What Does Sent as Text Message Mean? 5 Causes on iPhone (2024)

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Find out what green text means in iMessage on your iOS device

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IN THIS ARTICLE

1The iMessage was sent as SMS.

2You messaged a non-iOS device.

3The recipient doesn't have Wi-Fi.

4The recipient's device was powered off.

5You may be blocked.

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Written byRain Kengly

Last Updated: August 30, 2023Fact Checked

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Are you seeing "Sent as Text Message" underneath your iMessages? This doesn't necessarily mean you're blocked.[1]There are plenty of issues that can contribute to your blue iMessage bubbles turning green after sending. This wikiHow will teach you what it means when you see "Sent as Text Message" on your iPhone.

Things You Should Know

  • "Sent As Text Message" means your device was delivered as a regular SMS text.
  • To turn off SMS messages, go to "Settings" → "Messages" → toggle off "Send as SMS".
  • When messages are sent as SMS, this could be due to lack of Wi-Fi connection, messaging a non-iOS device, or in some cases, being blocked.
  1. An SMS text is a regular text message. When you see Sent As Text Message, your iMessage has been sent from your end without issue, but it arrived at the recipient's device as a regular text.[2]

    • With SMS texts, you won't be able to see if someone read your text. You'll only see Read Receipts for iMessages unless the recipient has them turned off.
    • If you don’t want to send SMS messages, you can turn it off. Go to SettingsMessages → toggle off Send as SMS.
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2

You messaged a non-iOS device.

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  1. iMessage is only available between iOS devices. When you message a non-iOS device, such as an Android, the blue text bubble turns green and it's sent as a regular text. It's possible the recipient switched from an iOS device to an Android (or other) device, so iMessage is no longer possible between your devices.

3

The recipient doesn't have Wi-Fi.

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  1. iMessages are delivered over Wi-Fi. If the recipient isn't connected to the internet, they may receive the iMessage as an SMS text message instead. You can try again later to see if it sends as an iMessage.[3]

    • If your device isn’t connected to the internet, you may receive the iMessage Not Delivered notification underneath the message.
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4

The recipient's device was powered off.

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  1. If the recipient's device is off, you may see "Sent As Text Message". The recipient could just need a simple recharge until they can receive iMessages again. Try to send your message again later when they've had a chance to power their device on again.

5

You may be blocked.

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  1. iMessages sent as texts could mean you're blocked. While there's no way to be completely sure if someone blocked you on iMessage, having your messages consistently appear green with a known iOS user could be an indication.

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      About This Article

      What Does Sent as Text Message Mean? 5 Causes on iPhone (14)

      Written by:

      Rain Kengly

      wikiHow Technology Writer

      This article was co-authored by wikiHow staff writer, Rain Kengly. Rain Kengly is a wikiHow Technology Writer. As a storytelling enthusiast with a penchant for technology, they hope to create long-lasting connections with readers from all around the globe. Rain graduated from San Francisco State University with a BA in Cinema. This article has been viewed 114,579 times.

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      Co-authors: 3

      Updated: August 30, 2023

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      Categories: IPhone

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      What Does Sent as Text Message Mean? 5 Causes on iPhone (2024)

      FAQs

      What Does Sent as Text Message Mean? 5 Causes on iPhone? ›

      That's why your text bubbles are blue when you text people who also have iPhones. Blue means the message was sent as an iMessage. A green bubble with the “sent as a text message” notice indicates that your message attempted to send via iMessage but was unable to, so instead sent as a “regular” SMS or MMS.

      What does it mean on iPhone when it says sent as a text message? ›

      "Sent As Text Message" means your device was delivered as a regular SMS text. To turn off SMS messages, go to "Settings" → "Messages" → toggle off "Send as SMS". When messages are sent as SMS, this could be due to lack of Wi-Fi connection, messaging a non-iOS device, or in some cases, being blocked.

      How do you know if you've been blocked on an iPhone? ›

      You'll get a message that says, “Cannot reach this person right now.” If this happens, it means that person has blocked you. If you're blocked, there's no way to unblock yourself. The only thing you can do is wait until the person who blocked you decides to unblock you.

      What does blocked iMessage look like? ›

      You'll also want to pay attention to the bubble colors in your text thread. If you've been using iMessage with another iPhone user, your text bubbles are blue. If someone blocks you through iMessage, your texts will appear as green—the same bubble color you'll see in a thread with a non-iPhone user.

      Does green text mean blocked? ›

      SMS messages that aren't delivered usually say “Message Not Delivered” underneath the green bubble. A sudden switch from blue to green could simply mean a user has their phone in airplane mode or switched to an Android device. However, when combined with other signs, it could be an indicator you've been blocked.

      Can you send as a text message if you're blocked? ›

      Unfortunately, since you have been blocked, there is no way to get your texts delivered. However, there are some sidesteps that you can try to text someone who blocked you on Android. Another way to text someone who blocked you on Android is to use an anonymous texting service.

      Why does my text turn green and say sent as text message? ›

      If you see a green message bubble instead of a blue one, then that message was sent using MMS/SMS instead of iMessage. There are several possible reasons for this: The person that you sent the message to doesn't have an Apple device. iMessage is turned off on your device or on your recipient's device.

