Heads up, if you’re ditching your iPhone for another brand, there’s a chance you might miss texts. This happens when your phone number is still tied to Apple’s iMessage, so messages from iPhone users get sent as iMessages that your new phone can’t receive. Let’s fix that!
Method 1: Deregister iMessage Online
If you’ve already moved on from your iPhone, or turning off iMessage on your device didn’t work, you can use Apple’s tool to sever the tie.
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Open a web browser and head to Apple’s deregistration page. Find the section that says “No longer have your iPhone?”.
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Click on the flag icon and choose your country from the drop-down menu.
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Enter the phone number you want to deregister, and then hit ‘Send Code.’
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Keep an eye on your phone for a text message with a six-digit code. Type that code into the website and click ‘Submit’.
After submitting, your number gets scrubbed from iMessage. It can take a bit for the changes to fully register. After it’s done, messages sent to your number will come as regular SMS or MMS messages on your new phone.
Method 2: Turn Off iMessage on your iPhone
If you still have your iPhone and the SIM card that goes with your number, disabling iMessage directly from the device is straightforward.
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Make sure your SIM card is in your iPhone (if it’s not already), then open the Settings app.
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Scroll down and tap on Messages.
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Toggle the switch next to iMessage to the off position, which will disable the service.
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Head back to the main Settings menu by tapping the back arrow in the top left corner.
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Scroll down and tap on FaceTime.
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Finally, toggle the switch next to FaceTime to the off position to disable it. This will fully disconnect your phone number from Apple’s services.
After doing this, send a text to someone you often chat with using iMessage. If your texts are showing up in green bubbles, you’re sending standard SMS messages, and everything should be working right. Remember, changes might take a little bit to take full effect.