Account recovery contacts- “iMessage error”

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Level 1

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Account recovery contacts- “iMessage error”

🆘 Cannot Add account recovery contact. The recovery contact has an iPhone and is updated to the current iOS. Recovery contact is also part of my Family contacts. I also have a friend that’s a recovery contact but only his name is on the recovery contacts list, not the family member. When I tap on the family member to add to recovery contacts list a message pops up saying “you can only use contacts that use iMessage”. The message settings on family contact iPhone has iMessages toggled on. I added the the family contact months ago to recovery contacts but after adding to family contacts, it is no longer on the official recovery contacts list. I believe all family contacts are automatically enabled as a recovery contact, if so, wouldn’t they be listed on the account recovery list? Thank you for any thoughts on this matter, it’s greatly appreciated. 📲💬💯

(“MOM” = Recovery contact and family member that I want to add.)

iPhone 14, iOS 16

Posted on Mar 27, 2023 1:02 PM

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Answer 1

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Johnnyg853 Author

Level 1

7 points

Mar 29, 2023 3:36 PM in response to SnickZ.

@snickZ. Thank you for your assistance. I was able to add the recovery contact after following your directions. Since the contact is in my family group, it is automatically added like you said. I was able to add the contact to the recovery list after following your directions but was not needed since it is a family contact. Turning off I message & FaceTime and then restarting device did fix the issue if anyone in the future comes across this issue again but with a contact not in family contacts. Thanks again for your advice, I appreciate it.

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Answer 2

SnickZ.

Community Specialist

Mar 29, 2023 11:52 AM in response to Johnnyg853

Hello Johnnyg853,

We'd be happy to provide you with some information. An invitation is always needed to add someone as a recovery contact. If you're part of a family sharing group, the recipient doesn't need to accept the request You can learn more here: Help a friend or family member as their account recovery contact - Apple Support

To become an account recovery contact, a friend or family member first has to invite you. When they send the invitation, you see a notification in the Messages app on your device. If you're part of their Family Sharing group, you're added as their recovery contact automatically. If not, you'll be asked to accept or decline this request.

However, since you’re getting that message when you try to add your mom as an account recovery contact, we’d like for you or her to turn off iMessages and FaceTime, then restart her device.

Go to Settings > Message and turn iMessages off. Back up one screen and do the same with FaceTime. Once that’s done, restart her iPhone.

Once it’s back to the Home screen, have her turn Messages on again and check that her Apple ID shows. Do the same with FaceTime, then see if you’re able to add her as an account recovery contact.

If you still get that message, please contact Apple Support to look into this issue further with you: Get Support

Thanks.

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Account recovery contacts- “iMessage error”

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