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Verification codes normally arrive as ordinary SMS, so an RCS problem is not automatically the cause. Start with the phone’s SMS setup—Google Messages, the SIM, cellular service, and blocked conversations—then move to carrier restrictions and account-specific problems.
Try these fixes in order. After each relevant change, request a new code once; repeatedly requesting codes can invalidate earlier messages or trigger a service’s rate limit.
1. Update Google Messages
An outdated Messages build can cause receiving and verification problems. Google’s troubleshooting guidance requires the most up-to-date version of Google Messages.
- Open the Google Play Store.
- Tap your profile picture.
- Choose Manage apps & device.
- Tap Updates available.
- Find Google Messages and tap Update.
If Messages does not appear in the update list, open its Play Store listing directly and check whether an update is available.
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2. Make Google Messages the default SMS app
If another texting app is set as the default, it may be handling incoming SMS instead of Google Messages. Check the setting at:
Settings → Apps → Default apps → SMS app → Google Messages
Labels vary on Samsung, Motorola, Xiaomi, and other manufacturer-customized versions of Android. Look for Default apps or search Settings for SMS app.
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After switching the default, request a new verification code. Check both Google Messages and any other messaging app that was previously set as the default.
3. Check the SIM, signal, and Airplane mode
Verification codes sent by text require the carrier’s SMS service. Wi-Fi by itself does not prove that the phone can receive ordinary SMS.
- Confirm that the physical SIM is inserted correctly, or that the correct eSIM is active.
- Check for cellular signal rather than relying only on a Wi-Fi connection.
- Turn Airplane mode off.
- Try receiving a normal text from another phone.
If ordinary SMS messages also fail, the problem is probably with the SIM, cellular connection, account, or carrier—not the verification service.
4. Check your carrier plan and SMS availability
Contact the carrier or check its account app to confirm that the line can use SMS and that the account has no suspension, balance, or service restriction. Google also recommends checking whether the carrier supports the required messaging type: SMS, MMS, or RCS.
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A line may receive person-to-person texts while automated messages, short codes, or messages from particular senders are restricted by the carrier. There is no universal Android switch that bypasses carrier-side blocking.
Ask the carrier specifically whether automated verification texts and short-code messages are blocked on the line.
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5. Look in Spam & blocked
A verification message may be filtered or its sender may have been blocked. In Google Messages, check the Spam & blocked area. The exact Android menu can differ by app version and device.
You can also review a conversation’s blocking controls by opening the conversation and choosing:
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Google documents the following path for Google Messages for web:
More options → Spam & blocked → select the conversation → Unblock → Done
If you find the sender there, unblock it and request another code. Do not assume that disabling all spam protection is required; checking the blocked and spam locations is the supported first step.
6. Fix iMessage or RCS registration after changing phones
Messaging registration can remain associated with a previous phone. This is especially common after moving from an iPhone to Android.
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On the old iPhone, go to Settings → Messages → iMessage and turn iMessage off before removing the SIM. If you no longer have the iPhone, use Apple’s phone-number deregistration process.
An old iMessage registration can interfere with SMS/MMS routing to the Android phone.
After changing Android phones, SIMs, or messaging apps
Reset RCS registration in Google Messages:
- Tap your profile picture or icon.
- Open Messages settings or Settings.
- Tap RCS chats.
- Turn RCS off, then turn it back on.
If the previous phone is unavailable, open Google’s RCS deactivation page, enter the phone number, tap Send code, enter the six-digit code, and tap Deactivate.
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RCS is not required for ordinary verification-code SMS. The message “Not supported – RCS chats are not supported by your carrier” means RCS is unavailable through that carrier; it does not by itself show that SMS codes cannot work.
7. Check Google’s phone-number-verification setting
If Google Messages or RCS is stuck verifying the phone number, check Google’s verification setting. Depending on the Android version, use one of these routes:
Settings → Google → Mobile data & messaging → Phone Number Verification
On some phones, open the separate Google Settings app and follow the same path.
This setting controls Google’s automatic periodic verification of the phone number. It is not a general switch that enables every third-party service to deliver SMS codes, so changing it will not fix a carrier block or a sender-side failure.
8. Check Premium SMS only for short-code problems
Android blocks Premium SMS by default. This matters mainly when a service requires a reply to a premium number or certain short codes—not for every missing inbound verification message.
