The presence of a large number of modern instant messengers does not negate the importance of basic telephone services: sending and receiving text messages. But sometimes problems arise. Today we will look in detail at why SMS messages do not arrive on your phone.
The step-by-step instructions are universal and suitable for all models and brands: Alcatel, Asus, Lenovo, Meizu, Philips, Nokia, Oppo, Phillips, Prestigio, Sony Xperia, HTC, Samsung, Xiaomi (Redme), ZTE, BQ, Vertex, Micromax, Umidigi , Oukitel, Texet, Leagoo, Dexp, Doogie, Huawei (Honor), HomTom, etc. There may be minor differences in interfaces due to software versions.
To start
The most common reasons why messages stop coming are a lack of network or a full smartphone memory. It doesn’t matter what kind of SMS you are waiting for, be it:
- One-time password for Vkontakte, Instagram, Facebook, Telegram, Viber,
- Security code for online banking (VTB, Tinkoff, Sovcombank, Yandex money, Alpha Bank and others), government services, Paypal, Qiwi, Webmoney wallets
- Notification from gaming services: steam, 1xbet, and others.
On a note! These problems can occur in any phone based on Android, iOS, Windows Mobile, iPhone.
Is there a network
Breakdowns on the line of telephone operators (MTS, Tele2, Beeline, Megafon and other regional ones), congestion on holidays or bad weather, strong gusts of wind - all this can lead to a lack of network. This is a problem on the operator's side. In this case, it is recommended to wait for the connection to be restored or call the contact center back in order to clarify the cause of the breakdown and the timing of the resumption of communication.
It happens that the SMS was sent while you were outside the reception area or abroad in roaming, therefore:
- The notification may be “lost” because the time limit is triggered,
- Arrive significantly late, up to a day.
Reboot
If your phone suddenly stops receiving messages, then some settings in the device itself may have failed. Reboot your device, the settings should update automatically. If after this you still don’t receive SMS messages, read on.
Clear memory
Another common reason, especially for older models (including push-button models), is the device’s internal memory is full. Modern Android, iOS and Windows smartphones provide several gigabytes for storing personal information, photos, videos. However, this quantity may not be enough for SMS to be delivered without problems.
Clear your cell phone memory of unnecessary photos, files, videos, and applications that you don’t use. Removal can be done manually or using a special utility:
- download and install CCleaner Master from the app store;
- run the utility on your smartphone, the application will scan the memory and identify junk and temporary files;
- Click the "clean" button to remove all unnecessary stuff.
On a note! Sometimes, to clear the internal memory of your phone, it is enough to go to the messages section and manually delete the accumulated SMS. This will make room for new ones.
SMS messages do not arrive on the phone (MTS operator)
Don’t rush to just hand it in for repairs, because it’s most likely a system failure. Almost always, you can fix everything yourself. In detail, how to do what and how to fix it, you can look here gadget-media.ru/do-not-come-sms-messages-on-android/
My wife, on the contrary, has a problem - it is impossible to send SMS. Most likely there was a glitch in the firmware. You need to reflash or accept it.
Now try to delete all SMS from your phone. I deleted it from the SIM card, but not from the phone. And there may be a lot of technical garbage, such as balance balance or spam.
I have the same thing, only I inserted the SIM card into another phone and it still didn’t come! WHAT TO DO!?
MTS is just a bullshit operator of dill
Methods
If all the methods described above did not help, then the problem lies in the basic settings of Android, iOS or Windows.
On a note! People who are poorly versed in gadget settings are advised to contact specialists so as not to accidentally delete or enable something that is not required.
Turn off Do Not Disturb mode
When Do Not Disturb mode is turned on, notifications about new SMS messages are not displayed. In this mode, they end up in the “Inbox” message folder, but the owner does not know about it.
To disable the mode on your smartphone you need to:
- go to the “Settings” section;
- find the “Sounds” subsection and in it “Do not disturb”.
Switch the slider to the “Off” position so that notifications of new SMS messages are displayed in the top status bar.
On a note! On iPhone, this section is located immediately in “Settings”.
Remove a number from the black list
If you do not receive messages from a specific number, then perhaps the subscriber, accidentally or intentionally, is on your blacklist. To resume the function, you need to delete the contact from it:
- go to the blacklist;
- find the blocked subscriber, click on the line while holding your finger on the screen;
- A pop-up window will open in which you must select “Delete” and confirm the action.
