GVennarucci

Q: iMessage not showing contact names

I just recently downloaded and installed OS X Mavericks on my 2011 iMac and trying to get up and running with the new iMessage app. But there are two major bugs I can figure out how to fix if anyone can help me fix these problems or comment if your having the same issues that would be a big help.

 

1: When receiving a message from someone in my contacts list/address book, their names do not apper next to the message, but rather only their phone numbers. I have went thought the view options and selected show contacts name and also tried adding a name to the existing number with no results. Does anyone know how to fix this bug?

 

2: The lag time between SMS/iphone messages and the time it takes to show up in iMessage on my mac is rather long. There is about a 3 minute delay before the text message conversation shows up from my phone to computer. Any suggestions on how to fix this?

 

Thanks

iMac, OS X Mavericks (10.9)

Posted on Nov 5, 2013 4:25 PM

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Q: iMessage not showing contact names

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  • by gavinpm,

    gavinpm gavinpm Sep 12, 2015 12:41 AM in response to JRobinson0204
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Sep 12, 2015 12:41 AM in response to JRobinson0204

    Hi - I know you posted that solution a long time ago - but came across it this morning and it solved my problem.

     

    Many thanks

    Gavin

  • by kepax001,

    kepax001 kepax001 Oct 4, 2015 11:30 AM in response to arthurgal
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Oct 4, 2015 11:30 AM in response to arthurgal

    Thank you so much for this solution.

     

    It's so simple and this Ralph guy appears to have very little knowledge of what he's talking about and over-complicates things.

     

    Thank you again!

  • by Ralph Johns (UK),

    Ralph Johns (UK) Ralph Johns (UK) Oct 4, 2015 1:53 PM in response to kepax001
    Level 9 (72,994 points)
    Applications
    Oct 4, 2015 1:53 PM in response to kepax001

    HI,

     

    Some 360 pages of what I do know.

    http://www.ralphjohns.co.uk/

     

     

    I may receive some form of compensation, financial or otherwise, from my recommendation or link.

    3Sigcopy2.png

    9:52 p.m.      Sunday; October 4, 2015

     

      iMac 2.5Ghz i5 2011 (Mavericks 10.9)
     G4/1GhzDual MDD (Leopard 10.5.8)
     MacBookPro 2Gb (Snow Leopard 10.6.8)
     Mac OS X (10.6.8),
     Couple of iPhones and an iPad
  • by jasequick,

    jasequick jasequick Dec 16, 2015 9:16 PM in response to Ralph Johns (UK)
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Dec 16, 2015 9:16 PM in response to Ralph Johns (UK)

    Nice work Ralph. Your help has been consistent, patient and polite since the OP.

     

    Good on you, and nice response. :-)

  • by trinitiskye,

    trinitiskye trinitiskye Jan 9, 2016 6:00 PM in response to JRobinson0204
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jan 9, 2016 6:00 PM in response to JRobinson0204

    I don't see "click to repair permissions". All that is displayed as an option is "first aid". Is there another way to access "click to repair permissions"?

  • by Mario1833,

    Mario1833 Mario1833 Mar 9, 2016 5:49 PM in response to Ralph Johns (UK)
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Mar 9, 2016 5:49 PM in response to Ralph Johns (UK)

    Hello Ralph,

     

    I'm unable to find this "details" option at Yosemite, could you help me please.

     

    Thank you !

  • by Ralph Johns (UK),

    Ralph Johns (UK) Ralph Johns (UK) Mar 10, 2016 11:56 AM in response to Mario1833
    Level 9 (72,994 points)
    Applications
    Mar 10, 2016 11:56 AM in response to Mario1833

    Hi,

     

    I am booted in OS X 10.11.x at the moment but I am sure the option is there in the Yosemite version as well.

    Details.png

     

    This is the right hand side of the chat window with a BUDDY LIST behind the Chat window but showing in this pic.

     

     

    3Sigcopy2.png

    7:56 pm      Thursday; March 10, 2016

     

      iMac 2.5Ghz i5 2011 (El Capitan)
     G4/1GhzDual MDD (Leopard 10.5.8)
     MacBookPro 2Gb (Snow Leopard 10.6.8)
     Mac OS X (10.6.8),
     Couple of iPhones and an iPad
  • by Ralph Johns (UK),

    Ralph Johns (UK) Ralph Johns (UK) Mar 10, 2016 1:01 PM in response to jerzyshore
    Level 9 (72,994 points)
    Applications
    Mar 10, 2016 1:01 PM in response to jerzyshore

    Hi,

     

    On My Mac is when the List is on the Mac itself (it normally start like here before iCloud or other sync options were available)

     

    In System Preferences > Internet accounts and possibly the iCloud option you can sync your Contacts list with one of several services.

    Yours seems to be iCloud as this is what is showing in the Contacts App

     

    Once you have moved the list to the "cloud" (on which ever service you use) the list is removed from the Mac. (And the account "On My Mac" is no longer needed).

     

    To get it back you have to Disable the iCloud Account and it will then ask you if you want to Save the list to the Mac (I forget the exact wording).

    However once you do this then the Sync is not working and Messages may not show the Correct info regarding the Names and numbers.  You tend to see the incoming ID (iPhone Number or Apple ID) rather than the Name from the Contacts app.  (it should work but appears to be easily confused).