Check the permission at:
Settings → Apps → Special apps access → Premium SMS
Select the relevant app that requests access. Premium SMS is an Android system permission, not a setting inside Google Messages.
Also distinguish receiving a code from replying to one. Google identifies three reasons for “Can’t reply to this short code”:
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- The short code is outbound-only.
- Premium SMS permission is blocked.
- The sender uses an alphanumeric code, such as ABC1234, which Google Messages cannot send messages to.
An outbound-only short code can still send an incoming message, so being unable to reply does not necessarily explain why a code never arrived.
9. Free storage and check notifications
Google Messages can stop sending or receiving when the phone has insufficient storage. Open the phone’s storage settings, remove unnecessary downloads or apps, and make enough room for Android and Messages to operate normally.
A notification problem can also make an arriving code appear to be missing. In Google Messages, check:
Profile picture or icon → Settings → Notifications → Incoming messages
Turn on Incoming messages. Then check the individual conversation:
Open conversation → More → Details → Notifications
Choose Priority rather than Silent if you want an alert. These notification instructions apply to Android 8.0 and later, although manufacturer software may use different labels.
10. Use APN reset only for MMS or mobile-data failures
Resetting the APN is sometimes suggested as a universal SMS fix, but Google documents it for MMS and data-related problems. It is not a normal first-line fix for a missing SMS verification code.
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If MMS is also failing, use the phone’s Settings app to reset APN settings to default. The exact route varies, but Settings search can usually find APN or Access Point Names. MMS requires a data connection, so APN settings can matter there.
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For an ordinary verification SMS, focus first on the SIM, cellular signal, SMS service, default messaging app, blocked conversations, and carrier restrictions.
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| Claim | What is more accurate |
|---|---|
| Verification codes use RCS, so RCS must be enabled. | Verification codes generally use SMS. Google Messages can send and receive SMS/MMS when RCS is unavailable. |
| Premium SMS is enabled inside Google Messages. | It is an Android permission under Settings → Apps → Special apps access → Premium SMS. |
| Mobile data must be enabled for every verification SMS. | Google specifically requires a data connection for MMS. Ordinary SMS troubleshooting focuses on the SIM, signal, carrier service, plan, and Airplane mode. |
| Turning off spam protection is the universal fix. | Check Spam & blocked and unblock the relevant conversation. Google does not prescribe one universal Android path for disabling spam protection. |
| Clearing Messages or Carrier Services data is an officially required fix. | Google’s current troubleshooting guidance does not make clearing either app’s data a standard fix for missing verification texts. |
When the code still does not arrive
If you can receive ordinary texts but one service’s code never appears, test another delivery method if available: voice call, email, authenticator app, or backup code. Then contact the service that is sending the code and ask whether the number is blocked, rate-limited, unsupported, or registered to another account.
If no SMS arrives from any sender, contact the carrier and describe the failure as an inability to receive automated or short-code SMS. That distinction helps the carrier investigate the correct service rather than treating it as an RCS problem.
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Do verification codes require RCS in Google Messages?
No. Verification codes normally arrive through SMS. Google Messages can continue sending and receiving SMS/MMS when RCS is unavailable.
Why can I receive normal texts but not verification codes?
Automated senders and short codes can be restricted separately by the carrier or by the service sending the code. Check Spam & blocked, ask the carrier about automated and short-code SMS, and contact the service if only its messages are missing.
Should mobile data be turned on to receive an SMS verification code?
Not generally. Google specifically associates a data connection with MMS. Ordinary SMS depends on the SIM, cellular signal, carrier SMS service, and account status.
How do I deregister my number from iMessage?
On the old iPhone, open Settings → Messages and turn iMessage off before removing the SIM. If you no longer have the iPhone, use Apple’s online phone-number deregistration process.
Can low storage stop verification texts?
Yes. Google Messages may stop sending or receiving when the device has insufficient available storage. Free space and try again.
The Bottom Line
Start with the basics: update Google Messages, set it as the default SMS app, check the SIM and cellular signal, and confirm that Airplane mode is off. Then inspect Spam & blocked and ask the carrier about automated or short-code SMS. RCS, APN resets, and Premium SMS permissions are specialized checks—not universal explanations for a missing verification code.
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