esotericarmstrong

Q: removing imessage user id

Hi All,

 

A colleague logged into their iMessage account on my Mac, and I'm trying to now delete their Apple ID from my iMessage (in OSX Mavericks). It keeps on coming up with their name/login when I load up iMessage. Highly frustrating!

 

But of course, when I click on the username to remove it in the accounts, the "-" option is greyed out.

 

Can it be deleted easily?

 

 

Thanks in advance,

Posted on Nov 22, 2013 2:45 AM

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Q: removing imessage user id

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  • by Barney-15E,

    Barney-15E Barney-15E Nov 22, 2013 4:29 AM in response to esotericarmstrong
    Level 8 (49,722 points)
    Mac OS X
    Nov 22, 2013 4:29 AM in response to esotericarmstrong

    Did you try signing out of that account before trying to delete?

  • by esotericarmstrong,

    esotericarmstrong esotericarmstrong Nov 22, 2013 5:01 AM in response to Barney-15E
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Nov 22, 2013 5:01 AM in response to Barney-15E

    Just re-read your comment. The account has been signed out, leaving this account and the bonjour account as the only ones left.

     

    Surely I can just delete the profile in Administrator mode.....

  • by Barney-15E,

    Barney-15E Barney-15E Nov 22, 2013 5:14 AM in response to esotericarmstrong
    Level 8 (49,722 points)
    Mac OS X
    Nov 22, 2013 5:14 AM in response to esotericarmstrong

    How about unchecking the Enable this account?

     

    Do you also have your Account active?

     

    I can't delete my account, but it is the only one I have.

     

    What kind of account is it?

  • by esotericarmstrong,

    esotericarmstrong esotericarmstrong Nov 22, 2013 5:16 AM in response to Barney-15E
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Nov 22, 2013 5:16 AM in response to Barney-15E

    Can't do that - I only use Bonjour. There's no option to uncheck the account.

     

    I'm sure it's a plist that needs deleting just to clear the accounts linked to iMessage.

     

    Sound plausible?

  • by Barney-15E,

    Barney-15E Barney-15E Nov 22, 2013 5:18 AM in response to esotericarmstrong
    Level 8 (49,722 points)
    Mac OS X
    Nov 22, 2013 5:18 AM in response to esotericarmstrong

    If it is an iCloud account, then that is tied to the iCloud in System Preferences.

  • by esotericarmstrong,

    esotericarmstrong esotericarmstrong Nov 22, 2013 6:00 AM in response to Barney-15E
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Nov 22, 2013 6:00 AM in response to Barney-15E

    Thanks, it's not an icloud account - nothing is set up in the Sys Prefs.

     

    It's JUST on this one login menu on Messages. bleddy annoying

     

    Nothing else has been set up, as I don't use messages (on the mac anyway)

     

    Thanks

  • by Ralph Johns (UK),

    Ralph Johns (UK) Ralph Johns (UK) Nov 22, 2013 2:01 PM in response to esotericarmstrong
    Level 9 (72,994 points)
    Applications
    Nov 22, 2013 2:01 PM in response to esotericarmstrong

    HI,

     

    Messages > Preferences > Accounts

    With the iMessages one the highlighted one you can use the Sign Out button.

    remove the Apple ID shown.

     

    Quit App.

     

    In the Finder use the Go Menu and hold the ALT key down then select the Library that appears in the list.

    Navigate to Preferences.

    Find the com.apple.imservice.imessages.plist and the com.apple.imessages.bag.plist

    Drag them to the Trash (delete in effect)

     

    Restart the App.

     

    The iMessages and the Bonjour accounts cannot be deleted using the  minus button after highlighting the account.

    You can though remove the ID by Signing Out .

    Removing the .plists  just removes the other info that the app holds.

     

    You may also want to open Keychain Access and delete the Apple ID items that have been created for this person.

