“Cannot Send Message. iMessage needs to be enabled to send this message”
I can assure you doubters that I am genuinely having this issue and not imagining it
I’ve found a solution for now, but if anyone has a more elegant solution that doesn’t involve deleting contacts and message threads I’m all ears.

I have a really elegant solution, but you are not going to like it because ….

…I don’t want to turn iMessage back on again..

^I asked for that 🙂

Please tell me this doesn’t actually happen, the kids may be reading some very inappropriate things!

I thought it was phone number by default, if you want the phone messages on other devices to sync you have to activate it on each device?

Sounds to me OP is sending to email/apple id not a phone number – a little contact info manipulation should solve the issue

My wife has just switched to an iphone – could be an interesting talk with the kids tonight….

It does seem like the issue is being created by not wanting to use iMessage.

My advice is – Turn on iMessage. Use it.

Loads of my regular contacts have multiple Apple devices, I can honestly say I have never had an issue contacting them using iMessage.

Sometimes the message goes green as its sent by sms due to them being out of data signal. Most of the time it goes via iMessage.

MrsG has an iPad at home that’s always on, and always on iMessage. She still gets all my texts to her phone (either iMessage or SMS)

Cannot Send Message. iMessage needs to be enabled to send this message

the only way I can see this message is if I try and send a message to an email account via messages with imessage turned off. if you go to the contact, tap the message icon next to the mobile number it should send it as an SMS.

on the offending ipad, go into messages, send/receive and deselect the mobile number. then it’ll only get imessages sent to email ID on there and SMS’s will come through to the mobile. if they then fail, you’ll get the option to send them as an SMS in imessage.

– You have iMessage turned on
– You send a message to someone who also uses iMessage
– You have mobile data signal as does one of the recipients devices so the iMessage gets delivered (it shows blue)
– The contact you’re trying to message is somewhere with their iPhone but with no mobile data signal so doesn’t get the iMessage on their phone
– You want to send them a message that doesn’t rely on them having mobile data i.e. SMS

As I say – its their problem to solve – if they have multiple devises and one of them, that isn’t in the possession , is preventing the devise that is in their possession from receiving messages then they need to solve that problem, its easy of them to solve but if they haven’t solved it they don’t think its a problem – they get their messages eventually.

You’re trying to compensate for their arrangements from your end but all you’re doing is mucking up your own ability to use your phone.

From your point of view – you can see whether a received (blue) message has been read by the recipient rather than just received by a device (either one not in their possession or one that is and is either unheard or ignored). So if something is important you can just call them instead.

if you go to the contact, tap the message icon next to the mobile number it should send it as an SMS.

nope

its their problem to solve

Well actually it’s my problem because I’m trying to get an important message to someone and I can’t. I use text messages to arrange dropping off kids, picking up kids, when I’ll be back from work or sending a message whilst I’m in a meeting where calling someone isn’t appropriate.

So if something is important you can just call them instead.

I *could* call but that’s not always practical.

{EDIT}

Loads of my regular contacts have multiple Apple devices, I can honestly say I have never had an issue contacting them using iMessage.

I have though, hence why I turn iMessage off

I appreciate everyone’s help, I really do, but I’m feeling like I’m in the minority of people who find, from many bad experiences, that iMessage is a poor implementation of a messaging service and I don’t want to use it. In typical Apple fashion, swimming against their tide can be a frustrating experience, but every time I’ve turned iMessage back on again I’ve found myself in a situation where I’ve found it unsatisfactory for my needs.

Clearly the days of SMS are numbered and I’m fighting a losing battle.

I have though, hence why I turn iMessage off

If you want to force an SMS then yes you will need to turn your imessage off, this still allows you to maintain the same thread of messages and imessages if you have correctly instigated that thread by messaging a phone number not an appleID. I have just done that, it works fine.

The point everyone is making tho is it is the fault of the recipient for not setting up their devices to correctly maintain contact with other people. Yes your message may be important enough to send via sms over imessage but it is still their fault for putting you in that situation (and youd think it would be important to them if it involves picking up kids etc.).

Well well well!

Ive just been through my message threads and found 1 person who i could only imessage and not sms. Weirdly though i only had a phone number for that person in the contact info, no email or apple ID! I had originally started the thread with an imessage to their mobile number but i was getting the same error as the OP showed!!!

So apologies OP, it can happen!!

It was easily fixed though by deleting the message thread and starting again, allowed me to send as sms (or imessage when i turned it back on).

If you want to force an SMS then yes you will need to turn your imessage off, this still allows you to maintain the same thread of messages and imessages if you have correctly instigated that thread by messaging a phone number not an appleID. I have just done that, it works fine.

This is what I’ve been doing and it doesn’t work just fine. It caused me an issue this morning hence why I started this thread.

I know some of you must be doubting my competency here 🙂 but a lot of the suggestions here are things I’ve tried and I think I just need to accept the limitations of having iMessage on or off. It’s not ideal for my needs either way.

Thanks again everyone

EDIT

So apologies OP, it can happen!!

😀

Well actually it’s my problem because I’m trying to get an important message to someone and I can’t.

So explain that to them – you’re trying to find a button on your phone that compensates for their choices and actions and getting frustrated that the button isn’t there.

Please tell me this doesn’t actually happen, the kids may be reading some very inappropriate things!

I thought it was phone number by default, if you want the phone messages on other devices to sync you have to activate it on each device?
iMessage is connected to your Apple account which in turn is connected to your phone number. So if you give your kids your old phone and use your Apple account, then they will get the messages too. Guy at work gave his daughter his old phone, linked to his Apple account and both of their messages and contacts are produced on both phones.

Genuine question for those who find that iMessage works for you. How do you deal with this scenario?

– You have iMessage turned on
– You send a message to someone who also uses iMessage
– You have mobile data signal as does one of the recipients devices so the iMessage gets delivered (it shows blue)
– The contact you’re trying to message is somewhere with their iPhone but with no mobile data signal so doesn’t get the iMessage on their phone
– You want to send them a message that doesn’t rely on them having mobile data i.e. SMS
The iPhone sorts all that out, but if they have mobile data turned off, then I’m guessing they won’t get a message as it is WAP which is considered as mobile data, which would be same case for any phone.

This is not just about my wife…

It is really isn’t it 😉

The iPhone sorts all that out, but if they have mobile data turned off, then I’m guessing they won’t get a message as it is WAP which is considered as mobile data, which would be same case for any phone.
[/quote]WAP/SMS isn’t considered “mobile data” in that way as it uses the “voice” network. It’s perfectly feasible for someone to be in an area of voice contact (and remember, SMS messages can often get through even when voice can’t) or that they’ve switched mobile data off (e.g. to preserve battery life).

iMessage is connected to your Apple account which in turn is connected to your phone number. So if you give your kids your old phone and use your Apple account, then they will get the messages too. Guy at work gave his daughter his old phone, linked to his Apple account and both of their messages and contacts are produced on both phones.

Only if they use your sim and you don’t change your account details.