Links not clickable in iMessage app

Hi Team,

We are facing an issue with iMessage app on iOS versions greater than 10.2.

Sometimes, URL links in received messages are not clickable. Since it's hampering our business, we request you to look into the reported issue and suggest us with a possible solution or workaround.

Scenario:
In the first message, URL was not detected as hyperlink while receiving the same message second time from same sender did make the URL underlined and clickable.


Thank you!

Experiencing same behavior. Did you file this as a radar?

Seeing the same issue here, sometimes it goes away after deleting messages from the user.


However, it's a workaround but not a fix. Is there any bug report on this issue?

I had the same problem with sending links via Branch.io.


Here's how I fixed it: I added an additional space between the final character and the link (2 total).


My best guess is that iMessage's link-card feature is buggering something up.

I am seeing this same problem from time to time. One workaround we found was to restart the iMessage app. This worked in a few scenarios but I don't know if it will work all the time. I am going to try adding an extra space as suggested by gdunham.


I have noticed that it does the same thing in iOS 11.


Is it possible that this is related to a redirected link like a URL shortner?


UPDATE:

Adding an extra space before the URL did not solve the problem.

I'm getting this same issue, but very intermittently. Is anyone able to recreate it accurately? Additionally, has anyone tried adding or removing the protocol (https://)?

Ran into this problem with iOS 11.2. As it related to our particular situation if there was a $ sign in the text all other 'automatic' linking for urls, dates, etc would break. Probably related to new apple pay features and the messages app.

a client of mine is reporting the same issue. It is intermittent of course however I cannot replicate it at all on my iphone 6s. Based on the threads elsewhere the common scenario to replicate was if you're part of a text conversation and you receive a popup alert of the text with the link, should you click the popup to go to the new text then you will not see the clickable link. I couldn't replicate this either. Nevertheless it is happeneing to my client and his clients. It is possible the reason I have not been able to replicate because I am receiving a text from a source where I have already received the text before but the situation is different for the end user since they're receiving it the first time from the source. I unfortunately cannot replicate this.

Alright peeps-


It looks like Derrekl has nailed it. In our case it was also a $ sign as well. If your text contains a $ sign or the word "bucks", or "dollars" or "USD" next to a number then apple pay takes over and the subsequent links are rendered as unclickable texts. This is most likely to prevent digital theft IMHO. Hoping this will help other fellows in the forum.

I tried the same message with some small variations and the $ character is definitely a culprit. "Blah blah blah $20 blah https://sample.com" did not make the link clickable. I removed the $ and it was clickable. Also, if the number is a contact, the link will be clickable. So if you want to say "$5 off your next purchase" you need to find another way to say that. BTW, "5 USD" will also fail to make the link clickable, but "5 US" is fine.


I do not understand why Apple won't tell us the rules. The following is what I have to deal with. Management does not understand why we developers can't make the links clickable by sending the text message correctly. Our release for our server code was temporarily blocked today because the links were not clickable on iOS and this was considered a bug. And they don't believe the explanation that it is an iOS issue, not us.


At the very least, let iOS users turn this filtering off.

I know this is late but thought it was worth mentioning.


My coworker and I (both iPhone devs) were experimenting with this and discovered a couple of rules to enable links:

  • Sender is in receiver's contacts
  • There was a prior two-way conversation between sender and receiver


So if that sender's phone number is a contact, the link shows. if I reply to a prior message from the sender (two-way conversation) then links will show up.


We haven't found another way to get links to show. So we are trying to prompt a reply first and then send a link after a reply (two-way conversation).

I just tried this with someone who

  • was in my contacts, but
  • I had not yet had a two-way converstion.


The link was not clickable

I have an issue with opening messenger links only when I choose chrome to be my default browser. This is happening since iOS 14.
hope that info helps. The links work when I choose safari.

Same here I'm also facing this issue. on iOS 14
Also happening for us randomly. Our customer is sending an sms campaign and when she receives it, the links are not clickable. Sending to others as a test, the links are sometimes clickable. We can find no logic to when the links are clickable or not clickable.

There is no dollar sign, and the message is sent to people who have no previous text conversations with this number and it can work, or not work.

All devices tested were on either iOS 13 and iOS 14. The problem could only be reproduced on iOS14.
I have this clicking bug for a very long time too.
Today I’m running on iOS 14.2 with an iPhone XS and it keeps happening. Even with a Facebook link !
I never understood how to resolve it as sometimes it’s working and sometimes not.

Would much appreciate a solution
Found a fix that worked for me. Simply close all open apps, then the links that were not previously clickable in texts will now be clickable.

Regan
Links are tappable for:
  • SMS

  • Known iMessages (Known means the number has been added to Contacts OR you have replied at least once in the chat)

Links aren't tappable for Unknown iMessages.

Tip: If you enable Filter Unknown Senders in Messages settings, you will see which chats are categorized as Known or Unknown.


Having similar issue, users of our app generate unique branch.io invite links sent in SMS's to other users to join their private activities ... the links appear in the SMS received OK but is not clickable by some iOS users. It is creating a broken user experience for a section of our iOS users.
Link not clickable on iPad, but same message showing on iPhone as clickable. Both devices on same network, same location etc message exactly the same (not copied or resent. Exact same message viewed from two devices). Doesn’t matter which device first opened message.
I get an error that says I am not connected to the internet when I click a link in iMessages.

They are SMS links sent from various places.

This is pretty disturbing as it is an SMS link from the CDC for the check-in process after I got my COVID shot.

Seems like this should have a solution by now three years since OP.

I have the same problem with Apple Maps in message.

Still have the same problem iPhone 11 iOS 14.6

I think that messenger app do not recognize some domains. For example .do

Me and my friends from CZ cant recently click on any link in fb messenger app?!

please help, this is really frustraiting for our company and apple users!

Please fix this issue. The work around is not good enough. My elderly parents who require help has trouble opening links that I send. Its really frustrating remembering to leave a space or text below. I can send a link from my phone and laptop and its the same issue. Why is it only my links and not anyone in my family?

Links not clickable in iMessage app
 
 
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