RCS not activating after using international eSIM - “waiting for activation”

[Lori]

Hi I recently installed an eSIM for a trip overseas and ever since then my Rcs has been saying “waiting for activation” on my iPhone(13). I’ve done everything you could possibly imagine (toggle it on and off, speak with tech support, turn my line off and on, update my phone to the most recent iOS, disable my number and reactivate the sim, speak with Apple, the list goes on. I’m starting to think I’ll never get my RCS to work ever and I’ll just have to get a new number and new provider. If anyone can help please do!

[Nancyg]

That’s great Lori 😀 I still am waiting for my RCS to activate.   Question, did you turn off your RCS for a period?  I have read that turning off RCS for a full 10 days may cause the (google/Jibe) server to update their identifiers which are then exchanged /verified / matched with your carrier.  I suspect the RCS server identifiers are not matching carrier service identifiers/configuration may be the issue.   I have not yet tried turning off RCS for the full 10 days.   Thx 

[Jericho991]

Will this be fixed one day  .....  it as been almost a month 

try  all that

Step 1: Turn Everything Off

On your new phone, open Google Messages.
Go to Settings > RCS chats.
Turn the RCS chats toggle OFF. If it's stuck on "Setting up" or "Connecting," do your best to disable it. If you can't, proceed anyway.
Turn off Wi-Fi on your phone. The rest of the process should be done on mobile data.
Step 2: Use Google's Deactivation Portal

This is the most critical step to force de-registration from Google's end. You mentioned not receiving a code, which can happen if the system is overloaded with requests. It's crucial to try again.

On a computer or separate device, go to Google's official deactivation web portal: https://messages.google.com/disable-chat
Scroll down to the section titled "Without your previous device".
Enter your phone number and click "Send Code".
Enter the 6-digit code you receive via SMS.
This should confirm that RCS chats have been deactivated for your number. If you still don't get a code, wait an hour and try again before proceeding.
Step 3: Reset the Apps and Wait

After successfully deactivating via the web portal, you need to give the system time to process it.

On your phone, go to Settings > Apps > Carrier Services. Select Storage and tap Clear Data.
Go back to the app list and find Google Messages. Select Storage and tap Clear Data.
Power off your phone completely for at least 5 minutes.
Power it back on.
DO NOT open Google Messages or try to activate RCS yet. You must now wait. The recommended waiting period is 24 hours, but some users report needing to wait up to 8-10 days for the server-side registration to fully clear. Patience is essential here.
Step 4: Reactivate

After the waiting period (at least 24 hours), ensure your phone has a strong mobile data connection.
Open Google Messages. It will go through the initial setup.
A pop-up should ask if you want to enable RCS chats. Agree to it.
Go to Settings > RCS chats. It should now show "Status: Connecting" and then change to "Status: Connected" within a few minutes.          dont receveive sms code from google

here is the response   Contact Your Carrier
If you have waited 24 hours, ensured your number is entered correctly, and still cannot receive the code, your phone carrier may be blocking the incoming verification message. Contact your carrier to ensure you are able to receive messages from high-volume automated services.

[Nancyg]

Good morning after a multitude of trouble shooting attempts my RCS is now working.   I turned off my RCS for 10 days and when I turned my RCS back on this morning it connected immediately.  I suspect the RCS server (I understand virgin/ bell use google jibe) was still linked to my old verification info from using a travel eSIM.  Normally a change in device, sim swap, or number port should trigger the RCS server to update the change, but doesn’t appear this was happening.  Appears turning off RCS for a period (I have read anywhere from 7 to 10 days), causes an RCS ‘reset’ for device identifiers which are then exchanged/matched with your carrier.  But this is just a theory, maybe a virgin rep can confirm? 

[FizzyRabbit]

Has this been resolved? I still have this issue with my RCS setting indicating "waiting for activation". I have attempted all troubleshooting suggestions and they did nothing. I did notice that my IMS status indicates "voice & SMS" instead of "voice, SMS, and RCS" like I've read that it should. I have an iPhone and currently have iOS 26.2

[VirginPlusAntgio]

Hey there @FizzyRabbit ,

Welcome to the community and thanks for your post. 

After a quick search, I found other users on IOS26 facing similar issues.

Below is what I found;

iOS 26 RCS issues often involve activation problems ("Waiting for activation"), failed deliveries, or messages defaulting to SMS/MMS, usually fixed by toggling RCS in Settings, force-restarting, resetting network settings, or waiting for patches, as it's a common post-update bug related to provisioning or software glitches, especially when switching between Wi-Fi/cellular or using VPNs. 

Common iOS 26 RCS Issues

• "Waiting for Activation": The status stuck on this, preventing RCS from working.
• Messages Fail/Not Delivered: Green bubbles appear, or messages show as "Not Delivered" but are received by Android users.
• RCS Not Working on Wi-Fi/VPN: Issues where RCS only functions on cellular or vice versa. 

Troubleshooting Steps

1. Restart/Re-enable RCS: Turn off RCS in Settings > Messages, wait a few seconds, then turn it back on. Force-restart your iPhone if needed (Volume Up, Volume Down, then hold Side Button).
2. Reset Network Settings: Go to Settings > General > Transfer or Reset iPhone > Reset > Reset Network Settings. This clears Wi-Fi passwords but not personal data.
3. Check SIM/eSIM: Remove and reinsert your physical SIM card or toggle your eSIM off and on.
4. Toggle iMessage: In Settings > Messages, turn iMessage off and back on. Check that your phone number is selected under Send & Receive.

Give those a shot and let the community know the outcome.