful. Ask your friend to send anything to you via text messages, and check if the text messages not downloading issue gets resolved or not.
Erase Older Messages
Perhaps, you have reached the maximum storage limit for your text messages on that particular device. This is why your text messages might have stopped working. To bring them back into action, you need to delete existing and older messages from that defaulting message application. This applies to MMS downloading, as well.
To address this text messages not downloading problem, you have to perform the following steps:
- Explore your default messaging application.
- Now, go to its corresponding menu option and choose the option that says, ‘Delete Threads’.
- Ensure that you check all the boxes next to the definite message types to delete them.
- Finally, you can tap the Delete button to delete all those older messages from the storage.
Once you have emptied the text message box and its storage, there should be enough space for downloading and saving upcoming messages. Now, you can check whether your messaging services have been restored to your device or not.
Reboot your Phone
Even if you have tried more complicated stuff, you should try this simpler method. When you have been applying different solutions, it’s better to reboot your device to apply those changes without any interruption.
Rebooting or restarting your phone can immediately discard bugs and eliminate the text messages not downloading instances.
If you are an Android user, simply press and hold the Power button until the power screen appears. Now, you have to tap the Reboot or Restart option. Your Android device will take a while, and you can check if the same issue persists.
If you acquire an iPhone, then press and hold the Power button and use the slider to power off the phone. Wait for 30 seconds, and you can again press and hold the Power button to turn on your device. Observe if you can experience the text messages not downloading issue or not.
Reset APN Settings
This is another proven workaround for the text messages not downloading circumstances. Resetting the APN settings can resolve the problem. Just head towards Settings and choose the More option.
Tap on Access Point Names under the Mobile Networks section. Locate those vertical dots and press them. Next, opt for the ‘Reset to Default’ option for a successful Access Point Names factory reset.
Finally, Go for a Factory Reset
If none of the above solutions is useful for the text messages not downloading issue, you can roll back your device to a factory reset. Choose the System option under Settings. Then, go to Advanced, followed by Reset Options. Select the Erase All Data option and tap Reset Phone. Keep in mind to back up your phone’s data before starting a factory reset.
