iMessages not showing up on iPhone? Here are all fixes!

When your iPhone doesn't show your iMessage conversations, explore all these reasons and fixes to get your iMessages back in no time.

There are various fixes to bring your iMessages back if they are not showing up in your iPhone's Messages app.

iMessage is Apple's free messaging service, allowing you to seamlessly send texts, photos, videos, and more to other Apple users over Wi-Fi or cellular data. However, sometimes your iMessages may not show up on your iPhone properly, leading to the risk of missing important conversations from your friends or family.

But don't worry. Whether the issue stems from incorrect settings, network problems, accidental deletions, or software glitches, this guide covers all proven solutions to fix iMessages not showing up issue on iPhone. From quick troubleshooting steps to advanced iOS recovery methods, you'll learn how to get your iMessages back easily.

If your iMessages disappeared due to accidental deletion, iPhone Data Recovery would be a perfect option to find and recover both recently and permanently deleted iMessages.

Table of Contents

• Understanding how iMessage works on iPhone
• Why & How to fix iMessages not showing up on iPhone
• Prevent iMessages from disappearing on iPhone

Understanding how iMessage works on iPhone

Available across iPhone, iPad, Mac, and other Apple devices, iMessages is Apple's secure messaging platform that lets you share texts, photos, videos, locations, and more through the Messages app. For iMessages to show up correctly on your iPhone, ensure the following:

• Stable network connection. A Wi-Fi or cellular data should be active on your iPhone to send and receive iMessages in blue bubbles.
• Correct Apple ID & phone number. You're signed in with the same Apple account or phone number that you used for iMessages.
• iMessages enabled. iMessages is enabled in iPhone Settings > Apps > Messages.
• Adequate storage space. Your iPhone needs sufficient storage to load and display all iMessage conversations.

If your iMessages still don't appear in Messages app, check whether you've met these basic requirements. For further troubleshooting, explore the potential causes and fixes below:

Why & How to fix iMessages not showing up on iPhone

When your iMessages disappear on your iPhone, it may be caused by misconfigured settings, weak networks, or device malfunctions. These common problems can prevent iMessages from showing up on your iPhone rightly. To fix it, here are various solutions that can help:

Fix 1. Enable iMessages correctly

If iMessage isn't showing conversations in your Messages app, the first thing to check is whether the feature is enabled. This commonly occurs when setting up a new or different iOS device. Here's To fix it, here's how to enable iMessage on iPhone Settings properly:

• Open the Settings app on your iPhone. Ensure you're signed in to the right Apple account that you used for iMessages.
• Move to Apps > Messages and turn on iMessage toggle. If it's already enabled, turn it off, wait a few seconds, then turn it back on.
• To select which phone number and email address you prefer to use, tap Send & Receive, then choose your desired options below You can receive iMessages to and reply from.

Once confirmed, iMessages should be activated on your iPhone to use it normally.

Fix 2. Check network connections

With an active internet connection, you can send and receive iMessages without hassle. If your iMessages are not loading on iPhone, try connecting to a stable Wi-Fi or cellular network to fix it:

• Unlink all networks and re-connect your iPhone to a new or different Wi-Fi or cellular data. If available, connect to 3G, 4G, or 5G connectivity.
• Enable Airplane Mode in iPhone's Control Center, wait shortly and then disable it. This will refresh the internet connection on your phone.
• Reset network settings by going to iPhone Settings > General > Transfer or Reset iPhone > Reset Network Settings.

Fix 3. Recover recently deleted iMessages in Messages app

Since iOS 16, Apple has introduced Recently Deleted feature within Messages app — it stores all iMessages and text messages that you've deleted in the last 30 to 40 days. If some of iMessages are not showing up in your conversation list, check if they are deleted by accident:

• Open Messages app on your iPhone.
• Tap the return < icon if you're not in conversation page.
• Press the Edit (or Filters) button in the upper-left corner.
• From the opening options, choose Show Recently Deleted.
• If you can find your missing iMessages in Recently Deleted folder, tap to select them.
• Tap on Recover and confirm Recover [number] messages to get your iMessages back.

These recovered iMessages will re-appear in your iPhone conversation list when you open the Messages app.

Important tips:

• If the Recently Deleted option doesn't show up in Messages app, check if your iPhone is updated to iOS 16 or above.
• The iMessages in Recently Deleted folder will be automatically and permanently removed from your iPhone after 30 days.

Fix 4. Recover permanently deleted iMessages on iPhone

If your iMessages are not showing up on your iPhone or disappeared in Recently Deleted folder, whether by accidental deletion or permanent removal, Appgeeker iPhone Data Recovery offers the ability for a complete scanning into your iPhone's internal storage — dig deeply to find all deleted and lost iMessages that are still recoverable on your iPhone.

Working for all iOS versions and iPhone models, here are the steps to recover deleted and lost iMessages directly from iPhone without a backup:

• Run iPhone Data Recovery on computer and go for Recover from iOS Device.

• Connect your iPhone via a USB cable and click Start Scan to perform a deep scan. If prompted, tap Trust on your iPhone to allow for scanning.

