How To Fix Delayed Text Messages On iPhone

Fix iPhone Delayed Text Messages Problem

Most iPhone users use text messages for conversation and they receive many important messages on it. But what will happen when you receive the text messages after a long time from when the message was sent. This will irritate you very much and harms important works.

If you are also facing delayed text SMS problems on your iPhone then read this guide. Here, you will learn some solutions on how to fix delayed text messages on iPhone.

Let us check out a real user practical scenario so that you will know that you are not the only one who is facing this delayed text messages problem on your iPhone.

Practical Scenario: An iPhone 8 Plus User Experiencing Multiple Days Delay in Receiving Text Messages

Days delay in receiving text messages

I have an iPhone 8 Plus, and for the past month I’ve experienced at random times multiple days delays in receiving text messages. They will usually come in in a batch when I restart my phone, but today I just open my phone and see “missing” text messages I never received from several different conversations. It will show in these conversations that the person I was texting indeed sent it days ago. Since having this issue, I’m trying to restart my phone more, but that’s a pain and leaves you wondering if you’re missing texts from people…

Here are a few things I’ve tried to help it.

phone is updated on iOS 14.4

toggled on and off the iMessage app

today I did a factory reset of “all settings”

I also reset network settings

Any other ideas how to fix this?

Source: Apple Support Community

Now, let’s learn the solutions to fix delayed messages on iPhone.

Also Read: iPhone Deleting Messages By Itself? Here Is The Real Fix!

Solution 1: Restart Your iPhone

As you all know that a simple restart can fix many iPhone issues. So, you should first restart your iPhone.

Follow the below steps to restart your iPhone.

Steps For iPhone X, iPhone 11, iPhone 12, And Latest Models

Restart iPhone 12 or 11 or X

Step 1: Press and hold Volume and Side buttons unless you see the Power Off slider on the screen.

Step 2: After that, drag the slider and then wait for few seconds for your iPhone to switch off.

Step 3: To switch on your iPhone back, you need to press and hold the side button on the right side of your device unless the Apple logo appears.

Steps To Restart iPhone SE (2nd generation), iPhone 8, iPhone 7, or iPhone 6

Restart iPhone 8 or 7 or 6

Step 1: Press and hold the Side button unless you see the Power Off slider on the screen.

Step 2: Now, drag the slider and then wait for few seconds for your iPhone to switch off.

Step 3: To switch on your iPhone, press and hold the side button until the Apple logo appears.

Steps To Restart iPhone SE (1st generation), iPhone 5, or Earlier Model

Restart iPhone 5 or Earlier

Step 1: Press and hold the Top button unless you see the Power Off slider on the screen.

Step 2: Next, drag the slider and then wait for few seconds for your iPhone to switch off.

Step 3: To switch on your iPhone, press and hold the top button unless the Apple logo appears on the screen.

Also Read: How To Print iMessages Conversations On iPhone [5 Solutions]

Solution 2: Delete Old Unwanted Messages

If your Messaging app is filled with so many messages then this can also cause receiving of text messages late on iPhone. So to fix this, you can delete the unwanted text messages from it. You can delete all the messages if you don’t need them.

Solution 3: Restart Messaging App

Another powerful solution to fix delayed text messages is to restart the Messaging app. Double press the Home button or swipe up from the bottom of your iPhone screen to run the app switcher. Then close all running apps including Messaging app. Now, restart your iPhone. After that, check the Messages app receive and send the text messages late or not.

Solution 4: Turn Off Do Not Disturb Mode

When “Do Not Disturb” mode is enabled on your iPhone then it disables all notifications for messages and all others notifications except the calls. So, disabling the Do Not Disturb feature can fix the delayed text messages on iPhone.

You can turn off Do Not Disturb mode from Control Centre or from the Settings app.

Change Do Not Disturb Settings

Also Read: Transfer WhatsApp Messages From Android To iPhone Using Google Drive

Solution 5: Enable And Disable Airplane Mode

You can also get rid of the delay in receiving your text messages on iPhone by enabling and disabling the Airplane mode.

To enable airplane mode, go to the control center by swiping up from the bottom of the screen, and on newer iPhones scroll down from the top. Now, just tap on Airplane mode to enable it, and after some seconds tap on it again to disable airplane mode. You can also enable and disable it from iPhone’s Settings app.

Turn On Airplane Mode And Then Turn Off It

Solution 6: Reset Network Settings

If you are receiving text messages late on your iPhone then in order to fix it you can reset the network settings.

Here, learn the steps to reset network settings to fix delayed text messages on iPhone.

Step 1: Open Settings app on your iPhone.

Step 2: After that, hit on General and then tap on Reset option.

Step 3: Now, tap on Reset Network Settings.

Reset Network Settings

Step 4: After this, confirm the process.

Also Read: How To Recover Text Messages After Factory Reset On iPhone

Solution 7: Disable Wi-Fi Assist

You can also turn off Wi-Fi Assist to fix delayed text messages on iPhone. To turn off, go to Settings > Cellular and then turn off Wi-Fi Assist.

Solution 8: Check Date And Time

If you have not selected date and time settings to “Set Automatic” on your iPhone then it can also cause delayed text SMS on iPhone.

To check this, go to Settings > General > Date & Time.

Solution 9: Check Network Coverage Area

If the network coverage of your carrier is not good then it will create problems in receiving and sending SMS on time. As text messages need a cellular connection and the messages will delay when you are in a poor network coverage area. So, check the coverage area and try to find a better range, and then see the issue is fixed or not.

Also Read: How Can I Retrieve Text Messages From a Dead iPhone?

Solution 10: Contact Carrier

If the above solutions failed to fix delayed text messages on iPhone then lastly you should contact your carrier. Tell them about your issue and they will fix it.

Wrap Up

Delayed text messages can disturb many of your important tasks so it is very important to fix them.

I hope these 10 troubleshooting solutions were helpful to fix delayed text messages on iPhone. When all the solutions failed then lastly you contact your carrier.