Free msg recipient unable to receive message message blocking is active iphone

Text messaging is still considered an essential way of communicating with other users. Similar to using a messaging app like Messenger, you’ll need to choose from your list of contacts and type in your message, which will be then sent to your recipient. You’ll also need an authorized mobile number built-in on your phone to successfully send a message.

That being said, some users have experienced the following error message after sending a text: “Unable to send message – Message Blocking is active.”. It’s a problem that also shows up on various mobile carriers and smartphone models. In this guide, we’ll show you what the “message blocking is active”  error means on your phone and how to fix it.

Table of Contents

• 1 “Free Msg: Unable to send message – Message Blocking is active” — Most Common Reasons
• 2 Message Blocking Is Active: Unable to Send Message on Phone Fixes
  • 2.1 Fix #1: Check your Cell Coverage
  • 2.2 Fix #2: Verify your Mobile Number
  • 2.3 Fix #3: Remove the Recipient from your Blocked Numbers
  • 2.4 Fix #4: Enable Premium Message Access (Android Users)
  • 2.5 Fix #5: Send the Text using iMessage (iOS Users)
  • 2.6 Fix #6: Contact your Cell Service Provider
• 3 Final Thoughts

“Free Msg: Unable to send message – Message Blocking is active” — Most Common Reasons

This error message automatically appears when you’ve blocked the recipient or are included on your blocked numbers. It can also appear when you’ve been blocked by the recipient. But if you are sure that both situations above didn’t happen, here are more common reasons why the “message blocking is active” error shows up in your conversations:

• You’re only Subscribed to a Data Plan – This error message can appear when your mobile number is restricted to a data plan. It prevents you from sending messages unless you reapply for a new plan with text messaging.

• Restricted Text Messages – If your recipient has restricted the text messages that they are receiving, it can block a bunch of messages, including yours. Thus, triggering the “message blocking is active” error message on your conversation.

• Cell Service is Down – One common reason that triggers this error is when your service provider’s cell service is down. Besides contacting them directly, you can check their status page and see if all services are operational.

• Premium Message Access is Disabled – If your recipient is on a premium text messaging service, you’ll need to first check on your settings if it is enabled. If it’s disabled, you’ll see the “message blocking is active” error appear on your screen.

If you’ve experienced one or more of the situations above, here are some fixes that you can try to solve the “message blocking is active” error on your phone. Remember to go over these fixes individually and see which one works best for your device.

Fix #1: Check your Cell Coverage

Before sending a text, ensure that your phone receives sufficient signal coverage to properly send messages. Also, contact your service provider to verify your subscription, especially when you’re subscribed to a data-only plan. You can opt for plans with text messaging and see if this solves the issue.

Fix #2: Verify your Mobile Number

If you’re using a phone number that was not used for a while or didn’t have any significant activity for a few weeks or months, you’ll need to get its status checked first with your service provider. Some numbers can be suspended if it hasn’t had any activity for a significant amount of time.

Fix #3: Remove the Recipient from your Blocked Numbers

You can sometimes block your recipient by accident. Fortunately, this can be reverted by going to your phone’s message settings. It’s a quick way to solve the “message blocking is active” issue on your phone.

To unblock the recipient on an Android device, follow these steps:

1. Open your phone and go to the Phone app.
2. Tap the More (three vertical dots) icon on the top-right side of the screen and select Settings.
3. Choose Blocked Numbers. Find the recipient’s number and tap Unblock.
4. Try resending your message and see if the issue is solved.

To unblock the recipient on an iOS device, proceed to these steps:

1. Open your iPhone and go to Phone > Recents.
2. Tap the Info icon on the rightmost side of the recipient.
3. Scroll down and select Unblock this Caller.
4. Try sending the message once again and see if the“message blocking is active” error still appears.

Fix #4: Enable Premium Message Access (Android Users)

If you’re sending a message to a recipient with premium message access, you’ll also need to enable this feature on your phone once it’s supported. This feature is available mainly on Android phones.

To enable premium message access on an Android device, proceed to the steps below:

1. Turn on your phone and go to Settings > Apps.
2. Select the Messaging app and go to Permissions.
3. Find Premium SMS and set it to Always Allow.
4. Try resending the message to your desired recipient and see if the error is solved.

Fix #5: Send the Text using iMessage (iOS Users)

Another alternative for text messaging is to use iMessage. It’s a useful feature when you’re experiencing SMS issues since your text is sent through the internet. However, you and your recipient need to have an iOS device to access iMessage.

Note: Messages sent through iMessage will display blue bubbles instead of green ones, which are represented by an SMS message.

To send texts using iMessage, follow these steps:

1. Open your iPhone and go to the Messages app.
2. Tap Compose. On the To field, type in your desired recipient.
3. Type in the message and press the Send button. Your recipient will now receive the message through iMessage.

Fix #6: Contact your Cell Service Provider

If all fixes didn’t work, you can contact or go directly to your service provider to ask for further help. When you’re under a postpaid plan, you can ask for an upgrade for text messaging or to get your phone number replaced, especially when it has problems.

Final Thoughts

Besides communicating through internet-based messaging services—like Messenger, WhatsApp, Telegram, and others—text messaging is still one of the most reliable offline services today. With it, you can send messages to your contacts as long as you have a valid phone number.

Hence, these fixes can hopefully guide you to solve the “Free Msg: Unable to send message – Message Blocking is active” error on your conversations. Remember to contact your service provider for an account and phone number concerns.