Ever find yourself in a situation where your messages just aren’t going through via iMessage to a specific person? You might be scratching your head wondering if you can somehow turn off iMessage just for them. While iMessage is super handy for Apple users, it does need an internet connection to work its magic. If your contact is off the grid or has switched to another type of phone, you might be hitting a snag.
Method 1: Ask the Recipient to Turn off iMessage
If you’re often having issues messaging a specific person, the most effective solution might be for them to turn off iMessage on their end. This is especially helpful if they’ve switched to a non-Apple device or don’t always have internet access.
They can disable iMessage on their iPhone by going to Settings, then tapping on ‘Messages’.
Next, they should toggle off the ‘iMessage’ option.
If they’ve moved to a non-Apple device and can no longer access their iPhone, they can deregister their number from iMessage using Apple’s online tool.
- Visit Apple’s deregistration page and pick your country code.
- Type in the phone number you need to deregister and hit ‘Send code’.
- They’ll get a 6-digit code on their phone, which they’ll then enter on the website, then click ‘Submit’ to finish the process.
Deregistering removes their number from Apple’s iMessage servers, ensuring messages are delivered via SMS rather than iMessage.
Method 2: Using ‘Send as SMS’
While you can’t actually disable iMessage for just one contact from your end, you can force your iPhone to send a text using the ‘Send as SMS’ feature. This makes sure your message reaches the recipient when iMessage is having trouble.
First, make sure the ‘Send as SMS’ option is enabled on your phone. Head to the Settings app and go to ‘Messages’.
Then, switch on the ‘Send as SMS’ setting, which will allow your messages to be sent as standard texts when iMessage isn’t available.
Now, to send a text message instead of an iMessage for a specific contact, here’s what you do:
- Disconnect your iPhone from both Wi-Fi and cellular data. You can do this by enabling Airplane Mode, which you’ll find in the Control Center or your Settings.
- Try sending a message to the contact through the Messages app. Because your phone isn’t connected to the internet, the message will not send via iMessage.
- You’ll see an exclamation mark icon next to the message once it fails. Tap the exclamation mark to see additional choices.
- Choose ‘Send as Text Message’ to send the message as a standard SMS.
After these steps, your message will be sent as a regular text, showing a green bubble instead of a blue one.
iMessage is set up to either be on or off for all messages on your phone and will always attempt to use iMessage first when you message another Apple user. There isn’t a setting to turn off iMessage for an individual contact. Using the ‘Send as SMS’ option or having the other person turn off iMessage are the best ways to make sure they get your messages if you are having trouble.