What describes your situation? #
| Symptom | Solution |
|---|---|
| Error message in the QuickText status column | See solutions → |
| QuickText shows “Transmitted” but no SMS in your phone’s messaging app | See solutions → |
| Message appears in SMS app but recipient didn’t get it | See solutions → |
| Android popup about bulk SMS | See solutions → |
| Excel freezes or crashes | See solutions → |
| None of the above | Contact support → |
You see an error in the QuickText status column #
Access denied / Permission denied
Your antivirus or firewall is blocking QuickText.
What you can do:
- Temporarily turn off your antivirus or firewall and run QuickText again.
- Or, add QuickText as an exception (whitelist it) in your antivirus or firewall settings.
Well-known programs like Kaspersky and Windows Defender show QuickText as safe. See more details here: Antivirus or Firewall Warning / False Positive
If this solves the issue, please send me a quick email and let me know which antivirus or firewall software you are using. I’ll reach out to them to fix the false positive.
Other error message
Please copy the exact error text and email it to sven@pythonandvba.com. A screenshot is also helpful!
QuickText shows “Transmitted” but nothing appears in your SMS app #
This usually means the connection to your phone was lost during sending, or KDE Connect lacks the necessary permissions to send SMS.
Follow these steps in order:
Step 1: Did you receive the ping notification on your phone?
Before sending SMS, QuickText sends a test ping to your phone. You should see a notification like this:
Did you see this notification?
- Yes, I saw the ping → The connection is working. Continue to Step 2 to check permissions.
- No, I didn’t see anything → Your firewall may be blocking KDE Connect. See the firewall troubleshooting steps below.
Firewall troubleshooting
Check if Windows Defender blocked QuickText:
- Open Windows Security (search for it in the Start menu).
- Go to Virus & threat protection.
- Click Protection history.
- Check if QuickText appears in the list. If it does, click on it and select Allow.
Create a firewall rule for KDE Connect:
KDE Connect uses ports 1714-1764 for communication. You may need to allow these ports in Windows Firewall:
- Search for “Windows Firewall with Advanced Security” in the Start menu.
- Click Inbound Rules (left panel) → New Rule (right panel).
- Select Port → Next.
- Choose TCP and enter
1714-1764in the “Specific local ports” box. - Select Allow the connection and apply it to all network profiles.
- Repeat steps 2-5 for UDP as well.
Video walkthrough:
Step 2: Check SMS permissions on your phone
KDE Connect needs several permissions to send SMS messages reliably.
Watch the video walkthrough:
The exact menu names and layout may look slightly different depending on your phone model and Android version, but the general steps are the same.
Or follow these steps manually:
- Open the KDE Connect app on your phone.
If you see “Send SMS” listed under plugins that need permission, tap it and allow all the permission requests that follow (phone calls and SMS).
- Check app permissions in Android settings.
Close KDE Connect, then long-press the app icon and tap “App Info” (or the “i” icon). Go to Permissions and make sure SMS is set to “Allow”.
- Disable “Manage app if unused”.
Still in app permissions, scroll to the bottom. If you see a toggle for “Manage app if unused”, turn it off. Otherwise Android may revoke the SMS permission after a period of inactivity.
- Check “Other permissions” (Samsung/Xiaomi).
Go back to App Info and look for “Other permissions”. Make sure Service SMS has a green checkmark. If not, tap it and set it to “Always allow”.
- Disable battery restrictions.
Go back to App Info and tap Battery. Set it to No restrictions so Android doesn’t shut down KDE Connect while it’s running in the background.
Step 3: Check plugin settings on your PC
On your PC, open the KDE Connect desktop app and go to Plugin Settings.
Make sure these plugins are enabled (ticked):
- ✅ Send and receive SMS
- ✅ Ping
Step 4: Disable RCS chat in Google Messages (if applicable)
If you’re using Google Messages, RCS (Rich Communication Services) can sometimes interfere with SMS sending through KDE Connect.
How to disable RCS:
- Open Google Messages on your phone.
- Tap your profile picture (top right) → Messages settings.
- Tap RCS chats.
- Turn off Turn on RCS chats.
After disabling RCS, try sending with QuickText again.
Step 5: Keep KDE Connect app open while sending
The KDE Connect app must stay open and running on your phone while QuickText sends messages.
Important:
- Don’t close or swipe away the KDE Connect app during sending.
- Don’t let your phone go to sleep or lock the screen while sending.
- If you’re sending many messages, keep your phone plugged in and the screen on.
Step 6: Try a different SMS app
Some SMS apps have compatibility issues with KDE Connect. If nothing else works, try switching to a different SMS app on your phone.
Recommended alternatives:
- Fossify Messages — Open source, free, lightweight. Download from Play Store
- Google Messages — Google’s official SMS app. Download from Play Store
Already using Google Messages? Try switching to Fossify Messages instead. Sometimes switching to a different app helps, even if your current app is popular.
After installing:
- Open the new SMS app and set it as your default SMS app when prompted.
- Try sending a message with QuickText again.
You can always switch back to your original SMS app later if you prefer.
Message appears in your SMS app but the recipient didn’t receive it #
This is not a QuickText or KDE Connect issue. Your phone carrier is blocking the messages. This is especially common with prepaid plans, but even “unlimited” plans often have anti-spam limits in the fine print.
First, confirm it’s a carrier issue:
Try sending a regular SMS manually from your phone (not through QuickText). If that also fails to deliver, your carrier has blocked or limited your number.
Call your carrier’s support hotline. They can quickly check if there are any restrictions on your account. If not, ask them how many SMS you’re allowed to send within a specific time frame so you know your limits.
If manual SMS works but QuickText messages don’t:
Your carrier may be blocking messages because they’re being sent too quickly. The first few messages might go through, but subsequent ones get blocked.
In this case, increase the Random Delay setting in QuickText (Settings → Random Delay). This adds more time between messages, making bulk sending less likely to trigger carrier spam filters. Note that longer delays mean longer runtimes for your campaigns.
Your Android phone shows a popup about sending lots of SMS #
Android shows this warning when an app tries to send many SMS messages in a short time. It’s a built-in security feature to prevent apps from sending messages without your consent.
When QuickText sends many messages quickly, your phone may display this popup:
“KDE Connect is sending a large number of SMS messages. Do you want to allow this app to continue sending messages?”
Tap Allow to continue sending. Since you’re intentionally sending messages with QuickText, it’s safe to allow.
How to reduce the chance of this popup:
Add delays between messages to stay under Android’s detection limits. I recommend:
- 4 seconds fixed delay
- Random delay between 1 and 2 seconds
You can set both in the Settings tab. This helps throttle message sending to a more natural pace and may prevent this warning from appearing again.
Excel freezes or crashes when you click “Connect your phone” #
This happens when antivirus or firewall software blocks QuickText’s background commands.
What to do:
- Temporarily disable your antivirus or firewall.
- Try the “Connect your phone” button again.
- If it works, add QuickText to your exceptions (whitelist).
- Re-enable your security software.
QuickText is safe. Major antivirus tools (Windows Defender, Kaspersky) show it as clean. See VirusTotal results →
Still need help? #
Fill out the form below and I’ll get back to you as soon as possible.
