Cradle

Troubleshooting

I can't see the messaging icon

Why the messaging icon might be missing from your Cradle desktop app, and how to get it back.

In Cradle desktop v26 and later, the messaging icon is always on screen. If you can see it but it's greyed out and a tooltip says "Contact support" when you hover, your org doesn't have SMS turned on for any of your Cradle numbers yet. This article walks through getting that switched on and a few other reasons the icon might not be doing what you expect.

Quick checks (try these first)

  1. Make sure you're on the desktop app. SMS is desktop-only today on Windows and macOS. The Cradle iOS and Cradle Android apps don't have messaging yet (planned for mid-2026). If you're on mobile, switch to the desktop app.
  2. Make sure the desktop app is up to date. Older versions before v26 didn't show the icon at all when SMS was off. Quit and reopen Cradle so any pending update applies. See Updating the Cradle desktop app.

The most common cause: your org doesn't have SMS turned on yet

If the messaging icon is greyed out and the tooltip says Contact support, SMS hasn't been enabled for any of your Cradle numbers. This is the by-far-most-common reason.

SMS is enabled per Cradle number by Cradle support, not via a self-serve toggle in the admin portal. The fix is for an admin on your account to log a request with Cradle support. See Getting SMS switched on for a Cradle number for how to do that and what to include.

Less common: the SMS number exists but you don't have access to it

If a teammate's app has a working (not greyed out) messaging icon but yours stays greyed out, your account might not have access to the Cradle SMS number. Ask your admin to:

  • Confirm which Cradle number has SMS enabled.
  • Check whether you're assigned to that number in the admin portal.
  • Add you if you should have access.

Less common: NZ-only orgs

SMS isn't available on New Zealand numbers today. If your org only has NZ Cradle numbers, the messaging icon stays greyed out regardless of who asks. See SMS availability today, and consider WhatsApp Business (coming mid-2026) as the messaging path for NZ.

Still stuck?

Open the chat at help.cradle.io, submit a ticket, or email help@cradle.io. Tell us:

  • Which Cradle number you expected to message from.
  • Whether anyone else on your team can see the messaging icon.
  • Your operating system (Windows or macOS) and Cradle desktop app version.

Support hours are 8:30 am – 5:00 pm New Zealand time, Monday to Friday.

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