macos Sequoia causing problems with messages on mac

Sorry, the way replies are threaded here is terrible. I was responding to the an earlier post:

"ExpressVPN was super quick to respond to me. I had to update my VPN software, as they just had a new release, and then there was a setting within the software that I needed to uncheck one box and it's working perfectly now with the VPN connected. Within the General > Network Lock section I had to uncheck "Stop all internet traffic if the VPN disconnects unexpectedly". Now that I have that off, I can connect to the VPN and iMessage syncs/sends flawlessly."

This fixed it for me.

I use Express VPN and unchecking that box worked for me; I can use Messages again. Thanks for the info.

In my experience, this is not true. My testing has been with two VPNS: (1) Mullvad, which uses a macOS client and does not integrate with the OS VPN configuration, and (2) Proton VPN, which also uses a macOS client but does integrate with the OS VPN configuration. Both Mullvad and Proton will prevent iMessage from sending or receiving when active regardless of protocol or other VPN configuration settings I've changed independently or in combination.

I use a VPN and found that once I updated both Mac OS Sequoia and iOS 18 on the phone, I could synch messages via iCloud and am able to receive messages on both platforms. However, with the VPN on, I could not send messages via Mac OS Sequoia. I had to turn off the VPN to be able to send.

Also, I now get that slight random pause in sound on my Beats Studio Buds, regardless of the app generating the sound. That got taken care of and the bug is back.

Yeah, this is a B.S. update, for sure. First time I've wanted to go back to the old install in quite a while.

Be sure to read their caveats and don't use these features when connected to untrusted networks. It's not a solution, it's a temporary workaround until Apple addresses the issue. I got a similar message from PIA with a warning:

While we wait for Apple to deliver an official patch, PIA is introducing and testing an interim fix to restore macOS 15 functionality while using the VPN. The fix – a button set to ‘off’ by default for security – restores functionality like iMessage and FaceTime by whitelisting Apple Services traffic.

The drawback is that this fix will allow Apple Services to see your IP while toggled ‘active’. By using this fix, your real IP address will be revealed to Apple and Apple Services. This PIA macOS fix is an experimental stopgap, and is used entirely at your own risk.

Please note that this fix is not recommended if you are running the browser as root nor if you are running other apps or services as root again recommended settings. Doing so will expose you to avoidable risks.

I don't really have a problem with Apple seeing my IP, but in the case of the corporate VPNs, this workaround would not suffice, since all traffic must be logged and proxied by corporate IT. For personal use, this is a good way to limp along until a future macOS release.

I was able to solve this by turning off Cloudflare Warp.

Just turned off my VRN & now Messages works.

I have the same problem. Turning off the "stop all internet traffic" solved it for now, but that's not a long term solution.

Apple really screwed up this update. They also shipped it with a known bug that prevents the dock from moving to the monitor when a Macbook is set up under the monitor, https://discussions.apple.com/thread/255762225?answerId=260772804022&sortBy=rank#260772804022

This definitely doesn't work. As soon as I kill VPN, messages works perfectly. I think we've all tried the obvious, there's something in the code that is preventing traffic and it's looking like it's Apple's fault from where I'm sitting. My iPhone is receiving text messages fine with VPN on so how come my Mac Studio isn't!?

I received messages from three VPN vendors and they match my own IT teams's analysis that this is a bug in Sequoia, and it's more than just a change in any API or new security feature. There are potentially related issued with the Firewall requiring allowing incoming connections just to get DNS replies in apps, and ssh connections being killed (Firewall Issues - ssh_dispatch_run_fatal … - Apple Community).

I don't have a lot of data here yet, but I have seen that when my IP address changes, Messages will not sync until I log out then back in of my account in Messages. My ISPO rotates my IP, and each time I lose messages I check my public IP to find it has changed. You may be able to do the same trick logging out and back in to get Messages back for a while.

Well hallelujah! Reverting back to Sonoma worked for me! I can now return back to my trusted and safe workflow with VPN ON without compromising any of its designed securities measures. I think I’m going to skip Sequoia and LESSON LEARNED.

I have the same problem iOS 17.7 and MacOS 15.0!!! I used ExpressVPN and it DOES NOT WORK. Turning off the VPN did work. But that's not a long-term solution.

[Edited by Moderator]

FWIW, upgrading to ExpressVPN Version 11.59.0 (83862) fixed the Sequoia Messages problem for me.

I know this has fixed it for some people, but not for any of us here. I spoke with Apple and three VPN vendors and waded through Wireshark captures. There is no DNS setting that permitted Messages to work for many of us here.

If you log out of Messages with no VPN, then connect the VPN, you cannot sign into Messages. Multiple other services like Sharing or FaceTime, are also broken. Setting shadow proxy and multi-hop VPNs does seem to allow you to reach Apple, but not to get a response.

I spoke with some very nice folks at Apple and at multiple VPN vendors, and in the end, Apple said there is no fix in the works, and that our best bet is to wipe drives, re-install Sonoma, and restore data from a Time Machine backup.