SMS messages not arriving on new iPad mini / iPadOS 18.1

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Level 1

50 points

SMS messages not arriving on new iPad mini / iPadOS 18.1

I just received a new iPad mini Wi-Fi (A17 Pro). It updated out-of-box to iPadOS 18.1. Then I restored it from an iCloud backup of my trade-in iPad mini Wi-Fi (5th gen), which was also running 18.1 at the time of its immediate prior backup.

For reasons unknown, Messages is not receiving MMS message from my carrier, T-Mobile. The old iPad mini, and an iPad Pro Wi-Fi, and an iPhone 12, all running 18.1, are receiving the SMSes in question. The new iPad successfully makes and receives WiFi Calling calls in FaceTime. I have checked settings for both Messages and FaceTime and confirmed that they're both set to receive for the phone number in question. Rebooting and cycling the settings to receive messages at that number off, then back on, have not changed the situation. I have not yet removed the trade-in iPad from my Apple Account, but I have powered it off while investigating this issue.

Setting up all of the SMS 2FA accounts without the messages arriving on the device in question has been pretty painful; plus it would sure be nice if it worked besides. The only other consequential issue I'm having with the new iPad is an IPsec VPN connectivity issue; so it seems like the restore of settings from the old iPad was generally trouble-free.

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

iPad mini, iPadOS 18

Posted on Oct 30, 2024 2:57 PM

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Answer 1

Oct 30, 2024 3:27 PM in response to Dick Watson

If you have an iPhone - and both iPad and iPhone are signed-in to iCloud with the same AppleID - to send or receive SMS/MMS messages (green bubbles) from your iPad you must explicitly enable Text Message Forwarding for your [new] iPad on your iPhone...

On your iPhone:

Settings > Messages > Text Message Forwarding - set to ON - and explicitly enable your iPad from the list of devices.

Also ensure that Messages in iCloud is enabled on both your iPhone and iPad:

Settings > [Your Name / AppleID] > Messages - set to ON

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Answer 2

Nov 5, 2024 6:20 AM in response to farmersyst

farmersyst wrote:

Thank you. I had the same problem and this information resolved my issue. I wish I had seen this post before I did a reset and reinstall of the device.

I'm delighted to learn that the information I provided, within an earlier reply to this thread, resolved your difficulty.

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Answer 3

Dick Watson Author

Level 1

50 points

Oct 30, 2024 4:02 PM in response to LotusPilot

LotusPilot wrote:

On your iPhone:

Settings > Messages > Text Message Forwarding - set to ON - and explicitly enable your iPad from the list of devices.

Many thanks! That got it working. But there is still something very perplexing to me.

All six devices have Messages in iCloud enabled. The other two iPads and one of my two Macs (an M1 iMac on newest Sequoia) show up in the "These devices can send and receive text messages when each device has Messages in iCloud turned on" section in the Text Message Forwarding settings page, and there is no toggle to enable or disable this; it just is. The newest device in the lot, the iPad mini (A17 Pro) and the other Mac (a 2017 MBP still on Sonoma), the oldest device in the lot, both show up in the "Allow these devices to send and receive text messages from this iPhone" section with the on/off toggle.

What is the functional difference between:

"send and receive text messages when each device has Messages in iCloud turned on"

and

"send and receive text messages from this iPhone"?

Why do both exist?

Why shouldn't all these devices be setup and work one way or the other?

There are so many settings in serial, scattered all over in settings, and all have to be right for some of this stuff to work…

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Answer 4

Nov 5, 2024 6:11 AM in response to LotusPilot

Thank you. I had the same problem and this information resolved my issue. I wish I had seen this post before I did a reset and reinstall of the device.

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