Having problems with messaging or email can leave you out of touch, let's get it working again.
Read me first
Before choosing your situation, check the following:
- You have restarted your device recently. Review why it's important to Restart your device regularly.
- Turn off Wi-Fi to ensure you're using T-Mobile network data. If you're only having trouble when on Wi-Fi, use Wi-Fi troubleshooting.
- Message blocking or Family allowances aren't preventing messaging on your end or your recipient's.
- Your device shows at least two signal bars. Check out Signal issues / no service troubleshooting.
- For picture and email issues, open a few web pages to make sure your Internet works. If not, follow No Internet.
- Your device has at least 15% free space.
- Prepaid accounts must have an account balance for text and picture messages.
Tip: For help with these steps, visit our Device tutorials page, select your device, and use the search bar to find what you're searching for.
Text and Picture Message issues
- Make sure the number was entered correctly, including the country code. Use the Make an International Call page for dialing patterns.
- Check that the number isn't on your device's spam list or block list. A Message blocking active error when sending a text to a specific person means their message blocking is active.
- Update the time and date on your device and enable auto-update.
- Uninstall any downloaded messaging apps.
Android devices:
- Make sure the SMSC setting is +12063130004.
- Clear the app cache for Email & Messaging.
- Reset APNs to default.
Apple devices:
- If the message is blue, review the iMessage page.
- If you or your contact had an iPhone and switched recently, turn off or unregister iMessage & FaceTime. Get Apple Support.
- Check whether picture messaging is turned on in Settings > Messages > turn on MMS Messaging.
- Reset Network Settings in Settings > General > Reset > Reset Network Settings.
- Update your device software to the latest version.
- Delete all text threads. You can back these up beforehand using apps from the app store.
Picture Messaging (MMS): Test sending one small picture to one recipient.
- MMS is limited to 10 recipients per message.
- MMS can take longer to get to your mobile device than a text.
- All networks restrict the size of MMS. For T-Mobile, the max sending size is 1MB, 3 MB for receiving, and under 3072 x 3072 resolution.
- MMS may be automatically resized when sent, but may still be too large.
If available, move the SIM card to another T-Mobile device and try texting from that device to determine if it's a network or device issue.
Still need help?
If you're still experiencing the problem, call us at 1-877-746-0909. It's best if you can call from a different phone than the one you are having issues with.
Email issues
- For email set up, find the Email accounts step for your Device.
- On a computer, check that you can send/receive a new email. If not, contact the email provider.
- If you use an email program, like Outlook, set it to leave emails on the server.
- In the app store search for the email provider's app.
- Some providers rely on you using their app to send/receive emails and attachments.
- If you are only having problems with a downloaded app, contact the app developer.
- If not using an email provider's app, find the information for your provider and make sure they match your device settings:
- Email address
- Incoming server address
- Outgoing server address
- Domain
- User name
- Password
- SSL Encryption
- Check if you have two-step verification on the email account. If you do, follow the email provider's steps to activate email on the device or turn the feature off.
- Turn off any data saver, battery saving, or power-saving features or apps.
Android devices:
- Clear the app cache and data for the app you are using for email, usually Email, Mail, or Gmail.
- In device settings for Data Usage, check if data has been restricted.
- For Exchange accounts, check the Settings > Account > Exchange account to activate device administrator if necessary.
Apple devices:
Check the Settings > Accounts &Passwords > Fetch New Data settings for new emails to be pushed to your device.
- If you are using tmomail.net, make sure that the email is plain text only. HTML is not supported.
- Restart the device.
- If email is still not working, delete the email account from the device.
- Add the email account again, and double-check all of your settings as you enter them.
- If problems continue, contact your email provider for their email settings and email service troubleshooting.
Attachments download but don't open
- Check the attachment in your email to determine the file type.
- Visit the Devices page, and check Tech Specs to check the file types your device supports.
- Search the app store for apps that can open the file type. Third-party apps support more files.
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