Kik is one of the most popular chat apps among teenagers and young adults. With over 300 million users, its easy signup process, fun features like stickers and gifs, and focus on anonymity make it a top choice for fast and casual messaging. However, like all apps, one should be aware of potential pitfalls, like Kik Scams.
But like any app, Kik isn’t perfect. One common problem users face is getting their messages stuck in the sending process. You type out a text, hit send, and instead of changing to the “Delivered” status, it stays stubbornly on “Sent.”
Not being sure if your message actually went through can be annoying at best and start unwanted drama at worst. In this comprehensive guide, we’ll look at all the possible reasons your Kik messages get stuck and proven solutions to get them un-stuck fast.
Key Takeaways:
- Kik’s “S”, “D”, and “R” message status indicators let you know where your message is in the sending process.
- Being stuck on “S” usually means the recipient is offline, has blocked you, or deleted Kik.
- Update to the latest Kik version, check Kik’s server status, restart your device, and clear app cache to fix sending issues.
- Make sure you have an active internet connection on your device.
- Try sending via a different chat app or contacting the recipient directly to test if you’re blocked.
- “D” means the message was delivered but not opened yet. “R” means it was read.
- With patience and some troubleshooting, you can get your Kik messages unstuck.
Now let’s dive into the details!
How Kik’s Messaging System Works
To understand why your messages get stuck, you first need to know how Kik delivers messages behind the scenes:
- You type out a message in the Kik app and tap the send button.
- The app tries to connect to Kik’s servers to send the data. You’ll see an ellipsis (…) while it’s working.
- Once connected, the message status changes to a letter S, meaning “Sent”. This indicates it’s now on Kik’s servers.
- Kik’s servers queue up and deliver your message to the recipient when possible.
- When delivered, the S changes to a D for “Delivered”. This means it’s on their device.
- Finally, when the recipient opens your message, the status switches to an R for “Read”.
So in summary:
- Ellipsis (…) = Connecting to servers
- S = Sent, on Kik’s servers
- D = Delivered to recipient’s device
- R = Opened and Read by recipient
As long as you see your message progressing through these stages smoothly, there’s nothing to worry about. But sometimes it can get stuck. Let’s look at why.
Reasons Your Kik Message Might Get Stuck on “S”
Seeing your message stuck on “Sent” for a prolonged time can make you think something went wrong. But in most cases, it simply means factors outside of Kik’s control are causing a delay. Let’s explore the possible reasons:
The Recipient Is Currently Offline
The most common and harmless reason your Kik remains on S is that the person you texted currently lacks an internet connection. Maybe they are:
- In an area with no WiFi coverage
- Out of smartphone data or on a metered connection
- In airplane mode or purposely disconnected
- Have their device turned off completely
Since Kik requires an active internet connection to receive messages, yours will stay in limbo until they get back online. All you can do is wait patiently for them to reconnect so Kik’s servers can deliver your message.
This also means that your message is safely queued up rather than failed or lost. The instant the recipient gets online again, their version of Kik will sync with the servers and get your message.
So take a deep breath and don’t panic. As long as Kik doesn’t report an error, your message will send eventually.
They Blocked You
Here’s the less pleasant possibility: the person you messaged may have blocked you on Kik. When you’re blocked, your messages will keep getting stuck at “Sent” because they never reach the recipient.
Why might someone block you? Here are some potential reasons:
- They find your frequent messages annoying
- You argued recently and they want space
- You don’t know them that well and they feel uncomfortable
- They have a significant other who disapproves of your friendship
- Teens blocking parents who monitor their Kik activity or perhaps those who have found out about Kik cheaters.
There is unfortunately no Kik message status that indicates you’re blocked. The “S” will just persist indefinitely.
To test if you’re blocked, you’ll need to contact the person through another channel like calling, texting, or messaging on a different chat app. If you still can’t reach them, blocking is the likely reason.
Consider if you may have upset them in any way. If it was just a misunderstanding, politely ask if they’d reconsider unblocking you on Kik (once you can actually communicate with them somewhere else).
They Uninstalled Kik
In some cases, the recipient may have entirely deleted their Kik account and app. This means they have no way to receive your messages.
People abandon apps all the time when they lose interest or their friends stop using them. Teens in particular go through phases with social media, sometimes looking to find girls on Kik or even seeking a Kik Hookup.
As with blocking, your only option is to reach out through another method. Call, text, or message them on an app they do use to politely ask if they stopped using Kik. If so, you’ll have to switch to direct texts or another chat app like Kik for PC if you want to keep in contact.
Kik’s Servers Are Down
Once in a blue moon, the problem may be on Kik’s side if their servers go down. This prevents any messages from being sent across the whole Kik platform.