     

    There have obviously been changes along the way and I am booted in EL Capitan at the moment and I am not sure off the top of my head when the Contacts app could be synced across the various "cloud" accounts.

     

     

     

    3Sigcopy2.png

    9:01 pm      Thursday; March 10, 2016

     

      iMac 2.5Ghz i5 2011 (El Capitan)
     G4/1GhzDual MDD (Leopard 10.5.8)
     MacBookPro 2Gb (Snow Leopard 10.6.8)
     Mac OS X (10.6.8),
     Couple of iPhones and an iPad
  • by wheelet1,

    wheelet1 wheelet1 Mar 29, 2016 9:37 AM in response to GVennarucci
    Level 1 (4 points)
    Mar 29, 2016 9:37 AM in response to GVennarucci

    Hello!


    I had my iCloud account set up with Contacts turned on already on my computer, so that wasn't my issue.

     

    I found a solution that worked for me:

    I went to my iPhone 5S: Settings > Mail, Contacts, Calendars > iCloud > I turned off the toggle for Contacts (it prompts you with Delete Contacts or Keep on iPhone) Choose Keep on iPhone > Turn Contacts toggle back on (green) = I then watched my Contacts begin to show up on my Mac. I then went to iMessages on my Mac and saw the mysterious phone numbers now had Contact names (and some images).

     

    Hope that helps!

     

    - Tiera W.

     

    I have Macbook Air: OS X El Capitan Version 10.11.3 (15D21)

    iPhone 5s: Version 9.2.1 (13D15)

  • by nobbyclarke,

    nobbyclarke nobbyclarke Apr 8, 2016 6:43 AM in response to khlim
    Level 1 (4 points)
    Apr 8, 2016 6:43 AM in response to khlim

    This worked - so easy!!! Thanks.

  • by a17levine,

    a17levine a17levine May 4, 2016 3:24 PM in response to GVennarucci
    Level 1 (4 points)
    May 4, 2016 3:24 PM in response to GVennarucci

    My problem was that most of my contacts were Google contacts and not iCloud contacts. Once I linked my iCloud AND my Google Account, everything showed up.

  • by Hcarterva,

    Hcarterva Hcarterva May 30, 2016 5:52 AM in response to Ralph Johns (UK)
    Level 1 (4 points)
    May 30, 2016 5:52 AM in response to Ralph Johns (UK)

    For me - when I started a new imessage some of my most frequently used contacts iphone numbers would not come up as a choice (but their emails did).  I fixed this by going to:

     

    System preferences > Accounts > Internet Accounts > click the + to add an account > Click on 'Add other account' > Click on 'Messages Account' and enter the details (your apple login).

     

    Hope this helps someone else.

    H

  • by Ralph Johns (UK),

    Ralph Johns (UK) Ralph Johns (UK) May 30, 2016 11:46 AM in response to Hcarterva
    Level 9 (72,994 points)
    Applications
    May 30, 2016 11:46 AM in response to Hcarterva

    Hi,

     

    That is different.

     

    The issue is caused by the Contacts App not syncing with the iPhone.

    Now the Contacts App has a Preferences Section and Accounts as part of that.

    In later versions of the OS then several Internet Accounts can be activated at the same time. Messages an the iMessages account does not like this.

     

    The iMessages Account has to be an iCloud valid ID but it DOES NOT have to be the one in System Preferences > iCloud.

    This means that the System Preferences > iCloud can be different to the iMessages ID

     

    As the Contacts are literally stored away from Messages I don't know why you "fix" works.

     

    You can use any other account in System Preferences > Internet Accounts (It does not have to be iCloud) as long as the iPhone uses the same one.

     

    In System Preferences > iCloud several other items are not there:-

    iTunes.

    FaceTime,

    App Store

    Game Center,

    Developer, if you have enabled such an account.

    iBooks

    to name the most common.

     

    Internet Accounts has everything else but iMessages does not appear there as it is the ID used (normally) for iCloud)

     

    That said Apple ID given out by Apple are also Valid AIM Screen Names and these can be entered as such in Internet Accounts

    For some that will mean entering their Apple ID uses in iCloud and /or iMessages as their AIM ID

    Internet_Accounts.png

    Strangely they show as Inactive here but work in Messages

    3Sigcopy2.png

    7:46 pm      Monday; May 30, 2016

     

      iMac 2.5Ghz i5 2011 (El Capitan)
     G4/1GhzDual MDD (Leopard 10.5.8)
     MacBookPro 2Gb (Snow Leopard 10.6.8)
     Mac OS X (10.6.8),
     iPhone and an iPad (2)
  • by puttagun,

    puttagun puttagun Jun 9, 2016 9:12 AM in response to JRobinson0204
    Level 1 (4 points)
    Jun 9, 2016 9:12 AM in response to JRobinson0204

    This solved mine too. thank you!

  • by mackharder,

    mackharder mackharder Jul 2, 2016 12:05 PM in response to GVennarucci
    Level 1 (4 points)
    Jul 2, 2016 12:05 PM in response to GVennarucci

    Go to Contacts application. Up at top bar click Contacts and Accounts. Click the iCloud you're signed into on the left side. If not signed into one then click the iCloud button on the right side and sign in. Once signed in, make sure "Contacts" is checked in the box to allow your saved contacts to come through to iMessages. Once selected all your contacts list will come through and automatically fill in the numbers in iMessages.

     

    It has nothing to do with permissions in the disk utility as another user stated.

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