> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.tuco.ai/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# How to Check if a Phone Number Has iMessage

> Check whether a phone number or email can receive iMessage before you text. Tuco AI verifies Apple ID / iMessage availability automatically and at scale for HubSpot & GHL.

**To check if a phone number has iMessage, verify whether that number (or email) is registered with Apple's iMessage service before you send — Tuco AI does this automatically for every lead and returns a clear status: blue-bubble available, or SMS/email only.** Sending to a number that isn't on iMessage wastes the blue-bubble channel and can cause delivery failures, so availability checking is the first step in any iMessage outreach.

## What "iMessage availability" means

A phone number or email is "on iMessage" when it's registered as an Apple ID iMessage endpoint — i.e. an active Apple device is signed in and set to receive iMessage at that address. If it is, messages arrive as blue bubbles over Apple's network; if not, they can only be reached by SMS (green bubble) or email.

## How Tuco checks availability

Tuco checks each contact's addresses in priority order and stops at the first one that supports iMessage:

1. Primary phone
2. Primary email
3. Alternate phones
4. Alternate emails

<Steps>
  <Step title="Automatic on upload">
    When you upload or sync leads (from CSV, HubSpot, or GoHighLevel), Tuco automatically checks all phone and email addresses and stamps each lead with an availability status.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Manual re-check">
    Re-check a single lead or a bulk selection any time from the **Leads** page — availability changes when a contact enables or disables iMessage on their device.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Live preview in Quick Send">
    When composing a Quick Send, Tuco checks the recipient as you type (500 ms debounce) and shows the availability icon inline.
  </Step>
</Steps>

### Status indicators

| Icon | Status      | Meaning                         |
| ---- | ----------- | ------------------------------- |
| 🔵   | Available   | Supports iMessage (blue bubble) |
| ⚪    | Unavailable | SMS / email only                |
| 🔄   | Checking    | Verification in progress        |
| ⚠️   | Error       | Check failed — retry available  |

## How many numbers can I check?

Each Tuco line performs up to **70 iMessage availability checks per day**. With multiple lines, checks are distributed across them automatically, so more lines means more daily checks. Bulk checks are processed sequentially, so large batches can take a few minutes.

## Why check before sending

* **Higher deliverability** — route each contact through the channel that actually works.
* **No wasted blue-bubble sends** — avoid failures from texting numbers not on iMessage.
* **Automatic fallback** — contacts who aren't on iMessage are sent via SMS instead, so nothing is dropped.

## Frequently asked questions

<AccordionGroup>
  <Accordion title="Can you tell if someone has iMessage without texting them?">
    Yes. Tuco checks whether a number or email is registered with Apple's iMessage service and returns the result without sending a message — it happens automatically on upload and on demand.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Does an email address work for iMessage?">
    Yes. An Apple ID email can be an iMessage endpoint. Tuco checks both phone numbers and emails, and uses whichever supports iMessage first.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Why did a contact's availability change?">
    Availability reflects the contact's current device settings. Someone can enable or disable iMessage, or switch devices, so re-check periodically before major sends.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="What happens to contacts who aren't on iMessage?">
    Tuco routes them to your configured SMS fallback automatically, so they still receive the message over a channel that works.
  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>

<Card title="Availability feature reference" icon="circle-check" href="/features/check-availability">
  The full availability system: statuses, bulk checks, API, and check priority.
</Card>