Apple says some new iPhone 14 and ‌iPhone 14‌ Pro owners may experience iMessage and FaceTime issues after setting up their phone out of the box. This article outlines some potential problems and how to resolve them.

iphone 14 pro box
According to Apple, some people with new ‌iPhone 14‌ models may be facing iMessage and ‌FaceTime‌ activation issues after setting up their phone. Some of the problems encountered may include:

  • Inability to receive iMessages or ‌FaceTime‌ calls.
  • Seeing a green message bubble instead of a blue bubble when sending a message to another Apple device.
  • Conversations in Messages showing up in two separate threads instead of one.
  • Recipients seeing your messages coming from the wrong account, for example from your email address if you had selected your phone number.

Update Your iPhone 14 Software

Apple says the simplest way to resolve these issues is to update your ‌iPhone 14‌ to iOS 16.0.1. The update is now available for all ‌iPhone 14‌ models. To update your device, follow these steps. If you get a notification on your device that says an update is available, tap Install Now. You can also follow these steps:

  1. Plug your device into a power outlet using a Lightning cable and power plug, and make sure you're connected to a Wi-Fi network.
  2. Launch the Settings app.
  3. Tap General, then tap Software Update.

  4. Tap Download and Install.
  5. Enter your passcode if prompted to do so.

iphone 14 iphone 14 plus in hand feature

If You're Still Having Issues After Updating

If after updating to iOS 16.0.1 you are still experiencing problems, here are a few other steps you can try that may resolve things.

  1. In the Settings app, tap Cellular/Mobile Data. Make sure that your phone line is turned on. If you use multiple SIMs, make sure that the phone number you want to use is selected and turned on.
  2. Go to Settings -> Messages, then tap Send & Receive.
  3. Tap the phone number that you want to use with Messages.
  4. Go Back to the main Settings menu, then tap FaceTime.
  5. Tap the phone number that you want to use with ‌FaceTime‌.

If none of the above works, you may need to restore your device to iOS 16.0.1 by connecting to a Mac or PC to fix the bug and fully activate your new iPhone.

Related Roundup: iPhone 14
Related Forum: iPhone

Top Rated Comments

LilNasX Avatar
28 months ago
It just works...
Score: 21 Votes (Like | Disagree)
diego.caraballo Avatar
28 months ago



* Seeing a green message bubble instead of a blue bubble when sending a message to another Apple device.

Google having a good laugh ?
Score: 14 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Honey_crisp Avatar
28 months ago
This actually happened to me on my iPhone 13, iOS 15 after self migrating from physical SIM to eSIM on Verizon. Not an iPhone 14 issue but rather an eSIM+iOS issue.

The Messages and FaceTime settings appear to get confused with the eSIM and associated phone number and they "uncheck" the phone number to send/receive, so you have to make sure the phone number is "checked" in the Messages and FaceTime settings.
Score: 12 Votes (Like | Disagree)
and 1989 others Avatar
28 months ago
Stunning and Ridiculous. A brand new phone and it does not work as intended out of the box.

Imagine buying a brand new car, and the dealer saying we just need to get it to a mechanic for some light engine work before it will drive properly. It wouldn't happen.
Score: 11 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Wildkraut Avatar
28 months ago
This sounds like getting an old PC of the 90s to work.

Whats next? Boot, press weird key combos and then write stuff into the config.sys?

Yeah yeah the new Apple, thinking different.
Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)
bLackjackj Avatar
28 months ago

Work from home quality
More like work from office & unhappy quality
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)

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