Recently, Android users have started getting a message that says, Sent as SMS via Server. This message started appearing without them having made any changes in the message settings. Therefore, many people have begun to ask themselves what “sent an SMS via server” mean.
The answer is simple: this is just a harmless message that appears on your phone when you send a text message using the Android default messaging app. However, this can be confusing for some people who don’t know what it means and how it works.
In this article, we’ll explain as thoroughly as we can what this mysterious message means, what are its possible causes, and how to fix it.
What Does Sent an SMS via Server Mean in 2024?
Sent an SMS via server means that a third-party service is used to send the message rather than sending it directly from your phone. This method can be helpful if you encounter difficulty sending text messages from your phone or if you want to send a bulk message.
The “sent as sms via server android meaning” has been trending for quite some time, and if you are an Android device user like me, chances are you’ve seen this message too.
It appears after an SMS has been sent to someone – but instead of the usual read receipt, the user gets the “sent an SMS via server” message. This leaves Android users perplexed, and for a good reason: previously, the receipt messages read either read, sent, or delivered.
So, what’s the reason behind it? Many sources claim that this cryptic message started appearing after the RCS messaging protocol was launched by Google in 2020.
What is RCS (Rich Communication Services)?
An RCS, short for Rich Communication Services, is a messaging protocol that powers more complex and advanced features in an Android device’s default messaging app.
It was created as an alternative or replacement for the default SMS protocol utilized by most Android devices.
The goal behind RCS is to make the messaging protocol on Android compatible with more complex messaging apps, such as WhatsApp or Facebook Messenger.
Therefore, the RCS messaging protocol enables mobile messaging apps on Android devices to support multimedia messages, group chats, and sharing of videos.
In other words, this protocol makes it possible to send text messages over various messaging apps instead of the default SMS app on Android devices.
It should be noted that before RCS became widely available, many users were already using third-party apps like WhatsApp or Telegram to send messages over data connections rather than SMS.
Why Does Sent an SMS via Server Appear in Messages?
With that said, you might still be wondering what “sent an SMS via server” message means. While many people may have been worried that something is wrong or that they have been blocked from sending their recipient messages, the answer is really simple.
Simply said, with the new messaging protocol in place, the send receipt message that would previously say either sent, read, or delivered has been replaced with the “sent an SMS via server” message. This message simply indicates that there might have been a problem on the recipient’s end.
If you have been seeing this message on your phone, here are the potential reasons why.
The recipient doesn’t have an internet connection
One of the potential problems your recipient may have – and the reason why they cannot receive your message – is that they don’t have an internet connection.
The “sent via server” message doesn’t mean that the text was not sent but rather indicates that there might have been a problem on the recipient’s end.
It may be because their network provider is experiencing technical issues, their phone might not be switched on, they aren’t connected to a Wi-Fi network, or they simply temporarily have no network.
Recipient blocked the sender
Another potential problem on the recipient’s end and the reason why you’re seeing the “sent an SMS via server” message is that the recipient blocked you from sending them messages.
Again, this doesn’t mean that the message wasn’t sent but rather indicates that it was never delivered because the receiver blocked you from sending them text messages.
If you fear that the recipient may have had a reason to block you, this might be precisely the reason why you’re seeing the “sent an SMS via server” message whenever you’re trying to send them a text message via the Android messaging app.
The recipient is using an iPhone
Another common reason why the “sent an SMS via server” message appears on your phone is that you’re sending a text message via the Android default messaging app to someone who has an iPhone.
The reason for that is that iPhone uses a different messaging app that only works on iOS devices. So, whenever you send a message from your Android device to an iPhone device, you may receive the “sent an SMS via server” error message.
The RCS system is down or isn’t enabled
The RCS system being down is another popular reason why people receive the “sent an SMS via server” message. If for some reason, the server that runs the RCS system is down, any messages sent through it will be sent through the server.
Apart from the RCS system being down, the reason why you received the “sent an SMS via server” message is that the RCS isn’t enabled on your or your recipient’s phone.
If the RCS is enabled on one device but not on the other, the text message will revert back to sending through the SMS messaging protocol rather than the newer RCS messaging protocol.
How Do I Fix Sent an SMS via Server in 2024?
After gaining a better understanding of what the “sent an SMS via server” message means and what are the possible reasons behind it, you might be wondering, “how do I fix the sent an SMS via server message.”
Let’s take a look at three possible solutions:
Enable the “Show When Delivered” option
The first thing to do if you want to get rid of the “sent an SMS via server” messages is to enable the “Show when delivered” option in your phone’s settings.
To enable the option of seeing when a text message has been delivered, do the following:
- Go to the settings app in your messaging application.
- Tap on the first option, “show when delivered.” This is usually disabled by default.
- Turn it on.
Clear cache
Another way to get rid of the “sent an SMS via server message” is to clear the cache of the app that’s causing it.
To do this, follow these steps:
- Go to your Android device’s setting app.
- Look for the Apps and Notifications option.
- Find Android’s default messaging app and click on it. This will open the app settings menu.
- Scroll down and select the Storage option.
- Click on the Clear Cache button.
Use the device in safe mode
Another way to help you fix the “sent an SMS via server” message is to use your device in safe mode. This will allow for identifying third-party applications that may be causing this problem.
To enable safe mode on your device, follow these steps:
- Switch off your phone.
- Press the volume down button and hold it.
- Safe mode will appear in the left corner of your screen.
- To enable safe mode, click OK and restart your phone.
You might be interested to check those related posts as well:
- Fake Error Message Text Copy and Paste [2023]: 25 Examples
- Instagram Message Recovery [for Your Deleted Messages] 2024
- 45+ Amazing SMS Marketing Statistics 2024 [Facts and Trends]
Conclusion
While getting the “sent an SMS via server” message may be confusing, you now know where it’s coming from. So, the next time you get the “sent an SMS via server” message, don’t worry!
You’re now armed with enough information to understand what this message means, what’s causing it, and how you can prevent it from happening again.