     

     

     

    3Sigcopy2.png
    10:01 pm      Friday; November 22, 2013

     

      iMac 2.5Ghz 5i 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 gammetrunner,

    gammetrunner gammetrunner Apr 22, 2016 8:10 AM in response to Ralph Johns (UK)
    Level 1 (4 points)
    Apr 22, 2016 8:10 AM in response to Ralph Johns (UK)

    Sorry, tried this but the plist files your talking about don't appear in the Library\Preferences area. Even expanding all the files they aren't there.  I'm using Yosemite.

     

    Anyone have any suggestions for deleting the iMessage user account, not disabling it, deleting it.  I'm not using Bonjour. I logged in under my username and apple ID.  It allows you to disable it and delete all the messages but doesn't allow the deletion of the account.  I can't believe theres not any way of deleting it. 

  • by Ralph Johns (UK),

    Ralph Johns (UK) Ralph Johns (UK) Apr 22, 2016 11:30 AM in response to gammetrunner
    Level 9 (72,994 points)
    Applications
    Apr 22, 2016 11:30 AM in response to gammetrunner

    Hi,

     

    In Yosemite the .plists have changed (again).

     

    In Messages > Preferences > Accounts the Bonjour and iMessages ones cannot be deleted.

    The iMessages one can be Sign Out of or unticked in the "Enable this Account" box.

    The later can be done to the Bonjour one so it is inactive.

     

    In Yosemite and El Capitan the .plists is called com.apple.ids.service.com.apple.madrid.plist

    This ones holds the Apple ID and the Alternatives you see in the Receive At section.

    Deleting this one (Drag to the Trash when Messages is Quit) will make Messages ask you for an Apple ID again like it was being set up for the first time when it is started up the next time.

     

     

    Library\Preferences area.

     

    You need to be in ~/Library/Preferences  (the direction of the slash is important as is the leading tilde symbol.

     

    Try it this way:-

    Open a finder window.

    Use the Go Menu > Go to Folder  and enter the path (~/Library/Preferences) into the dialogue box that appears and press enter.

    When you are then in Preferences find the file.

     

    The ~/ bit saved writing Hard Drive name/Users/your account's shortname/Library/Preferences

    Madrid.png

    Note the Path Bar across the bottom (See View Menu in Finder)

    3Sigcopy2.png

    7:30 pm      Friday; April 22, 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 sedentary_of_state,

    sedentary_of_state sedentary_of_state Aug 27, 2016 5:05 PM in response to Ralph Johns (UK)
    Level 1 (12 points)
    Mac OS X
    Aug 27, 2016 5:05 PM in response to Ralph Johns (UK)

    Hi Ralph,

     

    I came across your post here. Not sure if I should ask you but I will give it a shot since I have been unable to find an answer to my issue and I saw a bunch of your posts that helped people out. The following is my issue with imessage, please let me know if you have a solution.

     

    "Hi,

     

    I have always been signed out of imessage on my MB pro since updating to el capitan (10.11.5) from lion a month ago. I was able to log in and out during this time by going to preferences --> account and signing out.

     

    Couple of days ago,I decided to log in Imessage to try it out again. After playing with it for a few minutes, I decided that I don't really need to use this feature and tried to sign out. I couldn't do it. When I go preferences --> Accounts, I can see my Apple Id but there are no options to signout/enable etc. It shows a blank page to the right. http://i.imgur.com/SowbzCl.png

     

    Please let me know if there is something I can do.

     

    Thank you"

  • by Ralph Johns (UK),

    Ralph Johns (UK) Ralph Johns (UK) Aug 29, 2016 1:28 PM in response to sedentary_of_state
    Level 9 (72,994 points)
    Applications
    Aug 29, 2016 1:28 PM in response to sedentary_of_state

    Hi,

     

    So no Bonjour Account either.

     

    Something about the app has got lost.

     

    There are two choices:

    1) "Run the Combo"  over what you have Download OS X El Capitan 10.11.6 Combo Update  It contains all the bits updated since El Capitan came out.

     

    2) Reinstall the OS

    How to reinstall OS X - Apple Support

    You will notice that you DO NOT have to Erase the drive.

    It is possible to do it similar to the "run the Combo" but just Reinstalling over what you have.

     

     

     

     

     

    3Sigcopy2.png

    9:28 pm      Monday; August 29, 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)