8 Ways to Fix iPhone Messages/iMessages Out of Order[2024 Update]

User Concern

“Ever Since I updated to iOS 16 my messages do not show in correct order. How can I fix this issue, please help” - Allison from Apple Community

A lot of iOS users have experienced the “iMessage/message out of order on iPhone” issue especially after updating the device to the latest version of iOS. This is a common occurrence and as such there are also a lot of troubleshooting solutions you can try to fix the problem. In this article, we are going to provide you with 8 of the most effective ways to fix iPhone messages/iMessages out of order error.

Way 1. Force Close Messages App

One of the easiest solutions you can try first is to force close the Message App. This will refresh the app and eliminate any conflicting settings that could be interfering with the order or messages. Here’s how to force close the app, depending on your particular device:

For iPhone 8 and earlier:

• Unlock the iPhone and then double-tap on the Home button
• This should open a list of recently used apps, select the Message app and then tap on the app’s preview to close it.

For iPhone X and newer:

• Unlock the device and go to the Home screen.
• Swipe to find the Message app. Tap and hold onto it and then tap on the “–“ button to force close it.

Way 2. Turn off and Turn on iMessages/Messages

The 2nd way you can try out is to disable and enable the iMessage. This helps to refresh the Message app and make iMessages arrange in the right order.

• Go to iPhone Settings and click on Messages.
• Hit on iMessage and turn it off.
• Wait for a few seconds to enable the iMessage again to check if iMessages are in right corner.

Way 3. Check Date & Time Settings

Having the wrong date and time can also cause the Message app on your iPhone to behave abnormally. To check the Date & Time Settings, follow these simple steps:

• Open the Settings on your iPhone and then tap on “General”.
• Select “Date & Time” and then make sure that “Set Automatically” is enabled and that the time zone is correct.

You may also want to turn off “Set Automatically”, wait a few seconds and the turn it back on.

Way 4. Restart Your iPhone

Restarting your iPhone is another great way to refresh the device and hopefully fix the messages/iMessage out of order problem. Here’s how to restart your iPhone model:

• For iPhone X and newer: Press and hold the Side and Volume down buttons until the “Turn off Slider” appears. Slide to turn off the device and then press the side button to restart the device.
• For iPhone 8 or earlier: Press and hold the Top or Side button until the slider appears. Slide it to turn off the device and the press the power buttons until the device restarts.

Way 5. Try Airplane Mode

Another very simple solution you can try is to toggle “Airplane Mode” on/off. To do this, simply swipe up from the Home screen to access the Control Panel and then tap on the “Airplane Mode” icon to enable it. Wait a few seconds and tap on the icon again to disable it.

Way 6. Update Your iPhone

An iOS update could have bug fixes that can help you easily get rid of this problem. To update your iPhone to the latest version of iOS, follow these simple steps:

• Open the Settings on your iPhone and then tap on “General”.
• Tap on “Software Update” to check if a software update is available. If an update is available, tap “Download and Install” to install the update on your device.

Keep the device connected to a Wi-Fi network and a charger until the process is complete.

Way 7. Reset All Settings

If all the solutions above don’t work, you may want to reset all settings on your iPhone. This will serve the purpose of removing all conflicting settings and may help to fix the problem. To reset all settings on your iPhone, follow these simple steps:

• Open the Settings on your Home screen and then select “General”.
• Scroll down to locate “Reset” and tap on it.
• Tap on “Reset All Settings” and enter the passcode when prompted.

When the device restarts, the iPhone text messages out of order issue should be gone.

Way 8. Fix iOS with FoneGeek iOS System Recovery

If even a reset of all the settings on the device doesn’t work to fix the problem, then it is very likely that the iOS system itself may be faulty. In this case, the best solution would be to use a third-party iOS system recovery tool. These tools are ideal because they can detect even the most minor of issues with the system and fix them in a few simple steps. We recommend using FoneGeek iOS System Recovery for the following reasons:

• It can be used to fix an iPhone under several circumstances including a device that is iPhone stuck in recovery mode, headphone mode, Apple Logo or one that will simply not function properly.
• It supports all iOS devices including the iPhone 14/13/12/11 Pro Max/11 Pro/11 as well as all versions of the iOS firmware including iOS 16.
• You can also use this tool to downgrade or upgrade the iOS version.
• It is easy to use and it will fix all common iOS issues without data loss.

The following is a simple step-by-step guide to help you fix iPhone messages out of order problem:

Step 1: Download and install the iOS repair tool on to your computer. Open the program after successful installation and select “Standard Mode” in the main window.

Step 2: Connect the iPhone to the computer using USB cable and click “Start”.

Step 3: Now the program will immediately begin downloading the firmware package after which it will fix the iPhone.

It is important to keep the device connected to the computer until the repair process is complete. The iPhone will restart once it has been fixed and you can check if the iPhone messages out of order issue has been resolved.