Why Does My iMessage Keep Turning Off & How to Fix It (2024)

 

Is your iPad, Mac, or iPhone signed out of iMessage randomly, or does iMessage keep turning off on its own? Here's how to fix this annoying problem, so you can use iMessage reliably on all your devices again!

Fix It Fast When iMessage Is Signed Out or Keeps Turning Off

Mac, iPad, or iPhone iMessage not working? Now, you can't send or receive iMessages; you'll have to use SMS messages (making your messages green instead of blue). Here's what to do if iMessage keeps turning off or signing out, including updating the software on your iPhone, iPad, or Mac, updating carrier settings, making sure that your two-factor authentication password matches the one you've set for iMessages, and making sure messages are sending from your phone number, not your email address. If iMessage signed out randomly or iMessage randomly turned off, we'll find the fix!

Check the Apple System Status Page

One of the easiest steps to take when iMessage keeps turning off or signing out is to check Apple's System Status Page. Various Apple systems can have issues or go offline, and there's nothing you can do but wait for the issue to be resolved. Navigate to the Apple System Status Page, then look for the status of iMessage. As you can see, iMessage has a resolved issue, so this could be the whole cause of the problem.

Turn Off iMessage & FaceTime, Then Reboot

A quick way to deal with iMessage and FaceTime issues is to turn off these features, reboot your iPhone, iPad, or Mac then turn the features back on. Here's how to turn off iMessage and FaceTime on your Mac. To do this on an iPhone or iPad:

1. Open the Settings app.
   
   
2. Tap Messages.
   
   
3. Toggle off iMessages.
   
   
4. Now, go back and tap FaceTime.
   
   
5. Now, toggle off FaceTime.
   
   

Now, reboot your iPhone, iPad, or Mac, then go back into the Settings app and turn on iMessage and FaceTime again. 

Are Internet Problems Causing iMessage to Sign Out Randomly?

There are several internet and Wi-Fi-related reasons why iMessage keeps turning off. You may have internet issues or a weak Wi-Fi signal, in which case there are a few steps you can take to improve your connection. 

First, check your cellular and Wi-Fi signal bars at the top-right corner of your screen. Your cellular signal is indicated by how many of the four vertical bars are white. Your Wi-Fi signal is indicated by how many of the three gradually larger semi-circles are white. If either of these has no bars or only one bar, it means your cellular, Wi-Fi, or both signals are poor, which may be why iMessages keep turning off. 

If you have a weak Wi-Fi signal, move your Wi-Fi router closer to where you usually use your iPhone or iPad. Also, make sure your router isn't placed close to a microwave, which can interfere with signal strength, and elevate your router to boost its signal. Try moving to a location with a better cellular and/or Wi-Fi signal to see if iMessage keeps signing out. If you live in or regularly travel to areas with poor cellular service, consider switching cellular service providers to one with better coverage. 

If your Wi-Fi signal looks good, but iMessage keeps turning off, you can run an internet speed test like fast.com on your iPhone or iPad to see how many Mbps, or megabits per second, your Wi-Fi signal is providing. To learn your Wi-Fi connection's download and upload speed, as well as Ping (the reaction time of your connection, measured in ms, milliseconds), try Ookla. 

If your Wi-Fi speed looks ok, try restarting by turning off your iPhone, iPad, or Mac, then unplugging your modem and router for at least 30 seconds. Plug your modem and router back in, wait until no new indicator lights are blinking, then turn your device back on and see if things have improved.

iPad or iPhone Storage Is Full

If your iPhone, iPad, or Mac has low or no storage, you'll see a lot of issues, including iMessage turning off by itself. You can check your iPhone or iPad storage and Mac storage, and free up space if you discover that your storage is full, and this may fix the iMessage keeps signing out problem.

Check Your Date & Time Settings

One issue that can cause iMessage to keep signing out is a problem with your device's date, time, and location settings. To make sure this isn't the case, or fix the issue:

1. Open the Settings app.
   
   
2. Tap General.
   
   
3. Tap Date & Time.
   
   
4. Toggle on Set Automatically. It will be green and to the right when enabled. If Set Automatically is already on, turn it off, then on again. 
   
   

Reset Apple ID Password

If iMessage signed out randomly, it's possible that your Apple ID has been compromised. Just in case this is the cause, change your Apple ID password and see if iMessage keeps turning off. If so, read on.

Reset Network Settings on Your iPhone or iPad

If iMessage keeps turning off after the previous steps, it's possible that your iPhone or iPad is having an internet connectivity issue, and you need to reset your network settings. This is quick, and will remove your Wi-Fi connection, so you'll have to enter your password again. That's a minor inconvenience, considering it can fix the iMessage keeps signing out or turning off problem!

Factory Reset & Restore Your iPhone or iPad from a Backup (iCloud, iTunes, or Finder)

As a last resort, you can restore your iPhone, iPad, or Mac from a backup, whether that be iCloud, iTunes, or a Finder backup. When you do this, be sure to choose a backup made before iMessage signed out randomly or stopped working, so that you can back up from settings and data saved before this glitch started occurring. 

Check out our free Tip of the Day for more great Messages tutorials for iPhone, iPad, and Mac!

By now, your Messages app should be working again. If not, contact your cellular service provider to make sure it's not an issue on their end. If things still aren't fixed, it's time to contact Apple Support. Be sure to read our other troubleshooting guides whenever you have a tricky problem with your Apple devices!