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I didn’t receive my gov.sg SMS, what can I do?


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Updated by GOVSG

If you cannot receive government messages from the "gov.sg" SMS sender ID, please try the following steps.


Android phones - check that messages are not sent to your Spam and Blocked folder:

  1. Check the Messages app.

  2. Navigate to the Spam & Blocked folder.

  3. Locate the gov.sg message.

  4. If found, mark it as "Not Junk".

  5. If not found, check your blocked senders list with the below steps. Note: the exact steps to access the blocked numbers on your SMS messaging app may differ from one Android phone to another. Please seek help from your telco if you are unable to find the block contacts list on your phone.

If not found, check the permissions of your messaging app:

  • Go to Settings > Apps > All Tab > Messenger 

  • Scroll to Permissions > Premium SMS > Always Allow

  • Ensure all necessary permissions, such as SMS, are enabled.

Android phones also allow saving sender IDs as contacts. Please also check that you did not save the "gov.sg" sender ID under another contact name in your phone. Go to your contact list > search for the sender name that you received the SMS from > check the mobile number associated with this contact.

"gov.sg" messages do not have an associated phone number. It will simply be reflected in the mobile number field as "gov.sg".


iPhones (iOS): locate the message, check your block and filtering lists

  1. Your "gov.sg" messages may be hidden or located below other more recent messages. Check using the following steps:

2. Check if you had blocked the "gov.sg" sender ID by going to Settings > Messages > Blocked Contacts. Unblock the "gov.sg" sender ID if so.


3. Check if you have third party app filtering like Truecaller enabled, which could have blocked messages from gov.sg by going to Settings > Messages > Unknown & Spam. Select "None" if so.

If only OTPs are missing, you might have enabled the automatic delete after use function on the iPhone (iOS 17 and after). Try this:

If all the above do not work, try these global troubleshooting steps:

  • restart your mobile phone

  • remove messages from your inbox to clear memory for more messages

  • disable do not disturb functions

  • remove SIM and insert again

  • try the same SIM card in another phone (if this works, it is likely a mobile phone issue)

  • retry to generate OTP 

  • update your mobile device software

  • perform a factory reset to ensure no third-party software is causing the issue

If you still continue to not receive the messages after all the steps are taken please reach out to us via this form.


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