Have you ever encountered the frustrating “cannot send audio messages at this time” error on your iPhone? As someone who heavily relies on sending audio messages to communicate with my friends and family, I know how much of a hassle it can be when this issue arises.
In this article, we’ll review several solutions to help you troubleshoot and fix this problem, so you can get back to sending audio messages without any issues.
Let’s dive in!
How to Fix cannot send audio messages at this time
1. Update the iOS and Messages App
- Open the Settings app on your iPhone.
- Scroll down and tap on “General.”
- Tap on “Software Update.”
- If an update is available, tap “Download and Install.“
- Wait for the update to download and install, which may take several minutes, depending on the update’s size.
- Once the update is complete, open the App Store.
- Tap your Account profile on the top-right corner.
- Scroll down and check if the Messages app has an update available.
- Tap “Update” if there is an update for the Messages app.
- Wait for the app to update, which may also take several minutes.
After updating my iOS and Messages app, send an audio message again to see if the issue has been resolved. If not, follow the next troubleshooting step.
2. Check the Network Connection
- Open the Settings app on your iPhone.
- Tap on “Wi-Fi” or “Cellular,” depending on which network I’m currently connected to.
- On Wi-Fi, ensure you are connected to a stable network and try connecting to a different network if possible. On Cellular data, check that you have a strong signal and sufficient data plan.
- Try opening a different app that requires an internet connection, such as Safari or Instagram, to test if the problem is specific to the Messages app.
- If the issue persists, try resetting the network connection by toggling Airplane Mode on and off.
Related: How To See Missed Calls From Blocked Numbers On iPhone
3. Restart iPhone
- Press and hold the volume up and side buttons on your iPhone until the “slide to power off” option appears.
- Slide the power off switch from left to right to turn off the iPhone.
- Wait a few seconds for the iPhone to shut down fully.
- Press and hold the side button again until the Apple logo appears.
- Release the side button and wait for the iPhone to restart.
4. Reset Network Settings
- Open the Settings app on your iPhone.
- Tap on “General.”
- Scroll down and tap on “Transfer or Reset iPhone.”
- Tap on “Reset.”
- Tap on “Reset Network Settings.”
- When prompted, enter your passcode to confirm the reset.
- Tap “Reset Network Settings” again to confirm the action.
Once the reset is complete, your iPhone will restart. Send an audio message again to see if the problem has been resolved.
Resetting the network settings can sometimes be a hassle since you’ll have to reconnect to Wi-Fi networks and re-enter passwords, but it can often fix issues with the Messages app.
5. Force Stop Messages App
- Swipe up from the bottom to the up of your iPhone.
- Swipe right until you find the Messages app.
- When you find the Messages app, swipe up to force it to quit.
- Wait a few seconds and then reopen the Messages app.
6. Clear Cache and Data
- Open the Settings app on your iPhone.
- Tap on “General.”
- Tap on “iPhone Storage.”
- Tap on “Enable” next to “Offload Unused Apps” to free up some space on your device.
7. Delete Large Conversation Threads
- Open the Messages app on your iPhone.
- Swipe left on a conversation thread that you want to delete.
- Tap on the trashcan icon to remove the conversation thread from your device.
- Repeat this process for any other large conversation threads you want to delete.
Once you’ve deleted some large conversation threads, send an audio message again to see if the problem has been resolved.
8. Contact Support
- From a web browser, visit iPhone Support.
- Click on Service and Repair.
- Click Get Service.
- Follow the prompts to submit your support request.
Once you’ve submitted my support request, wait for a response from the support team. They may ask for more information or suggest additional troubleshooting steps that you can take to resolve the issue.
Conclusion
Troubleshooting issues with the Messages app on your iPhone can be frustrating, but there are several steps I can take to try to resolve the problem. First, ensure that your device is updated to the latest version of iOS and that the Messages app is also up-to-date.
Then, restart your iPhone, reset the network settings, force-stop the Messages app, clear the cache and data, and delete large conversation threads.
You can contact support for further assistance if none of these steps work. Following these steps and being patient, you can get the Messages app working again and send audio messages without problems.
