Not receiving group messages outside of Message + app

[IamNivek]

If someone creates a group message inside the Verizon Message+ application, I do not receive them.  The only way I knew these group texts existed is because the person who created the group asked if I was getting them and I received a strange message one time.

I DID receive a message from a strange Denver number with the following message one time and this is how I figured out what was happening:

From:  (588) area code

SENDERPHONE#:  Messages are waiting for you.  Download Message+ to read these messages at https://www.vzmessages.com/getclient.

I then opened the Message+ application and saw the group text and all the messages that were sent.  I never received these with the default Android app or Textra (my preferred texting app).

I do receive individual texts, and group texts from other people, but it appears that if the text is sent from the Group Message inside the Message + app, I never get it.  This happened again, with a family member who created a group text using Message+.  I never got it nor did the above message come through like it did once before.  I only knew the group text existed when my sister asked if I got it.  When I opened Message+, there it was!

Is anyone else having this problem?  I have the latest version of the app:  6.4.42

Thanks for the help!

[vzw_customer_support]

It is always important to make sure that you receive all your group messages IamNivek. We are not able to guarantee that your messages will go through a 3rd party application but you should get them on your preinstalled text messaging app. How long has this been going on for? What is the make/model of your device? Is anyone else having this issue?

AmberF_VZW

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[IamNivek]

Hi, thank you for the reply!

I have a Moto Z Force with Android 7.1.1 installed.  I'm not sure if anyone else is having the issue.  It does not matter which application I use, the group text does not even show up.  I can only see it with the Messages+ app.

This has been happening since at least the beginning of August, that's when I first realized I wasn't getting the messages.  I've been trying to figure it out and different apps, settings, etc. to no avail.

Thanks!

[vzw_customer_support]

IamNivek, ensuring that you're able to send/receive group text messages with your mobile device is very important. I use the same mobile device that you're currently using (Moto Z Force with Android 7.1.1installed). Just as mobile phone's software versions update, apps will too.

I experienced a temporary issue with group texting, very similar to what you're experiencing. To resolve this matter, I simply checked the app version for Verizon Messages + along with checking to make sure all of my messaging apps (I used multiple apps on occasions) were up to date.

This can be quickly done from your mobile phone by accessing Settings> Apps, then scrolling to each messaging app you use (e.g. Message +, etc.). You should then be able to view the most updated version of the app there. I also recommend scrolling down a tad more to the "App details" section located beneath "Store" (e.g. Google Play Store) and tapping the "App details" option. Scrolling down to the very bottom of the app will result in you being able to view the following:

- Version:

- Updated on:

- Developer e-mail:

- Developer address:

Additionally, it's also very important to make sure that the person(s) sending the group texts are not sending them to you via iMessage (Apple's internal messaging feature), which other Apple device users can view, but not non-Apple device users. Did I explain this okay? - RobertC_VZW

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If my response answered your question please click the �Correct Answer� button under my response. This ensures others can benefit from our conversation. Thanks in advance for your help with this!

[IamNivek]

Thanks for the info.  I checked the default messages app for Android, Textra and Message+.  They are all at the latest levels and are set to auto-update.  In the default app and in Textra, I don't have any indication of a message from the group.  Other than the message I received once (see original post), I get nothing.  I have even uninstalled and reinstalled and disabled / re-enabled the apps and cleared the cache/ settings.  None of this has helped.  The person sending the texts is using an Android phone and the Messages+ app to send.  The crazy thing is, when other people reply to the group, I still don't get those texts, either.

As a test, I created a group message with myself and a couple members of my family using Message+, they all received the same message I posted in my original response, but nothing after that when I sent a couple more texts to that group. I then texted the same people using both Textra and the default Android messaging app and everyone received the text just as I sent it.

It definitely seems to be related to the Messages+ app from all my testing.  I have had other people say the same thing.  I think it is related to having to add a "Group Name" in Messages+, but I can't test that because it is required and no way to add members and just send it with no title (at least that I can tell).

Any other suggestions or ideas?

