# Different number showing up on iMessage text on iPhone



## Hillsalt

My friend and I both have iPhones. We text each other but when we use iMessage, his number shows up a completely different number.

I figured he must have 2 phones, but as it turns out, he doesn't. Why is a different number showing up?

We carried out an experiment today, over coffee. 
I text the number i have saved for him, he got the message. He replied, and I received the message, but a completely different number shows up.

What's going on?


----------



## cian8

I had a similar issue between my wife's phone and mine, when she texted me using iMessage it appeared as if the message came from my phone!

As far as I can remember it was because both phones were registered to the same Apple/iTunes account which was in my name. 

I managed to fix it but I can't remember how! Hope that helps anyway.


----------



## rraido

My wifes phone had the same problem, if you go into settings/phone and you should see My number, this is the number that is sent by iMessage and can be any number at all, but you have to manually set it to your actual number.


----------



## Guest125

It also happens if you change provider but keep your old number.


----------



## Smashbox

Agree with rraido, the number in the phone for 'my number' could be set to a different one, hence why it's coming up.

As a side note, has anyone elses SIM card been used in the phone? Eg, a repair person, phone shop agent etc.


----------



## theresa1

I'm getting some text messages twice from my friend - basically if i'm out i get the text as normal but then when I go on wi-fi i get the same text again. Also with another friend i only get the text message when I go on wi-fi.

Anybody have any idea how I should have my settings. I want to use free wi-fi as much as possible but at the same time if somebody sends me a text i need to get it straight away. Thanks for any help. We all are using iphones.


----------



## BazzaDP

rraido said:


> My wifes phone had the same problem, if you go into settings/phone and you should see My number, this is the number that is sent by iMessage and can be any number at all, but you have to manually set it to your actual number.



Actually you should look in Settings->Messages->Send &Receive for iMessage settings.


----------



## BazzaDP

theresa1 said:


> I'm getting some text messages twice from my friend - basically if i'm out i get the text as normal but then when I go on wi-fi i get the same text again. Also with another friend i only get the text message when I go on wi-fi.
> 
> Anybody have any idea how I should have my settings. I want to use free wi-fi as much as possible but at the same time if somebody sends me a text i need to get it straight away. Thanks for any help. We all are using iphones.



Not sure about why you'd get it twice.

However for your other problem it's likely your friend has Settings->Message->Send as SMS turned off. That means he only sends messages as iMessage to those who have an Apple phone. This means if you are offline (ie. not connected to wifi and now mobile internet) then it queues them up. This saves your friend the cost of the SMS but has downside you're seeing where messages might not be sent right away. The solution is either for you to have mobile internet turned on, or for your friend to allow iMessage to fall back to SMS when you're not online (with the associated cost of the SMS charged to your friend).


----------



## theresa1

Thanks BazzaDP - just checked mine and send as sms was turned off (probably by default) - I've turned it on. I'm still going to try and look into the 'twice' problem.

I will also get my friend to check settings.


----------

