Curious iPhone Bug Causing Non-iMessage Texts to Display Extra + Character, Breaking Conversations

An unusual bug is affecting text messages between some iPhone and Android users in the United States, with the ‌iPhone‌ seemingly adding an extra "+" character to the beginning of phone numbers belonging to Android and Google Voice users.

text message bug iphone


This character causes the ‌iPhone‌ to think the text is coming from an international number, which results in issues with text messages. A number that is normally 858-867-5309, for example, is being displayed on the ‌iPhone‌ as +85 88675309.

There have been numerous complaints about the issue as of about an hour ago, with several threads on Reddit from confused users who have suddenly broken chat threads. It is not known what is causing the bug, but many of the reports seem to be from AT&T users.

Resetting network settings may fix the issue, and there are currently mixed reports on whether the bug has been addressed server side. Adding a +1 to the number may also fix the problem for those who are continuing to see formatting problems.

Top Rated Comments

vegetassj4 Avatar
2 weeks ago
Breaking: Minutes after the Official ChatGPT app was made available for download from the App Store, chat's start displaying extra characters. Human chats are removed from Apple iPhones. ChatGPT begins to learn, at a geometric rate. It becomes self-aware at 2:14 a.m. eastern time, May 29. In a panic, they try to pull the USB C dongle.

Also Breaking:
Apple Releases New Ringtone ('https://ia600906.us.archive.org/27/items/tvtunes_20681/The%20Terminator.mp3')
Score: 14 Votes (Like | Disagree)
DBZmusicboy01 Avatar
2 weeks ago
iOS 16 has been extremely buggy for its entire release ?
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)
sw1tcher Avatar
2 weeks ago

There have been numerous complaints about the issue as of about an hour ago, with several threads ('https://www.reddit.com/r/iphone/comments/13l6l8d/major_bug_texts_are_coming_in_where_my_phone_is/') on Reddit from confused users who have suddenly broken chat threads. It is not known what is causing the bug, but many of the reports seem to be from AT&T users.
An hour ago. Hmm... didn't iOS 16.5 get released about an hour ago? Coincidence?

https://www.macrumors.com/2023/05/18/apple-releases-ios-16-5/
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
TheYayAreaLiving ?️ Avatar
2 weeks ago
I don't get it... Where are all these bugs coming from?

I'm just going to blame iOS 16. It's been so buggy.. It's beyond annoying. Less than 20 days left until we see iOS 17.
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Apple Fan 2008 Avatar
2 weeks ago
They really need to iron out bugs better on iOS
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Eminemdrdre00 Avatar
2 weeks ago
Maybe Apple should stop supporting SMS technology from the 1980s and implement RCS
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)

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