• When scanning results display, select Messages tab from the left-side menu. It allows you to preview all deleted and lost iMessages hidden on your iPhone.
• Choose the iMessages you want back and click the Recover button.

The missing iMessages will then be recovered and exported to your computer, allowing for later review. Get more help if you're looking to recover deleted iMessages without backup.

Fix 5. Check Messages for iCloud

When your iMessage conversations are not showing up on iPhone but appearing in Messages on your Mac or iPad, check if you're signed in to your Apple Account and whether your iPhone has Messages for iCloud turned off:

• Unlock your iPhone and go to Settings > your name > iCloud. Make sure your device is signed in with the same Apple Account associated with your iMessage services.
• In iOS 17.2 or later, tap See All (or Show All) > Messages in iCloud, and turn on Use on this iPhone option.
• In iOS 16 to 17.1, tap Show All > Messages, and toggle on Sync this iPhone.
• Switch to iPhone Messages app. All iMessages stored in your iCloud should appear now.

TIP: If you've previously backed up your iPhone to iCloud, restoring messages from iCloud backup can help retrieve old iMessages back.

Fix 6. Free up iPhone storage space

iMessages often contain countless conversations, photos, videos, and attachments — all of which take up storage space. If your iPhone is running low on storage, it may block new iMessages from appearing. To resolve this, try freeing up space by:

• Delete duplicate or unnecessary media data: Remove redundant photos, videos, and files.
• Empty Recently Deleted folder: Clear the Recently Deleted folder in your iPhone's Messages and Photos app.
• Offload files to cloud services: Upload large files to cloud storage services, such as Apple iCloud Drive, Google Drive, OneDrive, Dropbox, and more.

After clearing space, your iPhone should allow new iMessages to load properly.

Fix 7. Force restart Messages app and your iPhone

The Messages app may freeze or fail to display iMessages properly due to software glitches. This common issue can often be resolved through a force restart. If your iPhone is not showing all iMessages, follow these troubleshooting steps:

• Force restart Messages app: Swipe up from the bottom to open the app switcher on iPhone, then swipe up on the Messages app preview to close it. After that, reopen Messages app to see if your iMessages appear.
• Re-enable iMessages: Move to Settings > Apps > Messages; turn off iMessages, wait for a few seconds, and turn it back on.
• If necessary, sign out of your Apple ID and then sign in again.

If the Messages restart doesn't bring your iMessages back, try restarting your iPhone instead:

• For iPhone X or later: Press and hold either Volume button and the Side button until you see the Power-off slider; drag the slider to turn off your iPhone; wait for 30 seconds, then press and hold the Side button to turn it back on.
• For iPhone 6, 7, 8, or SE 2nd/3rd generations, press and hold the Side button until the Power-off slider appears; slide it to power off your phone, wait briefly and long-press the Side button until the Apple logo displays.
• For iPhone SE 1st, 5, or earlier, press and hold the Top button until your iPhone shows the Power-off slider; drag it to shut down your device. Then press and hold the Top button to turn your iPhone back on.

Fix 8. Update iPhone to latest iOS

An older iOS version can also lead to iMessages not appearing correctly on your iPhone. Regular iOS updates fix common bugs and improve system stability. Follow these steps to update iOS on your iPhone:

• Connect your iPhone to the internet with Wi-Fi.
• Navigate to Settings > General > Software Update. Your iPhone will show the currently installed iOS version.
• If there are update options available, choose the newest one and follow the onscreen prompts to update your iPhone to the latest iOS.
• You may enable Automatic Updates to automatically install and download newer version of iOS, keeping your iPhone up to date.

Fix 9. Configure Time Zone Settings

Your iPhone may have trouble showing iMessage conversations properly if the time zone is not set to update automatically. To fix this, check your Time Zone Settings:

• Head to your iPhone Settings > General > Date & Time.
• Turn on the toggle next to Set Automatically.

When the Time Zone is set for automatic update, check whether your iMessages are back.

Fix 10. Check if iMessage server is down

In rare cases, iMessage conversations may not show up if the iMessage server is down. You may check it by visiting the Apple's System Status page. If the service is down in your region, there's not much you can do but to wait for Apple to resolve the issue.

Fix 11. Verify group iMessage compatibility

If you're unable to send group iMessages, confirm that all contacts are using Apple devices. If any member switches to a non-Apple device, the iMessages will automatically convert to SMS/MMS (green bubbles). For optimal iMessage functionality, ensure all group contacts are within Apple ecosystem.

Prevent iMessages from disappearing on iPhone

If these solutions successfully fix the iMessages not appearing issue, you may regularly back up your iPhone messages to prevent future data loss. To make it:

• Enable automatic iCloud backups in Settings > your Apple ID > iCloud > iCloud Backups.
• Create manual backups of your iPhone via iTunes (Windows PC & earlier macOS) or Finder (macOS 10.15 Catalina or later).

Should the issue persist after trying all troubleshooting methods, try reaching out to Apple Support for more helpful suggestions.