Switched From iPhone to Android? How to Deregister iMessage So You Get Every Text

To deregister iMessage, put your SIM back in your old iPhone and turn off iMessage and FaceTime in Settings. If you no longer have the iPhone, use Apple’s free online deregister page, which texts a code to your number. Apple says you should be able to get text messages on your new phone right away.

If you’ve moved from an iPhone to an Android phone and texts from friends with iPhones seem to vanish, this is almost always the fix. Below are both ways to do it, what to expect afterward, and how to set up texting on the Android side. Every step was checked against Apple’s and Google’s help pages in October 2026.

Why you need to deregister iMessage

While you used an iPhone, your phone number was registered with iMessage, Apple’s own messaging service. Other iPhones send messages to that number through iMessage instead of as regular texts. Once you move to a phone that isn’t made by Apple, iPhones may keep trying iMessage, and those messages may never reach your new phone.

Apple puts it simply: if you switched to a non-Apple phone and aren’t getting RCS or SMS/MMS messages, you might need to deregister iMessage. Google’s Messages help says the same thing from the Android side: if you’re switching from an iPhone, make sure you’ve turned off iMessage for your number.

The best time to do it is before you move your SIM card or number to the new phone. If you’ve already switched, don’t worry; Apple’s online tool works afterward.

Option 1: Deregister on your iPhone (if you still have it)

These are Apple’s steps from its deregister iMessage support page:

1. Put your SIM back in the iPhone if you already moved it to your new phone.
2. Make sure the iPhone is connected to your cellular data network.
3. Open the Settings app and tap Apps.
4. Tap Messages and turn off iMessage.
5. Go back to Settings, tap Apps, then tap FaceTime.
6. Turn off FaceTime.

Then move the SIM back to your new phone.

Two situations where this option won’t work well: your number is now on an eSIM in the new phone, or you’ve already transferred your number to a new carrier and the old SIM no longer works. In either case, use Option 2.

Option 2: Deregister online (no iPhone needed)

Apple says that if you don’t have access to your iPhone, you can deregister iMessage online. You’ll need your new phone nearby, because Apple sends a code to your number.

1. On any computer or phone, open Apple’s deregister iMessage page. It needs JavaScript and cookies turned on in your browser.
2. In the section for people who no longer have their iPhone, set the country or region to United States of America (+1) if it isn’t already, and type your phone number. Apple notes the text it sends is free.
3. Type the characters shown in the image (there’s an audio option too), then tap Send Code.
4. Apple texts a 6-digit confirmation code to your phone. Type it in the Confirmation Code box to finish deregistering.

Didn’t get the code? The page has a “Didn’t receive a code?” link. Also make sure your number is working on the new phone: if a carrier transfer is still in progress, the code may not reach you until it’s done. Our guide to verification codes that don’t arrive after switching carriers walks through the other common causes.

What to expect after you deregister

• Texts should arrive right away. Apple says you should be able to receive text messages right away, though some Apple devices may take a few hours to recognize that you’re not using iMessage when they send you a message.
• Your phone number is off iMessage; your Apple Account isn’t. Apple says that if someone sends an iMessage to your Apple Account (usually your email address), you’ll still get it on your other Apple devices. Texts sent to your phone number arrive only on your phone, as RCS or SMS/MMS.
• iPhone users can still text you. On iOS 18 and later, iPhones can send RCS messages when the carrier supports RCS on iPhone, and Apple says those messages appear in green bubbles. Otherwise, their texts come through as SMS or MMS.
• FaceTime is part of it. FaceTime can also use your phone number, which is why Apple’s steps include turning it off, too.

Still using a Mac or iPad?

If your old phone number still shows up in Messages or FaceTime on a Mac or iPad, remove it. Apple’s steps:

• If you still have the iPhone: go to Settings, tap Apps, then Messages, then Send & Receive. Tap your Apple Account at the bottom of the screen and tap Sign Out. Then go to Settings, tap Apps, then FaceTime, tap your Apple Account and choose Sign Out.
• If you can’t get to the iPhone: Apple says to change your Apple Account password. That removes all phone numbers from your iPad and Mac, and calls or messages for those numbers stop appearing on them.

The same sign-out steps are worth doing if you plan to keep the old iPhone around as a Wi-Fi-only device for music or photos.

Set up texting on your Android phone

If your Android phone uses Google Messages for texting, check these three things. (If it uses a different texting app, look for the same settings there.)

1. Make it your default texting app. Google’s help says to check that Google Messages is set as your default texting app and is on its latest version.
2. Turn on RCS chats. In Google Messages, tap your profile picture or initial, then Messages settings, then RCS chats, and turn it on. If you see “RCS chats are disabled by your carrier,” Google says to contact your carrier.
3. Leave the switch alone after that. Google advises against turning RCS chats on and off, because doing so removes you from group chats. Its RCS chats help page lists the few times it makes sense, like switching to another phone or messaging app and missing messages.

Switching carriers at the same time?

Lots of people change phones and carriers together. This order keeps your texts flowing:

1. Get your account number and transfer PIN from your current carrier. Here’s where to find them at Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile and more.
2. Turn off iMessage and FaceTime on the iPhone while its SIM still works (Option 1).
3. Start the transfer with your new carrier, and keep your old service active until it’s done. The FCC says not to end service with your current company before starting new service with another one. Our number transfer guide covers the details.
4. After the transfer, send yourself a test. Ask a friend with an iPhone to text you. If nothing arrives, use the online tool in Option 2.
5. Check your caller ID name on the new carrier while you’re at it. See how to change the name that shows up when you call.

If the transfer itself stalls, see what to do when a number transfer is stuck or rejected.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I have to deregister iMessage when I switch to Android?
It’s the safest move. Apple says that if you switched to a non-Apple phone and aren’t getting RCS or SMS/MMS messages, you might need to deregister iMessage. Doing it up front avoids missing texts from iPhone users.

Can I deregister iMessage without my old iPhone?
Yes. Use Apple’s online deregister page. Enter your phone number, then enter the 6-digit code Apple texts to your new phone.

How long does deregistering iMessage take?
Apple says you should be able to get text messages right away, but some Apple devices may take a few hours to recognize that you’re no longer using iMessage.

Will my friends with iPhones still be able to text me?
Yes. Their messages reach you as RCS (on iOS 18 and later, when their carrier supports it) or as regular SMS/MMS texts. On their iPhone, Apple says RCS messages appear in green bubbles.

Do I also need to turn off FaceTime?
Yes. Apple’s deregister steps include turning off FaceTime as well as iMessage.

Will I still get iMessages on my Mac or iPad?
Messages sent to your Apple Account still arrive on your other Apple devices. Texts sent to your phone number go only to your phone. To take your number off a Mac or iPad, follow Apple’s sign-out steps above, or change your Apple Account password if you can’t get to the iPhone.

I’m not getting Apple’s confirmation code. What now?
Make sure your number is active on the new phone and any carrier transfer is finished. Check your spam folder in Google Messages, then use the “Didn’t receive a code?” link on Apple’s page.

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