Why does he ignore my texts if he likes me

Start with what you already know about him from the time you have spent together. If he laughs at your jokes in person, holds eye contact, makes plans with you, and remembers small details, the text silence is more likely a texting habit than a feeling. If he is vague in person, changes plans often, or only reaches out when he wants something, the silence is telling you something real. Be honest about which of those describes him.

Also look at who starts conversations. A man who likes you tends to send at least some messages himself, even if they are short. If every single exchange depends on you opening the thread, that is information. It does not prove he is uninterested, but it does mean the effort is lopsided, and you are allowed to notice that rather than explain it away.

The right follow-up gives him one thing to respond to. Refer to something specific you already talked about, or share a small observation about your day that connects to the topic. Ask at most one question, and make it something he can answer in a sentence without much thought. Your message should not carry the weight of the whole relationship, and it should not reference the silence itself.

What to leave out is anything that asks him to justify the delay, anything that sounds like a test, and anything with a second question stacked on the first. Keep the tone the same as when things were going well. If your message would have been normal to send last week, it is probably the right kind of message now.

Give him a reasonable window before sending anything else. For most people that means a day or two if you are in the middle of an active back and forth, and longer if the last exchange ended on a plan. One message is normal. If you have sent one message, waited, and heard nothing, a second light message a few days later is still fine.

After that, stop initiating for a while and let the next move be his. If he reappears with a real message, reply in kind and see whether the effort starts to even out. If he stays silent, or only responds when you are already engaged elsewhere, take that as your answer. Do not spend the next week rereading the thread for hidden meaning. Redirect that energy toward people who reply to you.