It’s a problem if you can’t send texts and even a bigger one with your Android phone sending texts on its own.
This post explores the possible reasons why this happens and what you can do to fix it.
If you recently find that your Android device is sending texts by itself, the most likely culprit is the messaging app itself. Force close your messaging app to resolve temporary glitches. Also, clear the messaging app cache and data, so your phone stops sending texts by itself.
When you see text messages in your outbox you’re sure you didn’t compose, it triggers your digital-age fear of sending wrong text messages.
You need to immediately get to the bottom of this to avoid catastrophic mistakes.
Reasons Why Android Phone Sending Texts On Its Own
If your concern is your Android automatically sends SMS messages, below are some of the possibilities for the issue.
1. Corrupted Messages
A corrupted message thread can cause your phone to resend text messages on its own.
As long as these corrupted threads stay in the system of your device, your old messages will keep sending to your contacts.
Fix the issue before your friends receive the unwanted messages that you did not send properly.
2. Network Connectivity
Another common reason your Android device is sending texts by itself is an unstable network connection.
If you get a poor connection while sending the text, your device will struggle to deliver it.
When the network gets stable, you may find that you sent the same text twice.
3. Minor Software Bugs
Mobile apps release updates regularly to fix bugs and security issues. If your messaging app or Android device is running an outdated software version, you may encounter the issue.
Make sure you install new updates periodically and get them from the official app stores to avoid the problem.
4. Malware and Other Security Threats
If the above-mentioned possibilities are not the reason your Android keeps sending text messages on its own, you may have a serious problem.
Check if someone hacked your phone or your Google account linked to it. You may also have recently downloaded malware that’s taking over your phone.
If you frequently use your phone, it can accumulate many inconsistencies that affect certain functionalities.
You have downloaded something fishy that can trigger messaging-related issues. Always scan your device to make sure it is clean and virus-free.
How to Fix Phone Sending Messages By Itself
After figuring out the possible causes of your Android sending messages on its own, here are some workarounds you can try to fix the issue.
Solution #1: Force Close Your Messaging App
If your messaging app is causing the issue, force close it and open it again. The method of force-closing your messaging depends on your Android device’s brand or model.
- Close your messaging app via the multitasking interface.
- Go to Settings.
- Find Apps and tap See All Apps. You will find the messaging app there.
- Tap on your messaging app and click Force Close.
Note: To close your messaging app tap on the most recently viewed apps icon. Then, swipe away the messaging app to close it.
Solution #2: Clear Your Android Cache and Data
The next thing you can do to fix the issue is to wipe clean the cache of your Android device. This ensures that your system never uses outdated files or data.
- Power OFF your phone.
- Press and hold the Volume Up and Power buttons for at least 7 seconds.
- When the Android logo display appears, release it and wait until your device enters Recovery Mode.
- Once done, find the Wipe Cache Partition item on the list.
- Push the Power button to select it.
Your device will prompt confirmation. Highlight Yes and press the Power Key. Once wiped off, highlight Reboot System Now and press the Power Key to reboot your device.
Note: You can also try clearing your messaging app’s cache data to get rid of outdated files.
Simply open the app drawer, then tap the Settings app. From there, go to Applications > Application manager > Messages > Storage > Clear data.
Solution #3: Check Third-Party Apps via Safe Mode
Third-party apps can cause your phone to send messages on its own. These apps ask for certain permissions before installation, and you may have inadvertently allowed one of them.
If you have installed a number of apps and find it hard to track which one does this, you can still look for it is using Safe Mode.
Here’s how to use Safe Mode to track the app that’s sending messages:
- Press the power button, until the menu appears.
- Press the power or restart icon, and hold for a few seconds.
- Wait for the Safe Mode prompt to appear and select it.
- Keep your phone in Safe Mode for at least 24 hours.
- See if it’s still sending messages.
Note: If your phone does not send messages during this time, you can be sure that it’s an app that’s causing the issue.
You can uninstall the latest apps you installed to see which one is the culprit. It may take some time, but it should be worth it.
Solution #4: Reset Phone Network Settings
If the issue is due to network glitches, follow the instructions below to reset the network settings of your Android device.
- Go to Settings and select System or General Management.
- Select Reset or Reset Options.
- Choose Reset Network Settings.
- Confirm to reset and wait for your device to restart.
- After the restart, your network settings will be cleared and reset.
Note: Check with your contacts if they continue to receive duplicate messages.
Solution #5: Perform a Factory Reset
Another effective way to fix the issue is to factory reset your Android device.
When you perform a factory reset, your device goes back to its original configuration and eliminates all problems related to it.
- Go to Settings and tap General Management.
- Scroll down and look for the Reset option.
- Choose Factory Data Reset.
- Scroll down and tap the Reset at the bottom to continue.
Note: All data stored on your mobile device will be wiped off. Make sure you back them all up in the Cloud.
Solution #6: Use a Different Messaging App
If you have tried the above-mentioned solutions, but your phone continues to send text messages on its own, try using a different messaging app.
Download another messaging app from the Google Play Store and change your default messaging app.
- Open Settings on your phone.
- Go to Apps & Notifications > Advanced > Default apps.
- Tap SMS app.
- Choose the app you want to switch to.
- Tap OK.
Note: If you can’t find the Default Apps from the Advanced option, tap on the three-dot icon at the top and select Default Apps.
Thus, if your Android phone is sending texts on its own, the issue may lie on the messaging app. Try force closing the app and clearing its cache and data to fix the issue. If this does not work, reboot your smartphone.
Read Next: How to Unblock a Device from WiFi?
Last Thoughts
If you have an Android phone sending texts on its issue, this post explores the possibilities of why this happens and provides quick solutions to address the problem.
If you have tried force closing the app, clearing the cache, rebooting your device, resetting network settings, and performing a factory reset, but the issue persists, try using another messaging app.
If you find the information in this article useful but have another difficulty with your Android device, browse through our webpage to find the answers to your questions.
Kevin has over five years of experience working in various Tech startups and providing Technical solutions. He has contributed to many Tech publications and websites. Check out more about him here.