


The second involves being able to receive SMS messages, which could potentially come down to an issue with the user's cell carrier. The first is that the device's version of iOS may need an update, which ought to be a simple fix. If the process still fails, there are only two other likely culprits. Make sure the device is within range of cellular and/or WiFi networks as much as possible during the waiting period. With that said, when there are delays during the process, they are often related to network connectivity problems. However, it might be quite a wait, as Apple says both FaceTime and iMessage could take up to 24 hours to activate. Other than that, the only real fix is to simply wait for the process to finally complete. According to the Apple support website, the official solution is toggle the app off and back on again. This issue only ever shows up when the iPhone or other iOS device is attempting to activate an app like FaceTime or iMessage. Fix the Waiting for activation errors | How long to wait However, these two issues could possibly arise from problems outside of the user's control, whereas the "waiting" error has a rather simple solution.

Two other related errors notably reference direct failure: "Activation unsuccessful" is one such error, and "An error occurred during activation" is another. This is most often caused by connectivity issues, specifically between the phone and the cellular network or the phone and a nearby WiFi network. However, the activation process itself is prone to several errors, including the "Waiting for activation" error.Īs its name implies, this error is caused when there's a delay in the process of activating FaceTime or other iPhone apps.

Fortunately, coming to terms with how the process of activating works will help iOS users anticipate and fix FaceTime activation errors.īoth FaceTime and iMessage must be activated on a user's iPhone before the apps can be used. Anyone who sees an error message saying "Waiting for activation" will left unable to use the apps until a solution has been found. IPhone users get a lot of mileage out of FaceTime and iMessage, but these apps sometimes have problems activating.
