Cannot text certain contacts from iPad Pro

Question

Cannot text certain contacts from iPad Pro

My devices: iPad Pro, iPhone 11 Pro

My wife’s device: iPhone 11

All devices are running the latest iOS updates. We both have the same carrier (Verizon)

I have my iPad and my iPhone paired and on the same local network. I can make and receive phone calls on my iPad using my iPhone. I can also send and receive text messages on the iPad through the iPhone to *ALMOST* everybody.

Just recently - I suddenly cannot send a text message to my wife’s iPhone. I used to do this all the time. Now, I get a cryptic message that just says “NOT DELIVERED” and gives me a retry option (which always fails to send). It is just her. I can text other people just fine.

I don’t have a large circle of friends so I can’t say for certain that she’s the only person in the WORLD I can’t text. But there are 4 or 5 others that I regularly text without problems. I don’t know what devices they are using to read/send texts but a couple I do know have iPhones.

And the problem is just on my iPad, I can text her direct from my iPhone just fine.

Any ideas?

iPad Pro, iPadOS 15

Posted on Dec 29, 2021 1:38 PM

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Answer 1

Top-ranking reply

Williammadonna Author

Level 1

4 points

Dec 29, 2021 6:14 PM in response to sberman

You indirectly solved my problem. I did not know about the blue vs. red color meanings on messages. Once you mentioned that they should be blue (iMessage), I asked the wife if she turned off her iMessaging recently. She did because she thought that would solve some other problem she was having (totally unrelated).

I had her turn it back on and now it is working fine again.

Thanks for your help on this.

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Answer 2

sberman

Level 10

267,711 points

Dec 29, 2021 1:44 PM in response to Williammadonna

Might you and your wife be sharing an Apple ID? If so, stop doing that immediately.

The person acquiring the new Apple ID must thoroughly cleanse her/his Apple device(s) as follows:

What to do before you sell, give away, or trade in your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch - Apple Support

Then “move in” using that new Apple ID.

Later, if you wish:

Set up Family Sharing - Apple Support

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Answer 3

sberman

Level 10

267,711 points

Dec 29, 2021 2:15 PM in response to Williammadonna

Williammadonna wrote:

No - we have separate apple ID’s

Good!

Does the outgoing message appear on your iPad in blue (as it should, indicating an iMessage)?

Are you sending the message to your wife’s telephone number? Or to her Apple ID? If you don’t know, try tapping the “>” to the right of her name on top of the message.

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Answer 4

sberman

Level 10

267,711 points

Dec 29, 2021 5:42 PM in response to Williammadonna

OK. First of all, it’s very odd that the messages are green. They should be blue, indicating iMessages to an Apple device. So perhaps there’s something odd about the formatting of her telephone number, such as the area code. Anyway, sending messages to her Apple ID should work (and, of course, appear in blue).

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Answer 5

Dec 29, 2021 5:34 PM in response to sberman

No - message is in green (see attached)

I’m sending it to her telephone number.

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Answer 6

Dec 29, 2021 2:08 PM in response to sberman

No - we have separate apple ID’s

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Answer 7

Dec 29, 2021 5:37 PM in response to Williammadonna

BTW - touching the “i” next to the error only gives me a vague description of “Your message was not delivered” and the option to “Try Again”. Touching try again just repeats the process

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Answer 8

sberman

Level 10

267,711 points

Dec 29, 2021 6:50 PM in response to Williammadonna

You’re welcome.

Enjoy your Apple gear.

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Cannot text certain contacts from iPad Pro

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