[vzw_customer_support]

IamNivek-

It sounds like you've taken some great steps so far. And we're not giving up here. Thanks so much for the additional information. Let's try this, can you please place your device in safe mode by following the steps in this link: http://vz.to/2fuSI3k? While your device is in safe mode, please attempt to test the group message in your Verizon Messages + application. Do you have any luck with your receipiants receiving your message? Are you able to receive any responses? We will be standing by.

AmberK_VZW

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If my response answered your question please click the �Correct Answer� button under my response. This ensures others can benefit from our conversation. Thanks in advance for your help with this!!

[IamNivek]

Ok, I did that and here are the results.

After changing to Safe Mode and creating a group text using Messages+, my recipients did receive the group text, but the text came from the (588) area code number I listed before and it said:

MYCELL# created a 'Test' group with you.

RECIPIENTS CELL # +1.  Reply to chat or type #help for tool tips!

Tap on the avatar to add this group to your contacts.

Then my actual text showed below it:

MYCELL#:  Let me know what you get.....

Testing

My son replied to the group text, and I received it in Messages+ application only.  I switched to the default Messages app for Android while in Safe mode, the reply to the group, or my text to the group was not in the list.

See the Screen Shots.  The first one is from my son that uses "Textra" messaging app, the second one is my Messages+ app, and the 3rd is my default Android Messages app where you can see there is no group message displayed in the default app.  It only shows up in Messages+.

Screen Shot from my son's Textra application showing he received the message, but from a different number:

My Messages+ application from where I sent the text and he responded:

Default Android Messages app, no group text, just the individual texts I sent letting them know I was sending a test group message.

Thanks

[Toy4Rick]

My daughter, wife and I in a group text, wife gets message, daughter doesn't.  The only thing that comes through is my name but no message

All on verizon, all stock phones

I have an S6

Wife has a Note5

Daughter has new Moto X

Tried, un-registering phone numbers with Apple...

I have used stock app and several others

Daughter always gets my text when not in a group

[vzw_customer_support]

I know how important it is to be able to maintain group messages. Does she get group messages from anyone else? Also, because group messages send as MMS messages, if you send her a picture, does she receive that as well? Does she have trouble with data?

LeoL_VZW

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If my response answered your question please click the �Correct Answer� button under my response. This ensures others can benefit from our conversation. Thanks in advance for your help with this!!

[Toy4Rick]

Hi, thanks for getting back to me

She does not recall ever having any issues with other group messages.

Pics do come through from me just fine

No problems with data

What's interesting is when I reply to the group, she gets "a" text, it

shows it's from me, yet the text is blank

It doesn't happen every time but a very high percentage of the time

Rick

On Sun, Nov 12, 2017 at 6:11 AM vzw_customer_support <

[JuanC00]

I went to the settings on my phone and opened up the app manager.  I went to the messages app and cleared and umdwr the storage for thw app i cleared the cache.  I force stopped thw app from thw same window to get reboot the app and all my messages that were just "downloading" opened up in the group chat as they were supposed to.  Hope that helps...

[Dannlori]

My sister and I are having this exact issue. I can't believe it hasn't been fixed yet. I know it's caused by the message plus app. I received group messages fine before I installed the message plus app. I installed message plus to try for a few days and decided to go back to my stock texting app. I uninstalled message plus and that's when I stopped receiving group messages. It's only group messages created with the enhanced group feature that don't work.

I called tech support a few weeks ago and they said it was a problem they were working on but this latest update to message plus hasn't fixed it.

[vzw_customer_support]

Dannlori, we want to make sure that you and your sister can send and receive group text messages without any issues. Just to make sure that we're on the same page. You and your sister are not using Messages+, and you're still not able to send/receive group messages? With the Message+ application, there are two different ways to create a group message.

If you open Message+ and tap on the Pencil icon in the lower right, this will open to where you can compose a new text message. To send a group message, in the "to" field start typing the contacts name that you want to send it to. This will create a standard group message.

Group Chat lets you add or remove members, assign administrators within the group, add avatar and background, and more. A group can have up to 250 participants.

You can create a Group Chat by tapping the Pencil icon.

