Is there a bug in IOS 18.4.1 iMessage
by Poster
Apr 30, 2025
18
Before my girlfriend and I upgraded to 18.4.1, our iMessage was only activated using Apple ID mailboxes and could send and receive messages normally. However, when using version 18.4, I encountered a bug: when I tried to share a video from Station B with my girlfriend, I would be prompted to activate iMessage, and I could not send messages normally after returning to the message window. But after she sent me an unsolicited message, everything went back to normal. At that time, I was very confused, but looking back now, it may be that the system switched to the mobile phone number to share video information by default, and when I received the message she sent me, I switched back to the email address.
After upgrading to 18.4.1, my girlfriend said that the iMessage she sent me would not show "Delivered", and I couldn't receive the message. At that time, I was still stuck in version 18.4. After testing, I found that she could receive the information I sent normally. But after I upgraded to 18.4.1, my messages also started not showing "delivered". After many attempts, we found that we can only send iMessages to each other through mobile phone numbers now, and the messages sent by email will not show "delivered".
During this period, I contacted two Apple "Senior Technical Support Consultants." The first female consultant explained that iMessage needs to be activated by mobile phone number in Chinese mainland according to regulations, and every iMessage message will pass through the operator server. However, she said that the operator will only see the sending frequency and not the specific content, because the information is encrypted end-to-end, which I have doubts. The second male consultant said that he didn't know the specific reason, but would try to test it with two devices. The next day, he called back to inform him that he had not found two devices with version 18.4.1 for testing, and only the previous system could send iMessage normally by mailbox. He advised me to wait for subsequent system updates in the hope that the problem would be resolved.
Last night, I tested with my girlfriend when both parties only use mailbox to activate sending and receiving iMessage:
1. My Mac can send messages to my girlfriend normally, but she still won't send them with her iPhone, but I can receive them normally with emoji and stickers.
2. I have an iPhone 7 with IOS 15.7.9. My trumpet sends messages to my email, and I can receive them and reply normally.
3. When my girlfriend adds an additional mobile phone number to send and receive iMessage, and I only use my email to activate it, when I send iMessage to her mobile phone number, she can receive it normally but can't reply, but her notification center will not show my avatar in the address book, and I will prompt that the message has been sent as spam, and the recipient needs to add my email address to the address book (it has actually been added).
I have the following three questions:
1. I have watched relevant videos before and learned about the architecture of iMessage. Although I am not sure whether the videos are accurate, I think it is unlikely that the information will pass through the operator's server. The female consultant may have confused the concept of activating iMessage by mobile phone number with sending and receiving iMessage.
2. In my impression, when creating a new message, you should be able to select the mailbox in the sender column, but there is no mailbox option in version 18.4.1. It is uncertain whether this phenomenon is true because it cannot be verified that this was the case with the previous system.
3. I wonder if anyone has encountered the same problem. Have you found any solution? Can't you just pray that Apple will fix it in subsequent system updates? Or is it deliberately done by Apple?
Replies
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Anonymous3588 Apr 30, 2025Regarding point 2, when you just tried to create a new message, you can choose your email address or your mobile phone number, which is the same as before. iPhone 16 Pro System iOS 18.4.1
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Poster Apr 30, 2025@ Anonymous3588 sure it's the sender? That's strange, I'm an iPhone 15 Pro Max, my girlfriend is an iPhone 13, and the sender only has two mobile phone number options
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Anonymous8450 Apr 30, 2025I've had similar problems since 18.4. Sent using the AppleID mailbox. It can be sent successfully in the message App. However, if you send it shared, it will prompt that the current iMessage is not activated, and the message will not be sent successfully now. You must activate your mobile phone number to send it successfully, or ask the other party to send a message to your email iMessage. When sharing, I choose only my mobile phone number and feel that I have not been forced to switch. Before 18.4, only the mobile phone number was available, but there should be no email address to switch or go.
