iMessage and FaceTime can be a little messy on your iPhone when you get signed out of iMessage waiting for activation error. You can get this warning message on your iPhone if your software is out-of-date if you have a poor internet connection, and possibly if your iPhone date and time are both incorrect.
However, with a little adjustment to iPhone settings and iCloud you can fix signed out of iMessage waiting for activation on your iPhone.
How to Fix iPhone Signed Out of iMessage Waiting for Activation
If your FaceTime or iMessage is not activating you don’t have to panic. Apple says it can take up to 24 hours for your FaceTime or iMessage to complete activation. However, if after you have waited for 24 hours and nothing changes. Then we can assume that either the iMessage app or FaceTime app depending on which one of the apps is giving the message is not working.
Meanwhile, for Android users, you can check out this post to learn how to use FaceTime on Android for free. You can also see this guide on how to access iMessage on a PC.
Causes of iMessage waiting for Activation
You expect the iMessage app to activate fully on your iPhone when you enter the activation code or click on the activation link (if not pre-installed) on your iPhone. However, if this is something you didn’t expect, the waiting for activation on iPhone, iPad, and iPod could make you weary.
For this reason, the possible reasons why the iMessage app is saying the app is waiting for activation could be the following reasons.
iMessage isn’t instant Activation
According to Apple, to fully activate iMessage on iOS (iPhone, iPad, & iPod) it could take up to 24 hours. However, if you are looking for a shortcut to activate the iMessage on your iPhone you may end up with the iMessage waiting for activation.
Poor Network Coverage
iMessage is a free messenger app that activates over the internet with an active internet connection. However, suppose you are trying to activate the iMessage app on your iPhone or other iOS devices such as iPod and iPad you must enable the internet connection and have strong internet access to activate the iMessage app.
You have not entered the Activation Code
This could also be the reason why the iMessage app is waiting for activation on your iPhone. Just like the WhatsApp app, the iMessage app will send an activation code to your registered number via SMS.
However, you are expected to enter this activation code into the “iMessage activate” column and click on the activate button. The inability to enter the activation code could result in iMessage being unable to activate.
The Time Zone is not Correct
This is another reason why the iMessage activation isn’t working on your iPhone. You can’t activate the iMessage app in a zone where the zone time is not correctly set.
So, you must ensure that your time zone is correct when you want to activate the iMessage app on your iPhone.
How to Fix iMessage Waiting for Activation
First, we know some of the reasons why your FaceTime or iMessage is returning “iMessage waiting for activation.” These causes will give us the ideas to approach it. So, we recommend you take the following steps to fix your iPhone iMessage waiting for activation.
Restart your iPhone
Let’s start with this before we consider any technical approach to “iPhone iMessage waiting for the activation code” when you are trying to activate the iMessage app on your iPhone. The first step to take when you see this error message is to restart your iPhone. This doesn’t cost any and it won’t affect your device.
How to turn off iPhone
Turning off your iPhone might clear off what is causing the iMessage not activating on your iPhone.
- Press and hold the iPhone power button
- Slide the power button to the right
- This will turn off your iPhone
Once your iPhone is turned off completely, wait for a couple of seconds and then press the power button again to turn on your iPhone.
Reset your Zone Date
If you fall short of this when you want to activate the iMessage app on your iPhone, you have to make the necessary corrections to be able to activate the iMessage app.
- Go to your iPhone settings
- Tap on the “General” option
- Click on “Time & Date”
- Toggle on “Set Automatically” to choose the correct “Time Zone” for your device.
Make sure that your time zone is correctly set. However, if you do not know the actual time in your zone choose the “automatic” time option to use the current time on your iPhone network coverage.
Enable & Disable Airplane Mode
A quick fix to your inactive internet network connection is to turn on the airplane mode and then turn it off after a few seconds. You can turn on the plane mode via the network settings or by just pressing the power button and swiping to airplane mode to activate it.
- Open your “iPhone” settings
- Toggle on “Airplane Mode”
Once the Airplane mode is turned on you will see an Aeroplane icon right before your iPhone battery.
Repeat the same steps to turn off the “Airplane mode” to see if things changed. Now, try to reconnect to your iPhone internet connection and try to reactivate the iMessage app on your iDevice.
Turn off the iMessage App and Turn it On
This could also help to fix the “iMessage waiting for activation” on your iPhone. A glitch between the iOS device and the iMessage app might cause the iMessage activation problem.
- Go to your “iPhone Settings”
- Scroll down and click on the “Message” app.
- Toggle “Off” the “iMessage” app.
Now, try to enter the iMessage activation code sent to your phone number and see if the waiting iMessage disappears and you can activate the iMessenger.
Update your iOS
If you are running the outdated version of the iDevice OS the iMessage app can malfunction and could pose an activation threat when you are trying to activate the iMessenger app on your iOS.
- Go to your iPhone settings
- Click on the “General” tab
- Click on the “Software update.”
- Tap the “Download” button to start preparing and downloading the software update.
This may take a few minutes. It can even extend to an hour. However, make sure you are connected to a good WiFi to download this update or schedule your device to upgrade to the latest iOS update when connected to a WiFi.
Signout Apple ID & Login Again
You can’t do without the Apple ID when you are dealing with iOS devices such as iPhones, iPads, and iPods, including Mac computers. However, if you are having a bit of glitches installing the iMessage app on your iPhone with “iMessage waiting for activation” you should log out of your iCloud account and log in again.
- Go to your “iPhone Settings.”
- Click on your “Profile Name.”
- Scroll down and click on “Sign Out.”
- Enter your “Apple ID” password and click on “Turn Off.”
- You may turn on your iCloud data that you want to keep from the onscreen.
- Tap “Sign Out.”
- Click on the “Sign Out” button again to confirm that you want to sign out of your iCloud account.
Now, you’d be successfully logged out of your Apple ID. Now, at the interface, click on “Use Your Apple ID for iMessage “, and log in to your iCloud account with your password and username.
Now, go back to the iMessage and try to activate your account. At this point, the iMessage waiting for activation would be gone.