TMail

Q: How can I delete accounts in Messages?

In the messages Accounts pane, the "-" is greyed out and I cannot delete an account.

OS X Mountain Lion

Posted on Jul 27, 2012 9:36 AM

Close

Q: How can I delete accounts in Messages?

  • All replies
  • Helpful answers

  • by Ralph Johns (UK),Helpful

    Ralph Johns (UK) Ralph Johns (UK) Jul 27, 2012 11:19 AM in response to TMail
    Level 9 (73,279 points)
    Applications
    Jul 27, 2012 11:19 AM in response to TMail

    HI,

     

    Are you highlighting an Account first ?

     

    If not try removing it or disabling it in System Preferences > Mail, Contacts and Calendars

     

     


    7:19 PM      Friday; July 27, 2012


    Please, if posting Logs, do not post any Log info after the line "Binary Images for iChat"

     

      iMac 2.5Ghz 5i 2011 (Lion 10.7.2)
     G4/1GhzDual MDD (Leopard 10.5.8)
     MacBookPro 2Gb (Snow Leopard 10.6.8)
     Mac OS X (10.6.8),

    "Limit the Logs to the Bits above Binary Images."  No, Seriously

  • by DMCarr,

    DMCarr DMCarr Jul 28, 2012 5:11 AM in response to Ralph Johns (UK)
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jul 28, 2012 5:11 AM in response to Ralph Johns (UK)

    Ralph,

     

    I think you are talking about email accounts rather than Messages accounts. I am having the same problem as TMail. I have three iMessage accounts, only one of which is the correct one but I can't delete the other two. Both accounts are greyed out and so is the - button that would allow me to delete them (I have blanked out my actual iMessage account for privacy/security reasons):

     

    Screen Shot 2012-07-28 at 12.45.25.jpg

     

    Any useful suggestions?

  • by Ralph Johns (UK),

    Ralph Johns (UK) Ralph Johns (UK) Jul 28, 2012 1:21 PM in response to DMCarr
    Level 9 (73,279 points)
    Applications
    Jul 28, 2012 1:21 PM in response to DMCarr

    Hi,

     

    1) You did not say that you had two iMessages accounts set up ( Mistake/error that I am not sure how it is created).

     

    2) You did not mention that you did not have an AIM or Jabber or Yahoo account.

     

    If you have one of these then they appear in Mail, Contacts and Calendars

    Screen Shot 2012-07-28 at 20.58.10
    Uploaded with Skitch!

     

    This is the second thread I have seen where someone has managed to create a Second iMessages Account (one of which gets listed as UNKNOWN)

     

    Messages cannot be launched the first time without using an Apple ID.

     

    After then the account can be Logged out (Untick the "enable this account" box)

    Technically the ID can be changed if you use the account details button  (The issues with the iMessages Servers over the last couple of days has causes issues with this)

    On top of that as Message "Needs" an Apple ID it is impossible to delete the "Account"

     

    Everyone gets A Bonjour Account which also cannot be deleted.

     

    It used to be possible to get the iChat app to "believe" it was being started up fro the first time.

    Lets see if we can convince Messages of the same.

     

    Do the Following:-

    Make the Finder the "Front" app listed in the Menu bar.

    Use the Go Menu

    Hold down the ALT key to show the Library in the list

    Select the Library

    Open Preferences.

    Find com.apple.imagent.plist and drag it to the Trash

    Find all with com.apple.ichat...... .plist in the name and drag them to the Trash.

    Find those with com.apple.imservice........plist  and do the same with those.

     

    Now Go to Applications/Utilities and open Activity Monitor.

    In here find and highlight imagent (It will not have an icon)

    Use the Quit Option top left and Confirm Force Quit.

     

    Restart the Computer as IMAgent start when the computer does (It will respawn in Activity Monitor before you get this far but it will need doing)

     

    Hopefully this will make Messages start again asking for an Apple ID when you launch it.

     

    At present I have not replicated the dual iMessages account.

    If you could tell me as much detail bout your starting up Messages the first time as you can and what you did since I would be very grateful as I may then be able to recreate the steps.

     

     

     


    9:21 PM      Saturday; July 28, 2012


    Please, if posting Logs, do not post any Log info after the line "Binary Images for iChat"

     

      iMac 2.5Ghz 5i 2011 (Lion 10.7.2)
     G4/1GhzDual MDD (Leopard 10.5.8)
     MacBookPro 2Gb (Snow Leopard 10.6.8)
     Mac OS X (10.6.8),

    "Limit the Logs to the Bits above Binary Images."  No, Seriously

  • by DMCarr,

    DMCarr DMCarr Jul 28, 2012 5:14 PM in response to Ralph Johns (UK)
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jul 28, 2012 5:14 PM in response to Ralph Johns (UK)

    Hi Ralph,

     

    Tried your suggestion above but it hasn't worked so far I'm afraid. There were some files that ended 'plist.lockfile' which I did not delete. Should I have deleted these too?

     

    Still have the same two inactive accounts up there that I can't delete.

     

    I managed to get multiple accounts because I used the wrong login details for my Apple ID. Finally used the right ones on the third attempt, hence 3 accounts.

     

    Is there anything else I can do to reset?

