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Can't Receive Texts? Troubleshooting Guide

Troubleshoot individual SMS/MMS, check number capabilities, and understand the unsupported group MMS limitation.

Can't Receive Texts? Troubleshooting Guide

Use this guide when individual carrier SMS or MMS messages are not arriving on your Phound number. First check that the number has the required SMS or MMS capability badge.

Phound does not support group MMS chats. There are no client MMS Messaging or Auto-Download MMS switches. A missing carrier group conversation is not something those settings can fix. For a specific incoming external group message, ask Support to confirm delivery and reply behavior rather than assuming it will work as a group.

Before You Start

A few things to keep in mind as you troubleshoot:

  • Make sure you are running the latest version of Phound. Check for updates in the App Store (iOS) or Google Play Store (Android).
  • Have a second phone available to send test messages to your Phound number as you work through the steps.
  • Test an individual SMS (plain text), and an individual MMS (a photo) only if the number has that capability. Do not use a carrier group message as a delivery test.

Tip: After each step below, send a test text to your Phound number before moving on. This lets you pinpoint exactly which fix solved the problem.

Step 1: Check Your Internet Connection

Phound delivers text messages over your internet connection, Wi-Fi or cellular data. If your device is offline or your connection is too weak, messages will not come through.

  1. Open a browser and try loading any website. If it does not load, your connection is the problem.
  2. Switch between Wi-Fi and cellular data to see if messages arrive on one but not the other.
  3. Toggle Airplane Mode on for ten seconds, then turn it off to force a network reconnection.
  4. Confirm that mobile data is enabled for Phound. Some devices restrict individual apps from using cellular data under Settings > Cellular (iOS) or Settings > Apps > Phound > Mobile Data (Android).

For a thorough walkthrough of network problems, see our Connection and Network Issues guide.

Warning: Very slow connections can cause messages to be delayed significantly rather than failing outright. If messages eventually arrive but with long delays, a weak connection is the likely cause.

Step 2: Verify Notification Permissions

If messages are arriving in the Phound app but your device is not alerting you, the issue is with notifications rather than message delivery.

On iOS: Go to Settings > Notifications > Phound. Enable Allow Notifications, Sounds, Badges, and Banners.

On Android: Navigate to Settings > Apps > Phound > Notifications. Enable the main toggle and make sure the Messages channel is set to High importance. On Android 13 or later, confirm you have granted the POST_NOTIFICATIONS permission.

Tip: Open the Phound app and check the Inbox for the persona in question. If messages are there but you were not alerted, focus on fixing notification settings rather than message delivery.

Step 3: Check Do Not Disturb and Focus Modes

Your device's Do Not Disturb (DND) or Focus mode can silently suppress Phound message notifications.

On iOS: Go to Settings > Focus and check whether any Focus mode is active. Turn it off, or add Phound to the allowed apps list.

On Android: Check the notification shade for the DND icon. If active, turn it off or add Phound as an exception under Settings > Notifications > Do Not Disturb > Exceptions.

Check for scheduled DND periods that might activate automatically during certain hours.

Step 4: Confirm Your Number Is Active

A deactivated or suspended Phound number will not receive messages. Numbers can become inactive due to expired subscriptions, failed payments, or extended inactivity on the Free tier.

  1. Open your profile, select Account, and open Numbers to review the number.
  2. In Account > Subscriptions, review your current subscription and any payment or renewal notice.
  3. If the number is missing or its status is unclear, contact Support before assuming that reinstalling the app will restore it.

Step 5: Check Number Capabilities

  1. Review the badges for the number involved: VOICE, SMS, and MMS are separate capabilities. A number can have some or all of them.
  2. Confirm SMS is shown for a plain-text carrier message, or MMS for an individual media message.
  3. On desktop, open the active persona's settings, select Manage numbers, and review that number's badges. See Number Features.
  4. If the required badge is absent or an individual message still fails, contact Support with the number and the type of message.

Important: An MMS badge does not mean group MMS chats are supported. Reinstalling the app or changing notification settings does not add group MMS support.

Step 6: Review Your Blocked Contacts List

If you receive texts from some numbers but not others, the missing senders may have been accidentally blocked.

  1. Navigate to the persona tied to the number in question.
  2. Go to Persona Settings > Blocked Contacts.
  3. Review the list. If you see a number that should not be blocked, tap it and select Unblock.

Warning: Blocking a contact in Phound prevents both calls and texts from that number. There is no separate setting to block one but allow the other. Unblocking restores both.

Step 7: Check for Carrier-Level Issues

In rare cases, messages may fail due to issues on the sender's carrier side. This is more common with short codes (five- or six-digit numbers used for verification codes) or international numbers.

  1. Ask someone on a different carrier to send a test message. If you receive from some carriers but not others, the issue is carrier-related.
  2. Some short-code providers do not support messaging to VoIP-based numbers like Phound. See our guide on using Phound numbers for verification for details.
  3. For international messages, confirm your subscription tier supports international messaging.

Step 8: Force Close and Reopen the App

If the app has been running in the background for a long time, it may lose its connection to Phound's messaging servers. Force closing and reopening re-establishes the connection.

On iOS: Open the app switcher and swipe Phound up to close it. On Android: Open recent apps and swipe Phound away, or go to Settings > Apps > Phound > Force Stop. Wait a few seconds, then reopen.

Step 9: Reinstall the App

If all else fails, a clean reinstall can resolve issues caused by corrupted data or incomplete updates.

  1. Delete the Phound app from your device.
  2. Restart your phone.
  3. Download and install Phound from the App Store or Google Play Store.
  4. Log in with your existing credentials. Your numbers, personas, and message history sync back automatically.
  5. Grant notification permissions when prompted.

Tip: Reinstalling does not delete your account data, messages, or phone numbers. Everything is tied to your Phound account and syncs back when you log in.

Quick Reference Checklist

  • Internet connection is stable (Wi-Fi or cellular data)
  • Notification permissions are enabled for Phound
  • Do Not Disturb and Focus modes are off or Phound is allowed
  • Phound number is active with a current subscription
  • The number shows SMS or MMS for the individual message type being tested
  • The issue is not an unsupported carrier group MMS chat
  • Blocked contacts list does not include expected senders
  • Tested with senders on different carriers
  • App has been force-closed and reopened
  • App has been reinstalled if all else fails

Still Need Help?

If you have completed every step and texts still are not reaching your Phound number, our support team is ready to help. Visit our Contact Phound Support page for all the ways to reach us. Please include:

  • Your Phound account email address
  • The Phound number that is not receiving texts
  • Whether the issue affects SMS, MMS, or both
  • Whether the attempted message was individual or sent to an external carrier group
  • The phone number of someone who tried to message you (so we can trace it)
  • Your device model and operating system version
  • Which troubleshooting steps you have already tried

We will work with you to get your messaging back on track.

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