I’m missing text messages.

If you're missing text messages or haven’t seen messages in a few days, there are a couple of possible causes.

Check Send & Receive settings

If your child’s device has a phone number, both the phone number and iCloud email should be selected.

1. Open Settings
2. Tap Messages
3. Tap Send & Receive

Under “You can receive iMessages to and reply from”:

• Ensure the phone number is selected
• Ensure the Apple ID email is selected

Under “Start new conversations from”:

• Select the phone number if available

If only one destination is selected, Apple may route some messages outside of the monitored session.

Are SMS messages (Android contacts) missing?

If your child is texting Android users, those messages use SMS rather than iMessage. Make sure Text Message forwarding is enabled.

1. On your child’s iPhone, open Settings
2. Search for Text Message Forwarding
3. Turn it on
4. Select the BrightCanary device from the list

Without Text Message Forwarding enabled, SMS messages cannot be monitored.

Are messages not populating after initial login?

If login completes but no messages appear, check whether Contact Key Verification is enabled.

Apple’s Contact Key Verification is an advanced security feature that can interfere with monitoring services.

1. On your child’s device, open Settings
2. Tap the Apple ID name at the top
3. Scroll down and tap Contact Key Verification
4. Turn off Verification in iMessage

Make sure your child hasn’t deleted the BrightCanary server

Check to make sure they have not removed the BrightCanary server from the list of devices with access to their Apple ID information. This list is found by opening Settings on their device, then tapping iCloud (their name) at the top of the screen. Scroll down, and you should see a list of devices with access to their Apple ID, including their iPhone and/or iPad, as well as a BrightCanary server. 

If you do not see a BrightCanary server in the list, email support@brightcanary.io for help getting things set up again.