You should disable iMessage if you're switching to Android to ensure you get texts from iPhone users, or if you want to stop message syncing across devices, reduce data use, or prefer basic SMS; however, disabling it means losing features like encryption, read receipts, effects, and high-res media, disrupting the Apple messaging experience. YouTube +2
Why would someone want to turn off iMessage? You might turn off iMessage to avoid syncing messages across devices, reduce data usage, or if you're switching to Android and want texts to arrive as SMS.
iMessage is exclusively limited to Apple's ecosystem, restricting communication to iPhone, iPad, and Mac users only, meaning that you can't send it to Android users.
Deregister iMessage online
After you complete deregistration, your phone number is removed from iMessage services. You should be able to receive text messages right away but it might take a few hours for some Apple devices to recognize that you're not using iMessage when they send you a message.
SMS offers a much greater reach than iMessages because SMS can reach all mobile phones (and other text-enabled devices), irrespective of whether the operating system is Android or iOS. That's why SMS is used as the fallback channel when iMessages fail to deliver over WiFi or mobile data.
Switching on iMessage on your iPhone device is very simple and fast, and this provides you with a powerful messaging platform that links you with other Apple device users at no cost. iMessage makes texting more fun when you are texting with friends or sending media-centered messages or even syncing across your devices.
iMessages is an Apple app that works over WiFi. If you turn it off, you can't send or receive iMessages. You can send and receive standard SMS messages via your wireless cellular provider assuming that you have a plan that includes texting.
When enabled and iMessage® is unavailable, messages are sent as SMS. To determine the message type, refer to Apple messaging service.
Messages automatically uses the following screen effects for specific text strings:
Go to Settings > Apps > Messages. Turn off iMessage.
iMessage is a secure messaging service that you can use to send and receive text messages in the Messages app on your iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch, and Apple Vision Pro.
While you can't completely remove the iMessages app from your iPad, you can certainly turn it off. To turn off iMessage on iPad, just follow the steps below.
You may need to turn off iMessage if you are now using a non-Apple phone and cannot get SMS or text messages someone sends you from an iPhone.
For Android Users
It relies on a data connection.
You'll need either Wi-Fi or mobile data access to send iMessages. Otherwise, your iPhone will fall back on SMS (or in some cases, RCS messaging if your carrier supports it).
We designed iMessage to use end-to-end encryption, so there's no way for Apple to decrypt the content of your conversations when they are in transit between devices. Attachments you send over iMessage (such as photos or videos) are encrypted so that no one but the sender and receiver(s) can access them.
Unlike SMS, iMessage uses Wi-Fi or cellular data for communication, offering a richer and more secure messaging experience.. iMessage messages are encrypted end-to-end, meaning only the sender and recipient can access them, as even Apple can't read your messages.
Why would someone use iMessage instead of text? iMessage uses end-to-end encryption making sure messages are securely sent and only readable by the recipient.