
My original guide started life as just a few paragraphs on getting iChat running on OS X Lion, back then things were simple and easy. If iMessage/FaceTime still won’t activate, get in touch with Apple Support.Building a CustoMac Hackintosh: Buyer's Guide You’ll also want to make sure SMS (regular texting) is working in the Messages app.Tap Download and Install if there’s an update available.Still not activated?Ĭheck to see if there’s an available software update

Another factor may be if Apple is experiencing any system issues, you can check Apple’s system status here. IMessage and FaceTime may activate right away, but Apple notes that in some cases it may take up to 24 hours. Do the same for FaceTime which is found just below Messages in Settings. For iMessage go to Settings > Messages and tap the toggle to the right of iMessage.


If iMessage/FaceTime still doesn’t activate, try these steps:

Let’s take a look at how to fix the “iMessage waiting for activation” issue.īesides the “Waiting for activation” message, other related problems may include seeing alerts such as “Activation unsuccessful,” “An error occurred during activation,” or “Could not sign in, please check your network connection.” How to fix iMessage waiting for activation (FaceTime too) If you’re setting up a new iPhone or have recently replaced or reset your iPhone, you may run into an iMessage/FaceTime issue where it is waiting for activation.
