Twitter via SMS: I'm Having Trouble with Receiving SMS Updates

Missing Twitter SMS updates? This does happen occasionally. If the Twitter SMS queue is too overloaded with text updates, some may be dropped. This means you may experience occasional missing updates from certain people at busy times. If you're missing updates from the same or all account(s) consistently, this may be a different problem.

Things to check:

• Make sure your phone number is added to your account. You can check this under the Mobile tab in your Settings page on the web.
• Make sure your time zone and your online sleep settings are correct.
• Verify that your Twitter mobile update preferences are set to ON; text ON to Twitter to get a confirmation message that updates are ON.
• Make sure you're following the person whose updates you're missing and updates for that specific person are turned on. The default phone setting is OFF until you visit the person's profile page and turn text updates ON, or text FOLLOW username from your phone, like this: FOLLOW Oprah

If all of the above are correct, then:

• Try unfollowing and refollowing the person whose updates you're missing. Text OFF [username], then ON [username] to your Twitter code to do this, or visit their profile on the web and turn SMS updates on.
• Try resetting your mobile preferences by texting the word OFF to your Twitter code. Wait a few minutes, then text the word ON to your Twitter code.

If you're still not getting updates from that person:

Submit a support request with the details about what's happening. Don't forget to include the following info:

1. Your username and the username of the person you're missing updates from.
2. The URL of the missing update, e.g. http://twitter.com/coates/status/1114430687
3. Your mobile phone number and mobile service provider.

Missing updates on the web:

• Twitter updates are delivered in real time, so if they've gone missing we may be experiencing issues. Check the status blog to find out if Twitter is experiencing known issues with Tweet delivery.
• If you're missing someone's updates in your home page, be sure to check their profile to verify that you're following the person. Make sure you're not blocking them, as well. Check your timeline history to verify that their most recent message isn't there.
• Some things to try:
  • Block and unblock the user.
  • Unfollow and refollow the user.
  • For users who have protected Tweets, cancel your follow request, and send a new request.
• Sometimes it helps to reestablish a follow relationship when you're missing someone's Tweets. If you try this and it doesn't work, submit a support request and be sure to include the following information: 

1. Your username and the username of the account(s) you're missing updates from.
2. The URL of the most recent Tweet you missed, e.g. http://twitter.com/coates/status/1114430687
3. If you're missing all messages from the account(s), or just intermittent messages.
4. If you're able to see the updates on a third party application (like Tweetie, Twitterrific, or Twhirl), even if they don't appear in your Twitter home timeline.
5. If you're able to receive Tweets on your phone (if you have one attached to your account.)

Why do my Twitter updates turn off intermittently?

Assuming that you haven't exceeded any limits, you may not be getting updates because Twitter was unable to communicate with either your phone or your network, and turned off your updates automatically.

• When we send a text message to your phone, we receive a verification message back from your service provider confirming that the message was received.
• If for whatever reason we don't receive a reply from your phone's network confirming that your phone (or your phone's network) is receiving our text messages, we turn off texts to your phone automatically.
  • This may happen if you go to an area with no reception, for example.
• This avoids sending costly Tweets that are never delivered. 

I'm not receiving text message updates for @replies

A number of users are not receiving SMS updates of @replies for accounts they follow. Normally, it works like this: @bob follows two accounts (@keerthi and @charles) and has device updates activated for both accounts. If @keerthi replies to @charles, then @bob would receive that Tweet on his mobile device via text message.

However, for some users, @keerthi's reply to @charles never shows up on @bob's mobile device. If you believe that you are experiencing this issue:

1. First verify that you have completed adding your phone to your account.
2. Then, make sure you have mobile updates turned on.

If you have verified your mobile and account settings, and are receiving normal Tweets via text but are still missing @replies, please contact Mobile support.

Troubleshooting tips not working?

Check out our troubleshooting articles regarding basic SMS troubleshooting tips and setting up an account via SMS for more information. 

Still need help? Contact Mobile Support.