SMS Not Delivering

Difficulty: All Levels | Time: 5 min | Tier: All Plans

If your SMS messages are not reaching recipients, check these common causes to identify and resolve the issue.

Common Causes

1. Phone number not provisioned -- You need an active DreamFlow phone number to send SMS.
2. Recipient opted out -- The contact may have replied STOP to opt out of your messages.
3. Carrier filtering -- Mobile carriers can block messages that look like spam or marketing blasts.
4. Monthly SMS usage limit reached -- Your plan's SMS allowance may be exhausted.
5. Invalid phone number format -- The recipient's number may be formatted incorrectly or be a landline.

How to Fix

1. Check your phone number

1. Go to Settings > Phone Numbers.
2. Verify you have at least one active number with SMS capability.
3. If no number is provisioned, click Get a Number to purchase one.

2. Check opt-out status

1. Open the contact record of the person you are trying to reach.
2. Look for an "Opted out" or "Unsubscribed" badge next to their phone number.
3. If they have opted out, you cannot send them SMS messages. This is required by law.

3. Avoid carrier filtering

• Do not send identical messages to large numbers of contacts in quick succession.
• Personalize messages with the contact's name.
• Avoid shortened URLs (use your full domain).
• Include your business name in the message.

4. Check usage limits

1. Go to Settings > Billing > Usage.
2. Check your SMS allocation. If at 100%, purchase additional credits or upgrade your plan.

5. Verify phone number format

• Phone numbers should include the country code (e.g., +1 for US/Canada).
• Remove spaces, dashes, and parentheses.
• Verify the number is a mobile number, not a landline (landlines cannot receive SMS).

Still Having Issues?

• Review our Sending SMS guide for best practices.
• Ask Sally in the chat bubble for quick help.
• Contact support with the recipient's phone number and any error messages you see.

Need more help? Ask Sally in the chat bubble!