But thankfully major outages are rare. Kik is typically reliable. You can check http://status.kik.com at any time to see if Kik is experiencing an outage. If so, wait patiently as their engineering team works to restore service for everyone.
In the meantime, switch to texting or using another chat app, or perhaps you might want to use Kik on your PC instead. Outages don’t usually last longer than a few hours.
Troubleshooting Tips to Get Your Message Unstuck
If your message is stubbornly stuck on “Sent”, all is not lost. Here are some troubleshooting steps to try:
- Update to the latest version of Kik – Bug fixes and performance improvements in newer releases can resolve message sending problems. Go to your device’s app store to easily update Kik to the newest available version.
- Restart your phone – A simple device reboot clears out memory leaks or background processes that may interfere with Kik running smoothly. You could also power down for a minute before restarting. This gives your smartphone a clean slate.
- Toggle airplane mode on and off – This forces your device to reconnect to the network in case connectivity got spotty. Airplane mode briefly severs all connections so they’ll be re-established from scratch when disabled.
- Clear Kik’s cache – Over time, cached data used by apps like Kik can become overloaded and cause performance issues that disrupt sending messages. In your device settings, find Kik and choose to clear its cache and data to give the app a fresh start.
- Check if Kik works on WiFi and cellular data – Try switching between WiFi and mobile data to see if Kik has connection issues on one network type. If messages only get stuck on WiFi, your router could be the problem.
- Uninstall and reinstall Kik – As a last resort, removing Kik completely then downloading and logging in again can eliminate any corrupted files causing sending failures. Make sure to back up your conversations first!
With persistence and patience, you should be able to get your message unstuck using the steps above.
What To Do If Your Message Gets Stuck on “D” or “R”
Once your message progresses past “S” for Sent and reaches “D”, you’re in the clear – it’s been successfully delivered to the recipient’s device!
Now you’re just waiting for them to open Kik so your message status can change to “R” for Read.
Getting stuck on “D” simply means the other person hasn’t logged into Kik to sync messages yet.
Same if it’s stuck on “R” – they have opened your message, but chosen not to reply yet.
When in these states, there’s nothing wrong on your end. The ball is in the other person’s court. Be patient and let them respond when they have time.
If it’s taking longer than seems normal for them, politely follow up via text/call instead to check that they got your Kik message.
Why Getting Stuck on “S” Is Better Than “R”
Look at the bright side – as annoying as it is having your message trapped in Kik limbo with an “S”, the uncertainty is still better than the dreaded “R”!
Seeing “Read” and no reply stings much more than your message failing to send.
“R” means the person actively looked at your message, deliberately ignored it, and didn’t bother to respond.
Whereas with “S”, technical issues or circumstances are preventing your message from being delivered properly. Once those get resolved, communication can resume.
So although a stuck “S” is frustrating, at least you know the non-response isn’t personal. Have hope that your message will break free from the “Sent” purgatory soon!
Frequently Asked Questions About Stuck Kik Messages
Here are answers to some common questions people have about freeing up stuck Kik messages:
Q: Does the “S” status ever go away on its own?
A: Yes, if the reason it’s stuck is due to the recipient being offline, once they reconnect Kik will deliver your message and the status will change to “D”. Leaving Kik open in the background will allow this to happen faster too.
Q: How long should I wait before worrying about a stuck message?
A: It’s reasonable to start troubleshooting after an hour or two if your message remains on “S” with no change. Unless you know the recipient is away or poor signal is causing a delay.
Q: What happens if I delete a stuck message – will it still send?
A: If you delete a stuck Kik message, it will be removed from Kik’s servers before delivery too. So the recipient will never receive it. Only delete if you’re certain you want to cancel sending it.
Q: Can I tell if I was blocked on Kik?
A: Unfortunately Kik provides no definite indicator for being blocked. Your best bet is to reach out on another platform. If they respond there but your Kik messages remain stuck, it likely means you’re blocked.
Q: Should I avoid using Kik if messages get stuck frequently?
A: Not necessarily – follow the troubleshooting tips above to optimize performance. If you continue having frequent issues, consider switching to another chat app instead for reliability. But Kik works fine for most users.
Q: Will my message still send if I logout before it’s delivered?
A: Yes, once your message reaches the “S” sent status on your end, it’s on Kik’s servers safely out of your hands. You can close the app or logout anytime afterwards without stopping the message from ultimately being delivered when the recipient comes online.
Q: If my message gets stuck for weeks with no change, will it eventually send?
A: At a certain point, it’s safe to assume the recipient deleted Kik or blocked you if your message shows no signs of delivering after a week or two. The apps servers will not keep trying to send stuck messages forever.
I hope this guide covers all you need to know about getting messages unstuck on Kik! Let me know if you have any other questions.
