Recipient Not Receiving SMS or MMS Messages | Troubleshooting Guide - SteepleMate FAQ

Why isn’t my recipient receiving my SMS or MMS messages?

There are a few common reasons why your recipient might not be receiving your SMS or MMS messages. Here’s how to troubleshoot and resolve the issue:

The Recipient’s Phone Number is Incorrectly Marked


Sometimes, the recipient’s number might be marked as a “Cell” number when it is actually a landline or another non-cell number. This can cause SMS or MMS messages to fail. To resolve this, confirm with the recipient that the number is indeed a mobile phone number. Then, ensure that the correct number is entered into the system and is marked as “OkToMassText.” This designation ensures that mass texts can be sent to the number. 

The Recipient Has Sent a STOP Message


If the recipient has previously replied with “STOP” to any of your messages, this can prevent further messages from being delivered. This opt-out is processed at the carrier level, meaning SteepleMate can’t override it directly. To reactivate receiving texts, the recipient needs to send one of the following keywords to your number: UNSTOP, START, SUBSCRIBE, ADD, CONTINUE, or GO. Once they’ve done this, they should start receiving messages again.

Messages Flagged as Spam by Phone Carriers


Phone carriers may sometimes filter messages if they detect content that seems like spam. This can block your messages before they reach the recipient. To prevent this, ensure that your message content is clear, relevant, and personalized when possible. Avoid excessive use of promotional language, links, or all-caps text, as these can trigger spam filters. If you suspect this is the issue, try adjusting the message content and see if it resolves the delivery problem.


If these steps don’t solve the issue, please reach out to our support team for further assistance, as there might be other factors at play.


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