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 Forum: iPhone

Top Rated Comments

LilNasX Avatar
37 months ago
It just works...
Score: 21 Votes (Like | Disagree)
diego.caraballo Avatar
37 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
37 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
37 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
37 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
37 months ago

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

Popular Stories

iphone 16 pro ghost hand

5 Reasons to Skip This Year's iPhone 17 Pro

Thursday July 10, 2025 4:54 am PDT by
Apple will launch its new iPhone 17 series in two months, and the iPhone 17 Pro models are expected to get a new design for the rear casing and the camera area. But more significant changes to the lineup are not expected until next year, when the iPhone 18 models arrive. If you're thinking of trading in your iPhone for this year's latest, consider the following features rumored to be coming...
apple wallet drivers license feature iPhone 15 pro

Apple Says iPhone Driver's Licenses Will Expand to These 8 U.S. States

Tuesday July 8, 2025 11:26 am PDT by
In select U.S. states, residents can add their driver's license or state ID to the Wallet app on the iPhone and Apple Watch, providing a convenient and contactless way to display proof of identity or age at select airports and businesses, and in select apps. Unfortunately, this feature continues to roll out very slowly since it was announced in 2021, with only nine U.S. states, Puerto Rico,...
macbook pro blue green

M5 MacBook Pro No Longer Coming in 2025

Thursday July 10, 2025 12:38 pm PDT by
Apple does not plan to refresh any Macs with updated M5 chips in 2025, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. Updated MacBook Air and MacBook Pro models are now planned for the first half of 2026. Gurman previously said that Apple would debut the M5 MacBook Pro models in late 2025, but his newest report suggests that Apple is "considering" pushing them back to 2026. Apple is now said to be...
iPhone 17 Pro in Hand Feature Lowgo

Leaker Reveals Amount of RAM in iPhone 17 Through iPhone 17 Pro Max

Wednesday July 9, 2025 8:08 am PDT by
Three out of four iPhone 17 models will feature more RAM than the equivalent iPhone 16 models, according to a new leak that aligns with previous rumors. The all-new iPhone 17 Air, the iPhone 17 Pro, and the iPhone 17 Pro Max will each be equipped with 12GB of RAM, according to Fixed Focus Digital, an account with more than two million followers on Chinese social media platform Weibo. The...
iPhone 17 Pro in Hand Feature Lowgo

iPhone 17 Pro to Reverse iPhone X Design Decision

Monday July 7, 2025 9:46 am PDT by
Since the iPhone X in 2017, all of Apple's highest-end iPhone models have featured either stainless steel or titanium frames, but it has now been rumored that this design decision will be coming to an end with the iPhone 17 Pro models later this year. In a post on Chinese social media platform Weibo today, the account Instant Digital said that the iPhone 17 Pro models will have an aluminum...
Foldable iPhone 2023 Feature 1

Foldable iPhone Display Production Begins Ahead of Launch Next Year

Wednesday July 9, 2025 10:59 pm PDT by
Production of foldable OLED displays for Apple's first foldable iPhone have begun ahead of its expected launch next year, Korea's ETNews reports. The first foldable iPhone's displays are being produced by Samsung Display, who are establishing a production line dedicated to the upcoming Apple device its A3 factory in Asan, Chungcheongnam-do. The production line will make displays exclusively...
apple tv 4k new orange

New Apple TV Expected Later This Year With These New Features

Saturday July 12, 2025 3:09 pm PDT by
A new Apple TV is expected to be released later this year, and a handful of new features and changes have been rumored for the device. Below, we recap what to expect from the next Apple TV, according to rumors. Rumors Faster Wi-Fi Support The next Apple TV will be equipped with Apple's own combined Wi-Fi and Bluetooth chip, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. He said the chip supports ...
iphone 16 pro pro max

iPhone 17 Pro Models With BOE Displays Will Be Sold in China Only

Thursday July 10, 2025 11:59 pm PDT by
iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max models with displays made by BOE will be sold exclusively in China, according to a new report. Last week, it emerged that Chinese display manufacturer BOE was aggressively ramping up its OLED production capacity for future iPhone models as part of a plan to recapture a major role in Apple's supply chain. Now, tech news aggregator Jukan Choi reports...