It all started when I decided to port my personal number from my iPhone to OpenPhone. I was excited to separate my work and personal calls in a cleaner way.
OpenPhone had been on my radar for a while clean UI, great reviews, and way more flexible than what I was used to. But… I hit a frustrating snag almost immediately.
Even after the number switch, I wasn’t getting messages from some friends and clients. They insisted they had texted me, but nothing came through.
That’s when it hit me iMessage was still holding on to my number like an ex who wouldn’t let go.
I Thought I Did Everything Right, But Messages Were Still Lost
When I initially set up OpenPhone, I assumed porting my number would automatically remove it from my Apple ecosystem.
It didn’t. iMessage and FaceTime were still trying to use the same number that now belonged to OpenPhone’s network. This caused serious confusion, and yes, I hate admitting it, but I missed a couple of client messages.
I was annoyed. But more than that, I was worried what else was slipping through the cracks?
The Annoying Reality of iMessage and FaceTime After Porting
Here’s what I didn’t realize: Apple doesn’t just let go of your number when you leave its ecosystem. If your number is still active in iMessage or FaceTime, messages and calls might be rerouted or just disappear into the void.
It’s a weird mix of technical wizardry and stubborn software design. To make it worse, Apple doesn’t notify you when this happens. You have to know to fix it.
How I Finally Got It Right (And You Can Too)
I had to manually remove the ported number from both iMessage and FaceTime. It took a little digging, but once I figured it out, the process was simple:
- I went into my iPhone’s Settings
- Scrolled down and tapped Messages
- Then I hit Send & Receive
- Found my ported number under “You can be reached by iMessage at”
- And unchecked it
But I wasn’t done. FaceTime was still holding onto it too.
So, I:
- Went back into Settings
- Tapped on FaceTime
- Scrolled to the section labeled “You can be reached by FaceTime at”
- And unchecked the same number
The weird part? Even after doing that, I had to deregister iMessage completely using Apple’s official site because iMessages were still behaving weirdly. It’s like the system didn’t want to let go of the number, even when it was clearly turned off.
This One Reason Makes Me Regret Not Knowing Sooner
If I had known how tightly iMessage and FaceTime cling to your number, I would’ve made these changes the second I ported out. The delay caused unnecessary confusion and even a bit of panic.
It’s not just about missing texts it’s about the trust you have with your clients or friends. That one missed message could mean the difference between closing a deal or looking unprofessional.
What I Love About OpenPhone (Now That Everything Works)
Once I got past this annoying issue, everything started to click. Messages and calls now route cleanly through OpenPhone, without interference from Apple’s side. The call quality is crisp, the app UI is intuitive, and I love having business features like auto-replies and separate call routing.
It feels like I finally have full control over my number.
Final Thoughts – Don’t Skip This Step
If you’re planning to port your number from iPhone to OpenPhone, don’t make the mistake I did. Make sure to:
- Remove your number from iMessage and FaceTime manually
- Uncheck it in the “You can be reached by” sections
- Deregister completely if needed
These simple yet essential steps can save you a lot of headache.
Got Stuck Somewhere?
Drop your experience below or shoot me a DM I’ve been through the mess, and I’m happy to help you avoid it.
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