      How do you tell if your texts are blocked? ›

      Your text messages to them continually remain undelivered or show just a single tick/delivered status but don't get the second tick for read. You receive an automated reply saying “User Unavailable” or something similar when trying to call them. This is a definite sign of being blocked.

      How to tell if a text went through? ›

      You will only see a status of Delivered, which means that your message has reached their phone, but not necessarily that they have opened it. The only way to get read receipts for SMS messages is to use a third-party app that supports them, such as WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, or Signal.

      Does sent as text mean blocked? ›

      No, “sent as a text message” does not mean your number is blocked. If your number is blocked and you attempt to send an iMessage to the recipient who blocked you, the blue bubble will still appear and it will look like your message actually was sent (although it won't show a “Delivered” confirmation).

      What do iPhone users see when they are blocked? ›

      A red flag that you've been blocked is when you don't see the delivery status or the read receipt at all. The message you just sent will still be in a blue bubble, but it will have no delivery status below it – not even a "Not Delivered."

      Can someone tell if you've blocked them on iPhone? ›

      Important: The person you block won't receive a notification that they've been blocked, and you can still call, message, or email a blocked contact without unblocking them.

      Do blocked messages get delivered when unblocked? ›

      Blocked messages will not come through when unblocked.

      You won't be able to retrieve them. If you decide to unblock the person, you will receive the texts normally. However, if the blocked person calls and leaves you a voicemail, you can check it. It can be found in the Blocked Messages section of the Phone app.

      Am I blocked or is their phone dead? ›

      Signs that you might have been blocked include the call being diverted after a half or one ring only or a message that the contact is unreachable. However, these signs might just mean the network is down, the caller is busy or the caller's phone is dead, so try again later, perhaps several times over a few days.

      What does it look like when you text someone who blocked you? ›

      If you send a message as a regular SMS in the green text bubble and you do not get a “Delivered” notification but instead get a notification similar to “Message not Delivered” or no message at all, that means you were probably blocked. Listening to music elsewhere?:How to cancel Apple Music quickly and easily.

      What happens if you text someone who blocked your iPhone? ›

      If you send a text and you don't see any status like "delivered," that means you've been blocked by the contact. The message will never be sent.

      How to tell if someone blocked your iPhone? ›

      If you're using iMessage on an iPhone, you can also check if someone's blocked you by looking for the "Delivered" notification. If you don't see it, and you're not getting any read receipts, it's likely they've blocked you.

      How can someone still text me if I blocked them on my iPhone? ›

      The good news is that no, they cannot. When you block someone from your iPhone, all incoming calls, texts, and FaceTime calls from that person will be blocked. This means the person will not hear a ringtone or receive any notification for incoming messages sent to you because the messages simply won't be delivered.

      Can I send an iMessage to someone who blocked me? ›

      So if you send a message to someone who has blocked you, then everything will look normal with you. You will also see Delivered Status if you send messages via iMessages - but the message does not reach the recipient. The recipient will also not be able to see that you have tried to send a message to them.

      What to say to someone who blocked you? ›

      You could write a letter to apologize, ask where you went wrong, beg them to take you back, or reflect on your time together. There are no right or wrong answers; it depends on what you want to tell them. Ask yourself if you could have done or said anything differently and determine if an apology is necessary.

      Am I blocked if sent as a text message? ›

      The truth is that you can't tell if a person has blocked you based on the fact that your iMessage was sent as a text message alone. Regardless of whether you were blocked or not, you'll still hear the sound of the green bubble text being successfully sent as usual. The message doesn't bounce back.

      Will iMessage turn green if blocked? ›

      If you see a green bubble, that could indicate someone blocked you, especially if your chats with this person used to be blue. This is only true if both of you use iMessage on iPhones. If the other person switched to an Android phone, their bubble may have turned green.

      When you send a text and it is green What does that mean? ›

      What SMS green texts mean and how to get blue iMessages. If your iPhone messages are green, it means they're being sent as SMS texts rather than iMessages. You'll always see green when texting Android users, or when you're not connected to the internet.

      Does sent as a text message mean I'm blocked? ›

      No, “sent as a text message” does not mean your number is blocked. If your number is blocked and you attempt to send an iMessage to the recipient who blocked you, the blue bubble will still appear and it will look like your message actually was sent (although it won't show a “Delivered” confirmation).

      Will a text message say delivered if blocked? ›

      No Delivery Status: When you send a message to someone and it remains stuck on the “Delivered” status for an extended period, it could be a sign that you have been blocked. Typically, the delivery status changes to “Read” or updates to a time stamp when the recipient opens the message.

      How to tell if a green text message was delivered on an iPhone? ›

      Unlike iMessages, green texts don't typically show a 'Delivered' status. So, how can you be sure your message reached its destination? A key indicator is the absence of a 'Not Delivered' message beneath your text. If it says 'Sent' without a delivery error, it's likely that your message was successfully delivered.

      What does it mean when a text is sent and it says iMessage on it? ›

      iMessages are texts, photos, or videos that you send to another iPhone, iPad, iPod touch, or Mac over Wi-Fi or cellular-data networks. These messages are always encrypted and appear in blue text bubbles. To turn iMessage on or off, go to Settings > Messages.

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