How to Fix IMS Service Has Stopped on Samsung Android

By ErrorFix · Updated October 26, 2026 · 6 min read

What IMS Service has stopped means

IMS stands for IP Multimedia Subsystem, and IMS Service is the pre-installed system component that lets your phone run calling and messaging features over your carrier data connection. When it works, you barely notice it. Wi-Fi calling connects, video calls go through, and advanced messaging features behave normally. When it breaks, Android shows the pop-up “Unfortunately, IMS Service has stopped” — sometimes once, and sometimes every few seconds, which makes the phone almost unusable until the underlying problem is fixed.

It is important to know what IMS Service is not. It is not an app you installed, it is not malware, and you should not try to delete it. Because it is a system service, it does not appear in your normal app list until you ask Android to show system apps, which is why many people cannot find it when they first look. The crash itself is usually a state problem, not a hardware failure: corrupted temporary data, a clash with a messaging app, a damaged SIM connection, or a carrier setting that no longer matches what your phone expects.

That is also why this error is so fixable. The service itself is still on your phone and intact in nearly every case. Once you clear its stale data, remove the app that conflicts with it, or rebuild the network settings it depends on, IMS Service starts cleanly again and the pop-up stops. The steps below are ordered from the quickest and safest fix to the deeper resets, so work through them in order and stop as soon as the pop-up is gone.

Common causes

• Corrupted IMS Service cache or data: stale temporary files in the system service itself are the most common cause, and they make IMS crash every time Android tries to start it.
• Corrupted Messages or Contacts data: IMS works closely with your messaging and contacts apps, so broken data in either one can drag IMS down with it.
• Conflicting third-party messaging app: a downloaded calling or messaging app can fight IMS for the same functions, especially after an update, and trigger the crash on every call or text.
• SIM or carrier configuration problem: a loose, dirty, or damaged SIM, or a carrier setting that changed after a network update, can leave IMS unable to register with your carrier.
• Outdated software or broken network settings: an old system version may carry a known IMS bug, and damaged Wi-Fi, mobile data, or Bluetooth settings can block the connection IMS needs.

How to fix IMS Service has stopped — step by step

Work through these fixes in order. Most people are fixed by step 3.

1. Restart your phone. Press and hold the Power button, then tap Restart. A reboot clears the temporary service state that can leave IMS crashing in a loop. Once the phone is back on, wait a minute and watch for the pop-up. If it does not return, the crash was a one-off glitch and you are done.
2. Clear the IMS Service cache and data. Open Settings, then go to Apps, then See all apps. Tap the three-dot menu and choose Show system, then find IMS Service. Tap Storage, then tap Clear cache first, then Clear data, and confirm. IMS Service is a system component, so clearing its data does not delete your photos, contacts, or installed apps. Restart the phone and check whether the pop-up is gone.
3. Clear the Messages and Contacts cache. IMS works closely with your messaging and contacts apps, and corrupted data in either one can keep it crashing. In Settings, then Apps, then See all apps, open Messages, tap Storage, and tap Clear cache. Do the same for Contacts, clearing cache only, not data, so you do not risk losing contact details. Restart the phone and test a call and a text message.
4. Test Safe Mode and remove the conflicting app. Press and hold the Power button, then press and hold Power off until Safe Mode appears, and tap Safe Mode. If the pop-up stops in Safe Mode, a downloaded app, most often a third-party messaging or calling app, is the cause. Restart normally, uninstall recently installed messaging apps one at a time, and restart after each removal until the pop-up stops for good.
5. Reseat the SIM and check for a software update. Power off the phone, remove the SIM tray with the ejector tool, inspect the SIM for dirt or damage, wipe it gently with a soft dry cloth, and reinsert it firmly. Power the phone back on, then go to Settings, then Software update, and tap Download and install. Carrier and IMS fixes often arrive in system updates, so install any update that is offered.
6. Reset network settings. Go to Settings, then General management, then Reset, and tap Reset network settings. Confirm the reset. This restores Wi-Fi, mobile data, and Bluetooth settings to their defaults without deleting your photos, messages, or apps, and it rebuilds the network configuration IMS depends on. Reconnect to Wi-Fi, re-enter your Wi-Fi password, and check whether calls, texts, and Wi-Fi calling work again.

Did this fix it? Quick checklist

• The “IMS Service has stopped” pop-up no longer appears
• Calls connect normally, including over Wi-Fi calling if you use it
• Text messages send and arrive without errors
• The phone stays stable for at least an hour with no repeat pop-ups

If the pop-up still appears after all six steps, contact your carrier first, since a faulty carrier provisioning profile can only be fixed on their side, and as a final measure, back up your data and consider a factory reset (Settings, then General management, then Reset, then Factory data reset).