iMessage Says "Sent as Text Message" Unencrypted? Easy Fix, by LaunchTimeMedia - Apple Tech on YouTube. 2 min 46 s.
- Video length
- 2 min 46 s
- Time to do it
- 10 minutes
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Steps
- 7
What you need
Steps
Open Settings, tap Messages and switch iMessage on if it is off. Wait a minute so your iPhone can register your number and Apple Account again.
Open the conversation and tap the contact's name at the top. Check that you are messaging the address they actually use for iMessage, not an old phone number or email.
In Settings, tap Messages, then RCS Messaging, and turn it on. This toggle only appears when your carrier supports RCS.
Still in Settings, tap Messages and turn off Send as SMS. This stops your iPhone from retrying failed messages as unencrypted text messages.
Go to Settings, then General, then Software Update, and install any update waiting there. Messaging bugs are often fixed in point releases.
Force restart the iPhone: press volume up, press volume down, then hold the side button until the Apple logo appears.
Send a test message to the same contact. A blue bubble means iMessage is working, and no "Sent as Text Message" label should appear under it.
Tips and common mistakes
A blue bubble means iMessage is working; a green bubble means the message went out as SMS or RCS.
If the RCS Messaging option is missing, your carrier has not enabled it yet, so ask them about support.
Leaving Send as SMS off means a message can fail instead of quietly going out unencrypted.
Keep iOS updated, because iMessage and RCS fixes usually arrive with software updates.
Questions
Why does my iPhone say "Sent as Text Message"?
IMessage could not reach the other person, so your iPhone fell back to a normal SMS. The label tells you that message was not encrypted.
Is RCS the same as iMessage?
No. RCS is the upgraded texting standard that works with Android phones and needs carrier support. iMessage stays the encrypted option between Apple devices.
Why is the RCS Messaging toggle missing on my iPhone?
Either your iOS version is too old or your carrier has not turned on RCS support yet. Update iOS first, then check with your carrier.
This guide was drafted from the video's details and general task knowledge. It has not been checked against the full video. Check the video and relevant product instructions before following a procedure. Report a correction.
