Server glitch causes Apple’s iMessage to get even worse

If you’ve been having trouble communicating with friends via Apple’s iMessage text messaging system, you aren’t alone.

Today, Apple confirmed that the service was experiencing technical difficulties: Due to a server glitch, messages sent to the phone numbers of former Apple device users aren’t getting through. The issue is that when Apple’s iMessage system sees a phone number associated with a deactivated iMessage account, instead of routing that message to the number so the user receives the message on their new, non-Apple device, iMessage simply cancels delivery.

News of the glitch comes after several Apple users reported having iMessage problems last week, as VentureBeat previously reported.

“We recently fixed a server-side iMessage bug which was causing an issue for some users, and we have an additional bug fix in a future software update,” the company told Re/code. “For users still experiencing an issue, please contact AppleCare.”

The problem will hopefully be fixed in a future iOS update, but that could take a while. For now, you can always go into your iPhone’s settings to toggle off the iMessage functionality, forcing all incoming messages to be sent as regular SMS text messages from wireless carriers instead.