Messages not on Macbook Air

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Jello1944 Author

Level 1

6 points

Messages not on Macbook Air

How do I copy the Messenger icon from my iPhone13 to my MacBook Air. Somehow, for some stupid computer reason, and not by any choice of my own, I believe possibly during one of the upgrades, which I have set for "automatic", my icon for Messenger disappeared. It seems that sometimes I will find a message written in "Messenger" from a friend, but appearing in "Messages", but I don't know how it got there or how to retrieve it after it disappears, because I no longer have the "Messenger" icon on my computer. I hope you can understand this cause I don't!!! We are not all young people you know. I think that it would behoove Apple to think that some of their customers are not under 25 years of age!!!!! My husband and I have been using Macintosh computers since 1985, starting with MacIntosh, to what we have now MacBook Air computers, so you can see we have been good Apple customers for a lot of years. Please help me!!! JAF

[Edited by Moderator]

MacBook Air 13″, macOS 12.7

Posted on Jan 28, 2024 2:43 PM

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Answer 1

Top-ranking reply

MacMikeInOK

Level 4

3,723 points

Jan 28, 2024 6:22 PM in response to Jello1944

First off, congratulations on using Macs as long as I have! 👏👏

(You might be surprised at the average age of those of us who help out here, BTW).

OK...next...

There are two different apps mentioned here:

Messages -- This app is built into the MacOS, and probably appears on your dock. It can't be removed by the user, so if it's not on your dock, it's in your Applications folder.
Messenger -- This app is by Meta (Facebook) and is available in the Mac App Store. If it doesn't appear on your desktop, check your Applications folder...it's possible someone moved it. If it's not there, then someone deleted the file from your computer. No problem...go the the App Store and download/install it again.

I mention the above, because a message sent from the Messenger app on someone else's computer or phone will ONLY go to the Messenger app on your Mac. It will not appear in your Messages app.

Likewise, a message sent to you from someone else's computer or phone (what we term as "texted") will appear in your Messages app, not the Messenger app.

Hopefully, this is helpful?

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Answer 2

Jan 28, 2024 5:25 PM in response to Jello1944

The Messages app should be located in the Applications folder. You can drag & drop it onto the Dock to create a new easy to access link on the Dock. Here is an Apple article with instructions:

Use the Dock on Mac - Apple Support

With newer versions of macOS it should not be possible to delete any preinstalled applications due to the sealed system volume utilized with macOS since macOS 11.x+.

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Messages not on Macbook Air

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