Is Your ZTE Modem SMS Inbox Causing a Loop?

Here’s How to Fix It Instantly (Without AT Commands)

The Frustrating Problem

We have all been there. You are using your reliable ZTE USB modem for internet browsing, perhaps with an MTN or another carrier’s SIM. Suddenly, your connection gets slow, or you get an alert that you can’t receive new texts. You see that red notification telling you your SMS storage is at maximum capacity.

You do the logical thing: You click the “Messages” tab on your **192.168.0.1** web interface to go in and delete them.

And then… nothing happens. The page gets stuck. It freezes, loops endlessly, or crashes. You try logging out and logging back in. You try clearing your browser cache. Nothing works. The modem’s limited memory is so overloaded by the hundreds of stored messages that it simply cannot render the interface needed to delete them.

You are stuck in a catch-22: You can’t delete the messages until the page loads, but the page won’t load because you have too many messages.

Many technical guides tell you to download complicated software (like PuTTY) and hunt down elusive serial drivers to send advanced firmware “AT Commands” directly to the modem. While that works, it is risky, tedious, and often requires technical skills most users don’t have.

The Simple Workaround

Fortunately, there is a way to bypass the buggy “Messages” tab and send a direct instruction to your modem to clear the inbox. It doesn’t require any downloads, special software, or technical expertise beyond copy-and-paste.

All you need is the Google Chrome browser (this also works in Brave, Edge, and other Chromium-based browsers).

Here is the exact step-by-step walkthrough of the ultimate workaround to fix the ZTE modem SMS looping bug.

Step 1: Get Past the Login

1. Ensure your ZTE modem is plugged into your PC.
2. Open Chrome and navigate to your modem’s homepage (usually [**http://192.168.0.1**](http://192.168.0.1`) or the IP address listed on the modem sticker).
3. Log in to your dashboard using your usual password.
4. Crucial: Once logged in, stay on the Home screen. Do not attempt to click the SMS/Messages tab, or you will activate the looping crash.

Step 2: Access the Chrome Developer Tools

We are going to open Chrome’s internal toolbox to access its direct communication channel to the modem.

1. Right-click on any empty, blue space on the page background.
2. From the menu that appears, click Inspect. (Alternatively, you can press **Ctrl + Shift + I** on your keyboard).
3. A panel will open on the right or bottom of your screen. Click the Console tab at the top of that new panel.

Step 3: Run the Deletion Command

The console allows us to run a custom JavaScript command that speaks directly to your modem’s backend API. We don’t need to load the buggy front-end visual interface to delete the messages.

ZTE modems use a special background URL (**/goform/goform_set_cmd_process**) to handle deletion commands. The script below automatically loops through every potential message ID (from 0 to 150) and sends a single, massive delete request to wipe the inbox clean.

Copy this entire block of code, paste it into the blank space in the Chrome Console, and press Enter:

for (let i = 0; i <= 150; i++) {
  fetch("/goform/goform_set_cmd_process", {
    method: "POST",
    headers: { "Content-Type": "application/x-www-form-urlencoded" },
    body: `isTest=false&goformId=DELETE_SMS&msg_id=${i}&notCallback=true`
  });
}
console.log("Deletion commands sent to the modem!");

Once you press Enter, you should instantly see “Deletion commands sent to the modem!” in the console.

Step 4: The Final Refresh

Wait about 5 seconds to give your modem a moment to process the requests.

1. Refresh the web page (press **F5**).

That’s it! The red notification bubble should be gone. The “Messages” tab will now load normally, as the inbox has been wiped completely clean.