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.

Popular Stories

AirPods Pro 3 Mock Feature

AirPods Pro 3 Just Months Away – Here's What We Know

Friday April 18, 2025 5:16 am PDT by
Despite being more than two years old, Apple's AirPods Pro 2 still dominate the premium wireless‑earbud space, thanks to a potent mix of top‑tier audio, class‑leading noise cancellation, and Apple's habit of delivering major new features through software updates. With AirPods Pro 3 widely expected to arrive in 2025, prospective buyers now face a familiar dilemma: snap up the proven...
CarPlay Hero

Apple Releases Wireless CarPlay Fix

Wednesday April 16, 2025 11:28 am PDT by
If you have been experiencing issues with wireless CarPlay in your vehicle lately, it was likely due to a software bug that has now been fixed. Apple released iOS 18.4.1 today, and the update's release notes say it "addresses a rare issue that prevents wireless CarPlay connection in certain vehicles." If wireless CarPlay was acting up for you, updating your iPhone to iOS 18.4.1 should...
iphone 16 pro models 1

17 Reasons to Wait for the iPhone 17

Thursday April 17, 2025 4:12 am PDT by
Apple's iPhone development roadmap runs several years into the future and the company is continually working with suppliers on several successive iPhone models simultaneously, which is why we often get rumored features months ahead of launch. The iPhone 17 series is no different, and we already have a good idea of what to expect from Apple's 2025 smartphone lineup. If you skipped the iPhone...
Beyond iPhone 13 Better Triad

Apple's 20th Anniversary iPhone May Finally Go All Screen

Tuesday April 15, 2025 6:31 am PDT by
Apple is preparing a "bold" new iPhone Pro model for the iPhone's 20th anniversary in 2027, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. As part of what's being described as a "major shake-up," Apple is said to be developing a design that makes more extensive use of glass – and this could point directly to the display itself. Here's the case for Apple releasing a truly all-screen iPhone with no...
maxresdefault

iPhone 17 Pro Launching Later This Year With These 12 New Features

Sunday April 13, 2025 7:52 am PDT by
While the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max are not expected to launch until September, there are already plenty of rumors about the devices. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. Below, we recap key changes rumored for the iPhone 17 Pro models as of April 2025: Aluminum frame: iPhone 17 Pro models are rumored to have an aluminum frame, whereas the iPhone 15 Pro and ...
iOS 19 Roundup Feature

iOS 19 Will Add These New Features to Your iPhone

Tuesday April 15, 2025 7:37 am PDT by
The first iOS 19 beta is less than two months away, and there are already a handful of new features that are expected with the update. Apple should release the first iOS 19 beta to developers immediately following the WWDC 2025 keynote, which is scheduled for Monday, June 9. Following beta testing, the update should be released to the general public in September. Below, we recap the key...
tvOS 18 Thumb 1

Apple Releases tvOS 18.4.1

Wednesday April 16, 2025 10:04 am PDT by
Apple today released tvOS 18.4.1, a minor update to the tvOS 18 operating system that came out last September. tvOS 18.4.1 comes two weeks after Apple released tvOS 18.4, and it is available for the Apple TV 4K and Apple TV HD models. tvOS 18.4.1 can be downloaded using the Settings app on the ‌Apple TV‌. Open up Settings and go to System > Software Update to get the new software....
top stories 2025 04 19

Top Stories: iPhone 17 Pro Rumors, CarPlay Bug Fix, and More

Saturday April 19, 2025 6:00 am PDT by
This week saw rumor updates on the iPhone 17 Pro and next-generation Vision Pro, while a minor iOS 18.4.1 update delivered not just security fixes but also a fix for some CarPlay issues. We also looked ahead at what else is in Apple's pipeline for the rest of 2025 and even the 20th-anniversary iPhone coming in 2027, so read on below for all the details on these stories and more! iPhone 17 ...
Apple TV Plus Feature 2 Magenta and Blue

Apple TV+ Available at Significantly Lower Price Until Next Week

Friday April 18, 2025 11:42 am PDT by
Apple TV+ is currently available at a much lower price than usual, but time is running out if you want to take advantage of the offer. In the U.S., new and qualified returning customers can subscribe to Apple TV+ for just $2.99 per month, for three months. Afterwards, regular pricing of $9.99 per month applies. The offer is available in the Apple TV app, and at tv.apple.com, through April...

Top Rated Comments

vegetassj4 Avatar
25 months 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
25 months ago
iOS 16 has been extremely buggy for its entire release ?
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)
sw1tcher Avatar
25 months 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
25 months 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
25 months ago
They really need to iron out bugs better on iOS
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Eminemdrdre00 Avatar
25 months ago
Maybe Apple should stop supporting SMS technology from the 1980s and implement RCS
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)