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Poster Apr 30, 2025Does @ Anonymous8450 have a liter of 18.4.1? If you haven't upgraded, it is recommended not to upgrade, at least you can still send and receive normally now. Before, I shared that there had never been a prompt for activation, and it only appeared since 18.4. It may be an iOS bug, but it is not ruled out that it is a restriction specially made for Chinese mainland.
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Anonymous448 Apr 30, 2025I should say here that the account in the foreign area has not been reproduced, (ps, but the mobile phone number is tied to a foreign one. Not tied to the domestic one)
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Anonymous8450 Apr 30, 2025@ Poster I have upgraded 18.4.1 and I think Apple might fix this. But still no. I don't have an external version on hand, so I'm not sure if it's a special offer. I have a US account and a mobile phone of the Bank of China.
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Poster Apr 30, 2025@ Anonymous448 My iPhone 7 is also an external account, with a foreign mobile phone number inserted, but the Apple ID should have been registered a long time ago, and the mobile phone number has not been bound. If you think so, I feel that the probability of special offer is greater
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Poster Apr 30, 2025@ Anonymous8450 My girlfriend and my two mobile phones are also Bank of China version + US account + two 86 mobile phone cards. It feels like the chances of a fix are slim...
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Anonymous8451 Apr 30, 2025Insert a message, I tried an Android phone two days ago, then the iPhone repeatedly plugged in and unplugged the card, restarted the phone and repeatedly activated iMessage, and then the mobile phone number failed to activate How to solve it 1 First check the operator's detailed list to see if there are any foreign text messages sent in the past. Mobile is a Monternet text message 2 Wait two or three days to turn off iMessage, restart the phone and turn it on again ps activates iMessage radio and television 1 yuan at a time mobile free telecom China Unicom unknown
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Anonymous448 Apr 30, 2025@ Poster Let's see what changes have taken place after ai is launched in China
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Anonymous8430 Apr 30, 2025I have had this problem recently. I think the cause of the bug is that ios talks to itself and switches iMessage numbers. I used my original mailbox well, so it was automatically switched to my mobile phone number, causing the message recipient to see a new number if it didn't have my mobile phone number. Manually canceling your mobile phone number as an iMessage number will completely destroy the current conversation and must be deleted and reopened. Now that I have completely disabled the mobile phone number and only used the email address, the problem has become that I can't open a new conversation prompt to activate iMessage. Fortunately, Signal and WhatsApp are all outside the wall, which doesn't require Apple's retarded logic.
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Anonymous1849 Apr 30, 2025My husband and I also only use iMessage to communicate. I have the Japanese version at 15PM and log in to iCloud in the United States; He is the 14-year-old of the Bank of China and has landed on domestic iCloud; Both of our mobile phone systems are 18.4.1, so the situation is roughly the same as yours. After my actual measurement, whether it is to create a new contact in iMessage or share photos through iMessage in a photo album, you can normally choose an email address or phone number to send them. https://i.imgur.com/qWBxJdf.jpeg I blindly guessed that it should be a setting problem. Log out of iCloud and restart it and try logging in again.
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Anonymous8452 Apr 30, 2025@ Poster # 2 is that I didn't examine the question carefully, and I was looking at the recipient.
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Anonymous769 Apr 30, 2025My iOS18.4 also encountered a situation where I could not send an iMessage to myself, and I sent a prompt to myself that the sender was not in the contact list
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Anonymous8453 Apr 30, 2025I recently encountered a similar situation that has not been solved yet.
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Anonymous769 Apr 30, 2025@ Anonymous8430 You can try iMessage to activate two email addresses I encountered the same problem when I sent a memo to myself after upgrading to 18.4, but when I opened my mobile phone number, there would be fraudulent and harassing messages. Later, I found that two email addresses would also work
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Anonymous5951 May 1, 2025Just tested 18.4.1 Japanese version machine, Japanese network, Japanese area ID mailbox sent to China and Japan, both mobile phone numbers are reproduced Send it without prompting delivery or spam messages cannot be received on the opposite side
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Anonymous8453 May 4, 2025I tried a method last night to solve the problem that I can't only activate my email but not my mobile phone number. I deleted the text message conversation and deleted it in the recycle bin (recently deleted), and then I can send it