Now you will receive SMS as usual.
Some smartphone models do not display the blacklist directly. To find out if a number is on the blacklist and remove it from it, you need to do this:
- in the “Contacts” section, open a saved number from which you cannot receive SMS;
- click the ellipsis in the upper corner;
- check the presence or absence of a subscriber on the black list;
- remove from it and verify the work by sending an SMS to the subscriber with a request to send a message in response.
On a note! To avoid wasting time looking through each contact, it is recommended to install the Black List phone application. With its help, you can easily find people included in the blacklist and you can remove or add new ones.
Video instructions for iPhone:
Disable antivirus
Many modern smartphones have an antivirus installed by default that blocks incoming SMS from short numbers. This protects against annoying advertising and unnecessary notifications that irritate the user. In addition, it protects against attackers trying to gain access to personal data.
But there are times when it is necessary to confirm an action using an authentication code. To receive such an SMS, you need to disable your antivirus program for a short time:
- go to the menu;
- find the “Applications” section;
- You will see the installed antivirus in the list that opens, disable it.
Change SMS center
A telecom operator is an intermediary that ensures the transfer of information between the sender and the recipient. The SMS center delivers it directly. It has its own number, which is already automatically registered in the gadget settings.
If the parameters are lost, you need to manually restore or change the SMS center:
- Tap the Messages icon on your phone screen and go to Settings using the icon in the top corner.
- Select the “Advanced settings” section and find “SMS center number” in it.
- You will see numbers on the screen; check them with those indicated on the operator’s official website.
If the numbers do not match or are missing, change them or enter data from the site. After that, restart your mobile phone, SMS messages will start to arrive.
Get a new SIM card
If messages do not arrive on your phone, the reason may be in the SIM card:
- mechanical damage to the chip on the card,
- restrictions on the tariff plan - only accepts calls;
- The SIM card is blocked by the operator;
- You haven't used this number for a long time.
To check these versions, simply change the SIM card, take another one and insert it into the slot. If notifications are received on another SIM card, it means yours is damaged or blocked.
To solve the problem, you need to contact the nearest operator service center and replace the SIM card. The procedure is most often free; all that is required is a passport to confirm the owner’s rights.
On a note! After replacing the old SIM card with a new one, your mobile number is saved.
Remove recently installed apps
In each phone, the manufacturer installs standard basic software for receiving or sending SMS. Users who install additional applications to obtain advanced features may experience conflicts between them. Especially when installing tweaks or root rights.
Alternatively, when installing an application from an unverified source, a virus entered the system.
If you installed such applications and noticed after some time that messages stopped coming, remove the additional software. To do this, go to the “Applications” section located in the main menu. Find the application that you think is blocking SMS delivery or reception and click “Delete”.
Reset to factory settings or reflash
If none of the methods described above helps and the problem is not in the SIM card, then the only last resort is to reset the phone to factory settings or reflash it.
Important! Please note that all personal information on the smartphone will be deleted. Therefore, it is recommended to move photos, music, videos, applications or files to an external flash drive. Take it out of the groove and start the process.
How to reset the settings yourself:
- Open Settings and find the Backup & Reset section.
- Select “Reset”, confirm the operation with consent and wait until the process is completed.
- After this, reboot the device.
- Make sure Do Not Disturb and Airplane modes are turned off.
- Check that the SMS center number is correct.
Your phone should now receive SMS messages.
To completely flash the software, contact your nearest service center or read detailed instructions here.
Service settings
There may also be a problem if the SMS center settings are incorrect. First of all, check which number is indicated in the “Message Center” column; for MTS subscribers it should be this: +7 916 899 91 00.
The wrong data link may be connected. The default setting should be "GSM", if another is active (eg GPRS), replace it. You also need to check the “Message type” line; it should display: Text, Standard or Normal (depending on the model and device, the name may change).
The maximum storage period must be specified.
After making any changes to the Message Center, you will need to restart your device for the new settings to apply.
Other reasons
There are reasons why SMS messages do not arrive on your smartphone, which are not at all related to the gadget’s settings.
The sender has the wrong subscriber
The message will not be delivered if the sender entered the number incorrectly. For successful delivery, it is important to enter numbers in international format, for example, for Russia +7, for Ukraine +38.
