Wi-Fi-only iPad sends iMessages to some people but not others
Asked by
MellowCedar42
I have two identical 10th-generation Wi-Fi-only iPads set up for my daughters. One iPad can send messages to my phone and my son's phone, but when my daughter tries to contact other people, the recipient appears in green and is labeled SMS. Messages fail whether she uses their phone number or Apple ID email address. The other iPad, configured the same way, works normally with those same contacts. I already factory-reset the problematic iPad, but that didn't help. Neither daughter has an iPhone. Could Screen Time or Family Sharing communication limits be blocking certain contacts, and where can I check those settings?
Answers
Since these are Wi-Fi-only iPads, they can send iMessages through Apple’s servers, but they can’t send regular SMS unless they’re paired with an iPhone using text-message forwarding. Green bubbles usually mean the device is trying to send an SMS rather than an iMessage. Check that the affected contacts have iMessage enabled and that your daughter is sending from the correct Apple ID email address under Settings > Messages > Send & Receive. Also compare the Apple ID, iMessage settings, and contact entries on both iPads.
Reply to this answer
A factory reset may not change a restriction if it comes back through Family Sharing when the child signs in again. Compare the two iPads while signed into their Apple IDs, especially Settings > Messages, Send & Receive, iMessage activation, and Screen Time communication limits. If the recipient is actually an Android or otherwise not using iMessage, the Wi-Fi-only iPad won’t be able to contact them without an iPhone relay.
Reply to this answer
Screen Time can restrict who a child is allowed to communicate with. On the parent’s device, open Settings > Screen Time, select the child under Family, then check Communication Limits. Review both During Screen Time and During Downtime, and make sure the contacts aren’t limited to approved people only. You may also need to check Communication Safety and any Content & Privacy Restrictions that differ between the two children’s accounts.
Reply to this answer
Add your answer
Answers are reviewed before publication.
Related Discussions