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

# EMAIL_REQUIRES_IMESSAGE

> Email addresses need iMessage

| HTTP status | Retryable |
| - | - |
| `400` | No |

## What happened

The message is to an email address, and email addresses can only be texted over iMessage. Either `preferred_service` asked for SMS or RCS, or the message would start a group that can only be an SMS group because someone in it can't get iMessages.

## How to fix it

For a direct message, leave `preferred_service` out or set it to `iMessage`. For a group, remove the email address, or the people who can't get iMessages, and send again.

## Example response

An illustrative example. The `message` wording and the contents of `details` vary; branch on `error.code`.

```json theme={null}
{
  "status": "error",
  "error": {
    "code": "EMAIL_REQUIRES_IMESSAGE",
    "message": "Email addresses need iMessage",
    "type": "validation",
    "http_status": 400,
    "retryable": false,
    "doc_url": "https://docs.blujay.io/errors/email-requires-imessage",
    "details": []
  },
  "trace_id": "trc_8f2a1c0e4b7d",
  "timestamp": "2026-10-14T17:30:48.000Z"
}
```

## Still stuck?

Email [support@blujay.io](mailto:support@blujay.io) with the `trace_id` from the error response. See [Errors](https://docs.blujay.io/errors.md) for the response format.


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