SMS exchange limited by operator
Technical malfunctions on the side of the cellular operator will lead to temporary restrictions in the delivery of notifications. If you find such glitches, for example, messages arrive with a long delay, then call the call center operator on the hotline and clarify the reason, as well as the time to restore communication.
Delays may also occur due to malfunctions of cell towers. To fix the glitch and reconnect, do the following procedure:
- turn on airplane mode;
- wait a few seconds for the connection symbol on the top panel to turn off;
- After that, turn off Airplane mode and wait for the connection to update.
SMS reception blocked
Some organizations, when issuing mobile phones or SIM cards to their employees for work, pre-block the ability to send and receive SMS messages. This allows you not only to reduce communication costs if an unscrupulous worker uses it for other purposes, but also to protect the gadget from hacking by scammers, intrusive notifications, and from installing viruses.
Virus
Malware or a virus installed through a downloaded application can block the delivery of messages to your phone. To protect yourself from this, you need to download utilities and software only from trusted sources.
If a virus infection does occur, it can be detected using an antivirus. It is recommended to check the gadget in at least two antivirus programs to make sure that the threat has been eliminated.
Disabled permission to receive SMS
Many mobile operators provide . For a subscription fee of 1 rub. per day you can block any number that haunts you. Then SMS and calls will not be received from it. The service is activated in your personal account. There you can also get acquainted with the tariff and conditions of the service in detail.
Network congestion
Mobile communications can sometimes fail and this is not surprising, because a large number of people use it. In fact, there may be a large number of reasons why messages are not received by MTS clients. The first thing to highlight is the network load. As a rule, a similar phenomenon can occur during major holidays, such as New Year. In this case, the network is too busy and cannot deliver the message in a matter of seconds. In this case, MTS subscribers do not need to do anything or panic, because after a certain time everything will fall into place. After the network is unloaded, all information will be delivered to the recipients.
Question answer
Let's look at special cases.
Why doesn’t it come from banks?
SMS from banks contain important information for the subscriber. They may indicate access passwords, account balances, financial movements, etc. Therefore, if notifications stop coming from banks, then you should immediately sound the alarm.
There may be several reasons:
- The Economy package is included. In this case, you will not know about the movement of funds in your account.
- The short number from which the SMS is sent has been classified as spam. For example, Sberbank uses 900 for alerts. To fix the problem, you need to check the blacklist and adjust the spam settings.
- The delivery is blocked by a virus. This is dangerous because it can steal your data. Check your gadget for threats using an antivirus.
- When registering in your personal account, you indicated the wrong phone number or made a mistake.
I recently changed my SIM card and it started
After installing a new SIM card or changing mobile operator, you need to change the SMS center number. Each operator has its own set of numbers, for example, for Russia Megafon +79262909090, for Ukraine Kievstar +380672021111.
Comes, but inside is empty
If SMS messages still arrive, but the inside is empty or does not open, then the reason may be:
- a virus on a mobile phone that blocks or steals incoming SMS;
- the antivirus blocks content, cutting out links to suspicious resources to prevent the threat of infection;
- The system protects against spam from an unknown sender;
- Incorrect text encoding (sometimes there are strange and incomprehensible characters inside, similar to hieroglyphs).
Crash
Also, sometimes there is a network failure or technical work on MTS. As a rule, when a failure begins, you cannot receive messages, make calls or access the Internet. As a rule, it is simply unrealistic to know when this will happen. In this situation, customers will also not need to take action. The best solution to this problem is to wait. When the glitch is fixed, everything will fall into place. It is worth noting that such cases can occur in bad weather conditions, as well as in extreme heat or cold. Since the mobile operator MTS is one of the three leaders in Russia, there is no need to panic. Failures occur extremely rarely, and if they do occur, they will be resolved in a short period of time.
SMS messages are received by another application
If you have a modern smartphone, then problems with receiving SMS may be caused by the fact that they are received not by the standard Messages application, but by some other application that was installed on your device. This situation is possible, for example, on phones with the Android operating system.
In order to check which application is responsible for receiving SMS messages, you need to go to the standard “Messages” application and go to its settings. Here, among other settings, there will be an option such as “SMS application”. When you open it, a list of applications that can receive messages will appear.
Here you need to select the standard “Messages” application, and then check whether SMS have started to arrive or not.
