Top 6 Ways to Fix Message Not Sent Error on Android

Does an error message saying “Message not sent” appear in the notification bar of your Android device when you send SMS or multimedia messages? Refer to the solutions in this guide for how to eliminate the issues that are causing this SMS inconvenience on your phone or tablet.

There are many reasons for this error to appear on your screen. And likewise, there are many ways to solve it. Let’s go.

1. Check the SIM card / account balance

All of the mobile operator networks have specified rates they charge for short message (SMS) services. Check your account balance and make sure you have sufficient funds to cover SMS charges. You should also note that SMS charges are billed per message segment and sometimes by the number of characters. So if you are trying to send a long text that exceeds the character limit of a message from your mobile carrier, make sure you have sufficient funds in your carrier account to cover the cost of the entire SMS. .

If you are on a special / dedicated SMS plan, make sure the plan is active i.e. it has not been canceled or expired. Downtime or service outage on your carrier side can also cause the “Message not sent” error on your Android device. If you have sufficient funds in your account, try the other solutions listed below. And if the error persists, you should also contact your mobile operator.

2. Activate airplane mode

A cellular connectivity issue on your Android device could prevent messages from reaching the recipient (s). Turning Airplane mode on and off after a few seconds will refresh your mobile networks and resolve the connectivity issues causing the ‘Unsent Messages’ error.

Turn on Airplane mode in the notification panel or go to Settings> Network & Internet> Advanced and turn on Airplane mode. Wait about 5-10 seconds and turn it off.

3. Force stop messages

Like all other Android apps, it is normal for Messages to sometimes not work properly or stop responding to certain commands. When this happens with Messages (or other apps on your device), force quitting the app is a quick and easy fix that will restore its functionality to normal.

Follow the steps below to force stop messages on your Android device.

Step 1: Launch the Settings menu and select “Apps & Notifications”.

2nd step: Select App Info or All Apps – this option varies depending on your phone brand and operating system.

Step 3: Scroll through the list of applications and select Messages.

Step 4: Next, tap the Force Stop icon and select OK from the confirmation prompt.

4. Clear the cache of the Messages app

The Messages app might also malfunction if there are corrupt files in its cache directory. Clear the app cache, resend the message, and check if it passes. Close the Messages app and follow the steps below.

Step 1: Long press the Messages icon on the home screen or in the application bar and tap the attached icon (i) in the context menu to display the information menu of the Messages application.

2nd step: Select “Storage and Cache”.

Step 3: Finally, tap on the Clear cache icon to clear the cache of the Messages app.

5. Check the SMS authorization

You also want to verify that Messages or your default messaging app has permission to send and receive text and multimedia messages on your Android device. Although this permission is always enabled by default on the official Messages app (by Google) that came with your Android device, you may need to manually grant this permission to third-party SMS apps.

Follow the steps below to check if the affected Messages app has SMS permissions.

Step 1: Launch the Settings menu and select Privacy.

2nd step: Select Authorization Manager.

Step 3: Scroll through the list of permissions and select SMS.

Step 4: Make sure the Messages app is in the Allowed section.

If Messages (or your third-party messaging app) isn’t listed in the Allowed or Denied section, follow the steps below to grant the SMS permission to the app.

Step 1: Long press the Messages icon on the home screen or in the application bar and tap the attached icon (i) in the context menu.

2nd step: On the Info page for the Messages app, select Authorization.

Step 4: Make sure app SMS access is set to Allow

Other troubleshooting checks

If the error persists after trying all of the solutions listed above, verify that the recipient’s phone number is correct. And if the message content includes a multimedia attachment (pictures, videos, GIFs, etc.), make sure your cell phone data is turned on. This is because multimedia messages (MMS) require cellular data, not a Wi-Fi connection. Some mobile operators even require that you have a dedicated MMS plan before you can send multimedia messages. So, check with your network provider to be sure. Finally, restarting your phone might also help get rid of this error.