If a text message didn't send or wasn't received, work through the steps below to identify the cause. Most issues can be diagnosed in a few seconds. These steps apply whether you're texting from the Beside mobile app or the web app at app.beside.com.
Texting yourself
If you send a message from your personal phone number to your own Beside number, it will not appear in Beside. Beside doesn't currently display conversations with your own number - the message is delivered in the background, but the thread is hidden.
To test your Beside number, use a different phone number - a colleague's phone, a family member's phone, or a secondary device. If that message arrives, your texting is working normally.
Recipient is a Beside user
Beside uses two delivery methods depending on whether your contact has the Beside app:
If your contact... | Your message is delivered... |
Does NOT use Beside | As a normal SMS |
Has the Beside mobile app installed and logged in | Inside Beside (mobile or web app), not by SMS |
📌 If your contact is a Beside user, they will not receive an SMS - they'll only see your message inside Beside, with a push notification on mobile. If they didn't see your message, ask them to check: Are Beside notifications enabled? Are they logged into the correct account? Is the app up to date?
Recipient is on a landline
SMS can only be delivered to mobile numbers. If you text a landline, the message cannot be delivered. Ask your contact whether their number can receive SMS - if not, try texting their mobile number instead.
Blocked content
Our phone provider may block outgoing messages that include restricted content, such as:
Profanity - curse words or offensive language
Shortened URLs - links that are flagged as suspicious
Harassment - threatening or abusive language
Illegal activities - references to unlawful acts
Sensitive topics - words related to sex, hate, violence, or drugs
If your message contains any of the above, try rewriting it in a more neutral way.
If the blocked wording is related to your industry (e.g., terms used in healthcare, legal, or adult-adjacent services), enabling Auto Censor Messages can help. This feature automatically replaces sensitive words before sending, reducing the chance of carrier filtering without changing the meaning of your message. Auto Censor Messages can be enabled from either the Beside mobile app or the web app, in your line settings.
💡 If the flagged wording is directly related to your business and Auto Censor doesn't resolve it, reach out to our support team via the in-app chat - we may be able to assist or offer a workaround.
Message length limits
Some messages may fail because they exceed carrier or encoding limits:
Standard SMS - 160 characters
SMS with special characters or emojis - 70 characters
The recipient's carrier may have lower limits, which can also cause delivery failures
Connection or app issues
If your message doesn't contain blocked content, the issue may be technical.
On mobile
Check your internet connection - ensure you have stable Wi-Fi or cellular data
Restart the app - close Beside fully and reopen it
Update the app - make sure you're using the latest version from the App Store or Google Play
On the web app
Check your internet connection - ensure your Wi-Fi or Ethernet connection is stable
Refresh the tab - a hard refresh (Cmd/Ctrl+Shift+R) reloads the latest version of the web app and can clear temporary issues
Try a different browser - if messages fail in one browser, test another to isolate the issue
Trial message limit
Trial accounts can send up to 15 messages total during the trial period. Once you reach that limit, outgoing texts are blocked for the rest of your trial. You can still receive messages normally.
What you'll see in the app
When you've hit the trial limit, sending a text fails with this error:
[permission_denied] failed to send message: permission denied error: user has hit the maximum number of text messages allowed
📌 Good to know:
This error only means you've reached the trial message limit
It does not mean your account is flagged or that identity verification failed
It does not mean your message content was blocked.
What to do
Wait for your trial to end. Full texting is restored as soon as your trial ends - no action needed on your side.
Where to check your trial end date
If you subscribed through the App Store: in your App Store subscriptions.
If you subscribed on the web: in the Beside mobile app or on Beside on the web, go to Settings → Plan & billing.
FAQ
My contact says they received my message but I see it as undelivered in the app. What's happening?
My contact says they received my message but I see it as undelivered in the app. What's happening?
This can happen when your contact is also a Beside user. The message was delivered inside Beside rather than as an SMS - the delivery status displayed in your app may not always reflect in-app delivery accurately. If your contact confirms they received it, the message went through.
I'm getting a delivery error on every message I send. What should I do?
I'm getting a delivery error on every message I send. What should I do?
First check your internet connection and restart the app (or refresh the browser tab if you're on the web app). If the issue persists across multiple recipients, it may be related to blocked content in your messages or a temporary service issue.
Try enabling Auto Censor Messages in your line settings, then reach out to our support team via the in-app chat with details on what you're sending and to which number.
Can my recipient check why they didn't receive my message?
Can my recipient check why they didn't receive my message?
Ask them to check: Can they receive SMS from other numbers? Are they blocking unknown numbers or filtering spam? Is their cellular coverage poor? Is their phone plan active? If everything looks normal on their end, the issue is likely on the sending side.
Messages work on mobile but not on the web app. What should I check?
Messages work on mobile but not on the web app. What should I check?
Try a hard refresh of the tab, check that your internet connection is stable, and test in a different browser to isolate the issue. If messages consistently fail only on the web, reach out to our support team via the in-app chat with the browser and OS details