     

    Donna

  • by Ralph Johns (UK),

    Ralph Johns (UK) Ralph Johns (UK) Jul 29, 2012 1:31 PM in response to DMCarr
    Level 9 (73,279 points)
    Applications
    Jul 29, 2012 1:31 PM in response to DMCarr

    Hi,

     

    That is interesting about the second and third "Account" Creation.

     

    This "Account"  shows the added "2nd email" and "Caller ID" drop down that appears at the Bottom

    iMessages Account
    Uploaded with Skitch!

     

     

    If this Account is to be changed I go to the Account Details to change the details which then Signs me Out and then asks for new details (i.e. the process removes one ID before adding another)

     

    I can't replicate Messages creating a second separate account in the List in the accounts Preferences.

     

    The Accounts for iMessages and "iChat" Style Buddy lists seem to be held in two .plists

     

    The com.apple.ichat.plist holds all accounts from Messages in a hexidecimal form and also lists the iChat style ones as Screen Names or IDs with settings as to whether they are visible or not.

     

    com.apple.imservice.iMessage.plist holds just the iMessages account  (I know this as I changed my Apple ID yesterday - and changed it back and the file was "modified" yesterday + I removed the Caller ID names that was listed in the pic)

    It too show the hexidecimal info and the Apple ID info which helps identify which account it is.

     

    I would Close down Messages and then navigate to the Home Folder/Library/Preferences (Again) and delete just these  to .plist (You don't have to worry about the .lockfiles)

    Hopefully when you restart Messages it will aks yiou fro the Apple ID again as if it is being started from the first time

    (I am a little surprised you did  not report that it did this earlier - but it is why I am suggesting you do it with the App closed down).

     

    If this does not work I would delete them from the Keychain as well.

    Go to Applications/Utilities and open Keychain Access

    IN the top left panel have Login highlighted

    IN the lower left panel have Passwords highlighted

    In the Panel on the right find the "wrong" Apple IDs and delete them.

    (If you use these Apple IDs elsewhere double click the name then go to the Access tab and set it to allow certain Apps and make sure Messages and IMAgent are not in the Allowed list)

    Now delete the .plists again (so there is no references to the Apple IDs)

     

    Restart Messages.

     

     

     


    9:31 PM      Sunday; July 29, 2012


    Please, if posting Logs, do not post any Log info after the line "Binary Images for iChat"

     

      iMac 2.5Ghz 5i 2011 (Lion 10.7.2)
     G4/1GhzDual MDD (Leopard 10.5.8)
     MacBookPro 2Gb (Snow Leopard 10.6.8)
     Mac OS X (10.6.8),

    "Limit the Logs to the Bits above Binary Images."  No, Seriously

  • by tina789,

    tina789 tina789 Jul 29, 2012 6:59 PM in response to DMCarr
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jul 29, 2012 6:59 PM in response to DMCarr

    im having the same problem with my imessage it wont let me delete them

  • by Ralph Johns (UK),

    Ralph Johns (UK) Ralph Johns (UK) Jul 30, 2012 1:04 PM in response to tina789
    Level 9 (73,279 points)
    Applications
    Jul 30, 2012 1:04 PM in response to tina789

    HI,

     

    In my post of the 29th  (my yesterday) I posted what I thought would be the .plists needing to be deleted to make Messages start up as if from new  (this was something that you could get iChat to do)

     

    DMCarr has not posted that they have tried this yet.

    Have you ?

     

     

     

     


    9:04 PM      Monday; July 30, 2012


    Please, if posting Logs, do not post any Log info after the line "Binary Images for iChat"

     

      iMac 2.5Ghz 5i 2011 (Lion 10.7.2)
     G4/1GhzDual MDD (Leopard 10.5.8)
     MacBookPro 2Gb (Snow Leopard 10.6.8)
     Mac OS X (10.6.8),

    "Limit the Logs to the Bits above Binary Images."  No, Seriously

  • by TMail,

    TMail TMail Jul 30, 2012 2:24 PM in response to Ralph Johns (UK)
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jul 30, 2012 2:24 PM in response to Ralph Johns (UK)

    No and I can't find the plist file.

  • by Ralph Johns (UK),

    Ralph Johns (UK) Ralph Johns (UK) Jul 30, 2012 2:34 PM in response to TMail
    Level 9 (73,279 points)
    Applications
    Jul 30, 2012 2:34 PM in response to TMail

    Hi,

     

    You are trying the Access Method using the Finder > Go Menu > Hold ALT key > Select Library> Open Preferences  ??

     

    There are several folders called Library on your computer

     

    It is not the one in Hard drive name/Library

    It is not the one in Hard Drive name/System/Library

     

    It is the one in Hard Drive name /Users/(Your account name)/Library except this is hidden and the above method is the only access.

     

     


    10:34 PM      Monday; July 30, 2012


    Please, if posting Logs, do not post any Log info after the line "Binary Images for iChat"

     

      iMac 2.5Ghz 5i 2011 (Lion 10.7.2)
     G4/1GhzDual MDD (Leopard 10.5.8)
     MacBookPro 2Gb (Snow Leopard 10.6.8)
     Mac OS X (10.6.8),

    "Limit the Logs to the Bits above Binary Images."  No, Seriously