Creating a new group lets you customize the conversation for that group with a unique background, avatar, and name.

Note: If you switch to a messaging app other than Verizon Messages (Message+), you won't be able to access your Group Chats. (https://www.verizonwireless.com/support/verizon-messages-faqs/#gc-settings). Does this make sense?

KevinR_VZW
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If my response answered your question please click the �Correct Answer� button under my response. This ensures others can benefit from our conversation. Thanks in advance for your help with this!!

[Dannlori]

Yes, I understand that I have to have the Verizon Message+ app to send a group chat (pencil icon).  That isn't the problem.

The problem is that when someone else that IS using Verizon Message+ app sends a group chat (with the pencil icon) I do not receive it.  That wasn't a problem until after I downloaded the Message+ app myself to try it and then uninstalled it.  After that I stopped RECEIVING group chat messages.

Before I installed the Message+ app I received group chat messages in the stock app just fine.

We do receive group TEXT messages, just not the enhanced group CHAT messages.

[vzw_customer_support]

Dannlori,

I appreciate the clarification on the issue with enhanced group messages. What phones do you and your sister have? Have you done a reset of settings since removing the application? Have you ever gotten a message about downloading a group message thread in any of your other texting apps?   

DerekR_VZW
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If my response answered your question please click the �Correct Answer� button under my response. This ensures others can benefit from our conversation. Thanks in advance for your help with this!!

[Dannlori]

We both have Pixel XL phones.

I have factory reset my phone and that didn't fix it either.

Before I installed Verizon Message+ to try it, I did receive group chat's.  The first message said something like: "This is a group chat, click on the avatar to add it to your contacts".  I did that and everything worked fine, I could send and receive messages in the group chat.  Then I installed Message+ and uninstalled Message+ and couldn't get any of the group chat's again.

I don't think I ever received anything about downloading a message.

[vzw_customer_support]

A factory reset I know is a lot of work. I appreciate the lengths you’ve taken to have it work. Were conversations restored after the reset, or was a new conversation started?

DavidH_VZW
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If my response answered your question please click the �Correct Answer� button under my response. This ensures others can benefit from our conversation. Thanks in advance for your help with this!!

[Dannlori]

Not sure what you mean by "conversations".

All of my text messages were restored. But I still can't receive group

messages.

On Sat, Mar 24, 2018 at 2:57 PM, vzw_customer_support <

[vzw_customer_support]

Dannlori,

We don't want this to be an ongoing issue for you. I am eager to help you finally get to the bottom of the issue.

If all of your text messages were restored after the reset, that is what we were asking by asking about all conversations.

It may be best to finish our troubleshooting efforts over the phone. I have sent you a Private Message.

GinaU_VZW

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If my response answered your question please click the _Correct Answer_ button under my response. This ensures others can benefit from our conversation. Thanks in advance for your help with this!!

[vzw_customer_support]

Lissem1, I want to make sure you're receiving all of your text messages and not missing out on any important ones. As mentioned, there are different whys within the Message+ application to create a group message. There is a group message for just the application. If you open Message+ and click on the pencil icon, you can type the different people's names in the "TO" box at the top of the screen. If you click on "Create Group" that will create a group chat with Message+ users. I hope this helps.

KevinR_VZW
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If my response answered your question please click the �Correct Answer� button under my response. This ensures others can benefit from our conversation. Thanks in advance for your help with this!!

[ANDK32]

I just started having the same issue. I used Textra because the Message+ app drained my battery too much and have not had a problem till today. What I can gather is Message+ has an "enhanced group messaging", which isn't clearly called out that it may cause other people issues who don't have Message+. I received a text message from Verizon like you did saying that I had group messages waiting for me, and that I needed to download Message+. I too can't see the group message in a 3rd party app, which likely is meant to be that way by Verizon. If someone else starts a group text outside of that app, then the group message remains to be a standard group message, but something about it being enhanced when made in the Message+ app makes stay inside that app ONLY. Verizon probably just made their app to be like iMessage where only other iMessage people can get them. It will be up to the Verizon app folks to make those enhanced group messages be backwards compatible to non enhanced apps.