Should sms be on or off on iphone? Answered

On iPhone Messages settings, you will encounter two types of messaging and which are iMessage and SMS text message.

When it comes to sending a message on iPhone, people mostly use iMessage but there are certain situations where sms text messages plays an important role. 

Talking about sms text message, we’ll be looking at the question of the day on sms.

should sms be on or off on iphone

Should sms be on or off on iphone?

SMS should be on or enabled on an iPhone as it help to send iMessage as sms text message when iMessage is unavailable.

On iPhone Messages settings, you will see iMessage and send as sms (when iMessage is unavailable). 

That very send as sms you’re seeing on your iPhone message settings doesn’t apply to sending messages to those using an android phone or tablet, and to someone using a feature phone or a classic phone.

If you’re sending a message to someone not using an iPhone, the message will probably be sent as long as you have a texting plan or an airtime even when send as sms is turned off on your iPhone. 

This literally means that it is only applied to iMessage. 

So sms should be on or enabled on any given iPhone unless you don’t have a texting plan or an airtime to send sms text messages. I do hope to have given a proper answer to the question of should sms be on or off on iphone. 

Now let me explain what sms means on iPhone and why you should enable especially if you have a texting plan or an airtime on your iPhone.


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Understanding sms on iPhone Messages settings

On iPhone Messages settings, you will see Send as sms if you go through the options presented to you. 

At first, you may think the sms or send as sms you’re seeing is to enable you send sms text messages to anyone, both android and iPhone users on your iPhone.

But that is not the case.

The sms or send as sms you’re seeing on your iPhone message settings only involves or applied when sending iMessages on your iPhone. 

The main purpose of send as sms is to send iMessages as sms text message when iMessage is unavailable on your iPhone.

This happens automatically as long as you enabled send as sms on your iPhone, and also, you have a texting plan or an airtime.

Now when you send a message and which didn’t get delivered to the recipient after two or more minutes, the sent iMessage will immediately turn green and send the message as sms text message.

Below the message you will see Sent as text message which indicates that the iMessage was sent as sms text message as shown in the picture below. 

should sms be on or off on iphone

For Example.

You want to send iMessages to Victoria who is using an iPhone and has her phone number connected with iMessage.

You have a texting plan or an airtime, and send as sms is enabled on your iPhone. 

If you happen to send an iMessage or iMessages to Victoria but they messages didn’t show delivered right away, after two minutes of sending the iMessages and which didn’t get delivered, the messages will be sent as sms text messages.

They will be green in color instead of blue.

Below the sent message you will see Sent as Text Message.

This comes in handy if you desperately need to have your message get delivered to the recipient right away without waiting for a couple of minutes or hours.

Send as SMS Will Occur If

1.1. Send as sms is enabled

In order to send sms text message when iMessage is unavailable, you must enable send as sms on your iPhone. 

If you don’t enable or turn on send as sms on your iPhone, then you won’t be able send sms text messages whenever iMessage is unavailable. 

But, you can still be able to send text messages to those using an android phone or tablet. 

Send as sms doesn’t concern android users because with or without send as sms, you can send green text messages to android users.

To enable Send as SMS on your iPhone, get started by opening the Settings app.

Scroll down to Messages and open it. 

On the next screen, scroll down a bit and you will see Send As SMS (send as sms when imessage is unavailable. Network provider messaging rates may apply) 

Send as sms

Make sure to enable it as shown in the above picture. 

1.2. The Recipient phone number is linked to iMessage

For you to be able to send sms text messages to a fellow iPhone user or iMessage user, it simply means that the recipient’s phone number is connected with iMessage.

If the recipient’s phone number is not connected with iMessage, the message will be green but it won’t show Sent as Text Message.

1.3. There’s an active cellular network service

As sms text messages require a network service, if you don’t have a network service connection on your iPhone, you won’t be able to send sms text messages when iMessage is unavailable on your iPhone. 

You must have a cellular network service on your iPhone. 

1.4. There’s an active sim card or eSim

This is a must when it comes to send sm text messages on any given phone.

You must have an active sim card or an eSim.

Without a sim card, there won’t be any cellular network service and you won’t be able to send sms text messages.

You can only send iMessage using an active Wi-Fi connection.

1.5. You have a texting plan or an airtime

In order to send an sms text messages on any given phone, be it on iPhone or an android phone, there must be an active texting plan or an airtime.

In a situation whereby the recipient phone is switched off, don’t bother because the sent iMessage won’t turn to sms text message.

It will only turn to sms text message if the recipient phone is switched on but has no internet connection which in turn prevented iMessage from being active.

Don’t fancy sending sms text message

If you don’t fancy sending sms text message when iMessage is unavailable but rather wait until the recipient iMessage is available and active, simply turn off send as sms on your iPhone.

As long as you have send as sms enabled on your iPhone, and which you have a texting plan or an airtime, iMessage will definitely turn to sms text messages if it doesn’t get delivered within two minutes.

This will occur if you have not been blocked by the recipient.

So you better go ahead and turn off send as sms else your iMessages will send as sms text messages within two minutes of not getting delivered.

Will SMS be delivered if phone is off?

SMS will never get delivered if the recipient phone is switched off.

For sms text messages to get delivered, the recipient phone must be switched on, active and has aj active cellular service.

Even if the recipient phone is on but has no cellular network service, sms text messages will never get delivered.

As sms text messages is from the network carrier, both the sender and the recipient’s phone must be on, has an active sim card or eSim, and a cellular network service in order to send and receive sms text messages.

Will iMessage be delivered if phone is off?

iMessage will say delivered if phone is off but only if the recipient’s apple id is connected to other apple devices like the iPad, Mac or the Apple watch and which they are active.

iMessage being an instant messaging service can be connected to a multiple devices using one apple ID.

So someone has both an iPhone and iPad and whicg they are connected to the same apple id, if the phone is switched off while the iPad is active, iMessage will be delivered to the iPad.

Why do I need SMS on my phone?

You need sms on your iPhone to be able to send sms text messages to fellow iMessage users when iMessage is unavailable. 

Remember, whether you turn off send as sms or enable it on your iPhone, you will still be able to send messages to people using an android device or other phone platforms. 

The sms you’re seeing on your iPhone message settings is for those using iMessage, and it is only available when iMessage is unavailable due to no internet connection on your iPhone or the recipient iphone.

Do you get charged for SMS text messages?

Of course you will get charged by your network carrier for sending sms text messages on your phone.

Unless they offer free texting.

As long as sms text messages is involved, it attracts charges from the network service provider.

It is not an instant messaging service that uses Wi-Fi connection, but rather it uses the carrier network service in sending and receiving text messages.

Definitely you will be charged by your network unless they offer free texting which is quite rare to see.

What happens if I turn SMS off on iPhone?

If you turn off SMS on iPhone, you won’t be able to send sms text messages when iMessage is unavailable to a fellow iMessage user. 

However, you can still send sms text messages to android users, feature phone users, etc.

If you turn off send as sms on your iPhone, if the recipient iMessage is not available or active as at the time you’re sending the message, it won’t get sent until the recipient’s iMessage is available and active. 

But with send as sms enabled on your iPhone, the iMessage will be sent as sms text message if the recipient iMessage is unavailable. And with this, I come to the conclusion on today’s topic should sms be on or off on iphone. 

 

About Kennedy

I'm Amaechi Uchenna by name, a mobile tech enthusiast who love writing articles about tips and tutorials especially relating to gadgets.

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