Message Blocking Is Active (Try THESE Fixes First!) - Gotechtor

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The “Message Blocking is active” on iPhone is a common issue that generally occurs with T-Mobile and sometimes other wireless networks.

As confusing as it is when you see this message, consider the tips below to help you get rid of the “Message Blocking is active” on your iPhone. This article explains what causes the message and what to do to fix it. Let’s get to it.

What does it mean when you get a message blocking is active?

Message Blocking is active means that you have all text messaging blocked by your carrier and can’t send or receive any text messages.

Now, there are many reasons why this may happen. We’ve compiled all the possible causes of why you’re getting this message below.

Why does it say Message Blocking is active?

You’re getting the “Free Msg: Unable to send message – Message Blocking is active” message because of one of these situations.

Service Outage

If your mobile operator is experiencing a service outage, you will face “Message Blocking is active” while sending an SMS/MMS.

It’s possible that your service provider is currently experiencing issues, either temporarily or on a more permanent basis.

In such cases, you should wait for a while and try again later. However, if the problem continues to persist, you should get in touch with your service provider promptly.

Shortcode Error

Many T-Mobile users have reported that the inactive or non-functional shortcodes caused this issue.

If you’re sure the shortcode error is not on your end, you need to get confirmation from your service provider or seek professional help.

SIM Card Not Working

If there’s something wrong with your SIM card due to being blocked or deleted, you may face the message, and you will not be able to send messages to anyone.

Blocklist

If the recipient has blocked you or vice versa, you may face “message blocking is active” while sending a message on your iPhone.

If you’re sure you’ve been blocked, there you go! Otherwise, you can check with the other user to see if you’ve been added to their blocklist by mistake.

How Do I Get Rid of Message Blocking Is Active?

Here are the tips to help you fix it when your iPhone says message blocking is active.

1. Check the Number or Email Address
2. Check Network Coverage
3. Check if Your SIM Card or Number is Active
4. Send Plain Text
5. Call the Number in Question
6. Check Messaging Services on Your Account
7. Check Email-to-Text Address
8. Turn On Send As SMS
9. Enable and Disable Airplane Mode
10. Set Date and Time Automatically
11. Check for iOS Update
12. Reset Network Settings
13. Force Restart iPhone

1. Check the Number or Email Address

Sometimes, you may use the wrong number or email address, which may cause trouble sending messages and get the “Message Blocking is active” error.

Before trying other solutions, check the validity of the email address or number. If everything looks good, move on to the next tip.

2. Check Network Coverage

If your service provider is out of coverage in your area, you can’t send or receive messages, and the error message may appear on your iPhone screen.

You are receiving mobile coverage if you see the graph bar on the top-right corner of your screen.

If you’re sure of being in a coverage range, restart your iPhone or enable the Airplane Mode for a few seconds, turn it off, and check if the problem is solved.

3. Check if Your SIM Card or Number Is Active

Sometimes, you may face “Message Blocking is active” when your number or SIM card is inactive or has been shut down for some reason.

The best way to ensure your SIM card is active is to call on the phone. If you can’t make calls or the dial tone tells you your number is unavailable or deactivated, contact your service provider and ask for help.

4. Send Plain Text

Sometimes, emojis, attachments, files, or photos may cause the delivery failure of your messages or face the “message blocking is active” error on your iPhone.

This has been proven many times for many users who claim using attachments makes message blocking active.

Remove all extra attachments and send plain text to check if the problem is solved or not.

5. Call the Number in Question

You may be unable to send messages due to some SIM card glitches. It can be the wrong country code or a mistyped number on your iPhone.

This issue can be solved by calling your number with another phone to check whether it’s working or not.

You may also check the correct number of the recipient to whom you are trying to send messages.

6. Check Messaging Services on Your Account

You’ll also want to check your data plan before sending messages. If your data plan doesn’t include incoming and outgoing SMS/MMS services, your messages won’t go through. This explains why you’re getting the “Message Blocking is active” error on your iPhone.

7. Check Email-to-Text Address

Message blocking may be related to your emails on your iPhone. If sending and receiving emails encounter issues, you may face errors and can’t send messages to those you want.

Log out and log back into your Gmail or any other mail platforms you wish to use. Update your Apple ID account email if it has become inactive, and update your phone number if you lost your last SIM card or changed your number.

8. Turn On Send As SMS

Sometimes, you may turn off SMS services by mistake, and you don’t become aware of it. As a result, you may get an error when sending messages.

To fix this, you have to turn on the SMS settings.

1. Go to Settings.

2. Open Messages.

3. Enable Send as SMS.

9. Enable and Disable Airplane Mode

The cellular network connection won’t work correctly due to some network glitches and causes drops in voice/video calls or failure to send messages.

Enabling and disabling the Airplane Mode may solve and refresh the cellular network connection.

1. Go to Settings.

2. Tap on Airplane Mode to enable it. Wait at least 15 seconds, then tap it again to disable it.

10. Set Date and Time Automatically

The iPhone’s date and time are often changed for no known reason. When your iPhone has the wrong information, it may cause malfunctions and issues, such as the “Message Blocking is active” error.

To solve this, you should set the “Date and Time” on your iPhone automatically. The steps below will show you how.

1. Go to Settings.

2. Tap on General.

3. Choose Date & Time.

4. Enable Set Automatically.

11. Check for iOS Update

Apple releases iOS updates regularly to fix bugs and increase iPhone efficiency and functionality. Outdated software may cause many issues. To check updates:

1. Go to Settings.

2. Open General.

3. Tap on Software Update.

4. Your phone will check for any available updates. Tap “Download and Install” to download the update, enter your passcode, then tap “Install Now.” Make sure your iPhone has enough space for the update. Run out of space? See our tips to free up space on iPhone.

12. Reset Network Settings

Resetting Network Settings will erase your Wi-Fi passwords, cellular settings, APN, and VPN settings.

Therefore, this step is totally up to you. But this process will solve message blocking issues as if any network cookies cause the problem, and they will be cleared after reset. 

1. Go to Settings.

2. Open General.

3. Select Transfer or Reset iPhone.

4. Tap on Reset.

5. Choose Reset Network Settings.

6. Enter your passcode and let the process finish.

13. Force Restart iPhone

Force restart your iPhone to refresh its functions and connections so the problem of message blocking will be solved.

For step-by-step instructions, check out this article on how to Restart an iPhone (All Models).

Having trouble restarting your iPhone? Please see our article on how to force restart an iPhone.

Final Thoughts on the “Message Blocking is active” message

The “Message Blocking is active” error on iPhone is a common problem for various reasons, such as mistaken blocks by the recipient or a wrong number or email used to send messages.

Sometimes, SIM card services stop working due to cellular network glitches or deactivation. We hope these DIY solutions have helped you get rid of this annoying message.

Did you manage to solve the problem? Did you find other ways to troubleshoot this issue? Share your ideas in the comments below.

Check out my favorite iPhone accessories:

AirPods Pro 2 (USB-C)

3-in-1 MagSafe Charging Stand

Add Wireless CarPlay to your car

AirTag 4-pack

MagSafe Power Bank

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Herby Jasmin

Founder & Editor-in-Chief

Herby has a healthy obsession with all things Apple, especially the iPhone. He loves to rip things apart to see how they work. He is responsible for the editorial direction, strategy, and growth of Gotechtor.

Herby Jasmin

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