iMessage NOT syncing across iPhone and MacBook Air

This worked for me thanks! Had to sync everything again once the Mac recognized my iPhone number.

Hi there, ToddAfrica.

It appears that messages on your iPhone aren't appearing on your MacBook Air. You're able to send iMessages, but you can't send SMS/MMS messages from your Mac, and we're glad to provide assistance.

How to forward SMS/MMS text messages from your iPhone to your iPad, iPod touch or Mac - Apple Support -- On your iPhone, go to Settings > Messages > Send & Receive. On your Mac, open Messages and choose Messages > Preferences > iMessages. Make sure that both devices are signed in with the same Apple ID. Then, on your iPhone, go back one screen and check Text Message Forwarding to make sure your Mac has been selected. If it is, deselect your Mac and restart your iPhone. Once it's back to the Home screen, turn Text Message Forwarding back on for your Mac and test the issue.

Feel free to get back to us with any questions or problems you may have.

All the best.

I think I may have solved it.

iPhone>Setting>Messages>Switch OFF iMessage>Switch back on>Select Send & Receive Addresses

Mac>Message Preferrences>iMessage Tab> Sign Out/Sign In>Select where you can be reached at

After this I am able to initiate new Texts on iPhone and it syncs with Mac. Older messages have not synced. Crossing my fingers this continues to work.

the other thing that does not work with this and how I started to notice an issue, previously when texted a passcode to my phone it would appear in a blue bubble to be auto entered, that also does not work on this Mac, the settings seem right, it just doesn't seem to work. still works on my other machines though.

I am having trouble too. More than just slow syncing. I read a new message on iPhone, them try to find it on iMac and it never synced! I can send one to same person from my phone and see it on my iMac but incoming messages visible on my iPhone are not there on my iMac. very aggravating.

Thank you Todd for the answer. I do not have a Text Messenger Forwarding on my iphone 8 running iOS 14.5.1.

All of this started between my iPad, Macbook Air and iMac were not syncing up. I signed out of my apple ID on all four devices. After the restart, My iPad, iMac & Macbook Air were at various stages of syncing. Rather bizarre.

Hi ToddAfrica

I dont seem to have text message forwarding on Iphone XR - is that normal? Maybe I'll try this?

On the iPhone >> Settings >> Phone and look for Make and Receive calls on Nearby Devices >> Enable for the MBA

Have tried all the suggestions without success. My texts are being sent from icloud.com (which I have never used). Incoming messages show up on my iPhone but not my computer. recently upgraded to Version 11.3.1 VERY FRUSTRATING

I've had this problem, among others for years. Apple is turning into Microsoft sadly. I've been a Mac user since 1999 and it's depressing. The love I used to feel when using Apple devices has been replaced by disgust. All the excitement is gone and nothing improves except the hardware. Things get broke and never fixed. Switching to Microsoft is not worth it currently. It's just a sad situation.

I am having the same problem. I tried following your directions and found I didn't have the same options available.

I was able to Switch OFF iMessages and Switch back on again. When I selected Send and Receive Addresses, it did not have the Mac option. It does list the email addresses I can be reached at, but no Message Preferences.

I am using Catalina 10.15.4

Any help is appreciated.

Thanks.

Three days ago, this problem started with my devices. I can no longer receive texts on my iPad, MacBook, or Apple Watch. Before that my iPhone lost its ability to print. I fixed that with a work around on the printer. It seems like with Apple products, it's always something that requires attention. Things just stop working, and the solution is never easy to find. I never have these issues with my Windows computers. The "solutions" presented here call for settings that don't exist on my iPhone, so they are no help. I'm so fed up with all of this until I'm giving strong consideration to getting rid of everything I own that is Apple. I'm just tired of dealing with it.

Agreed - I bought my current Macbook Air in June 2020- it was in and out of repair three times in September until they essentially gave me a new one; it wastes time and money with small dumb repairs and in the end spend more than the unit costs, wasteful practice in terms of time and money. But I guess thus far they are rolling in the money they can afford to waste it. Well let's see where it goes since now the Chinese have the upper hand in the Apple game there.