Using iCloud as AIM Account

Question

Using iCloud as AIM Account

I am trying to login to AIM.com with my iCloud information. I remember this always working when people had .Mac. I never had it and started from iCloud directly, but every time I try to login to AIM or even from an old Mac running OS 9 and an AIM app, they keep rejecting the password and won't accept it. I know my password is correct as I can login to icloud.com, but AIM services keep saying bad password.

I tried even changing my password at appleid.apple.com but that didn't fix it at all, except make a headache (as now I can't go back to the password I wanted to use).

Am I missing something?

Posted on Mar 19, 2012 5:41 PM

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Answer 1

pvonk

Level 6

13,857 points

Mar 20, 2012 9:35 AM in response to Transgenic X5-655

AIM? Is my memory failing or do I recall that this service is totally different than iCloud?

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Answer 2

Mar 20, 2012 9:40 AM in response to Transgenic X5-655

AIM is owned and operated by AOL and you have to register with it independently of anything to do with Apple.

Apple's instant messaging service is iChat, which you can log into with your iCloud account ID. iChat works with AIM, so AIM users can chat with iChat users and vice versa, but if you want to login to AIM you need to register with AIM at www.aim.com (click the sign up button). AIM accounts have nothing to do with Apple.

You can even use an AIM ID within iChat on a Mac if you want, but you have to create that AIM user-account first at the AIM web site.

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Answer 3

Mar 20, 2012 11:12 AM in response to Michael Black

Not true. Apple has vendor aim accounts. They can make MobileMe and iCloud accounts registered with aim but they do password authentication.

I refer you to http://support.apple.com/kb/HT3286?viewlocale=en_US

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Answer 4

Mar 20, 2012 11:28 AM in response to Transgenic X5-655

That document is from 2008 and does not apply to iCloud or the new AIM as far as I know. Other chat clients like Adium also no longer work with iCloud email addresses (supposedly there were changes at both Apple and AOL dealing with authentication protocols).

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Answer 5

Mar 20, 2012 11:37 AM in response to Michael Black

It still applies because aim.com does acknowledge my new iCloud account and iChat CAN use it and does use it but it authenticates directly to apple and not through aims relay to apple.

I have an NDA so I cant say why I know it's supposed to work but trust me, it's supposed to work.

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Answer 6

Mar 20, 2012 11:52 AM in response to Transgenic X5-655

I don't know what to offer then. Seems pretty widely talked about that it does not work with any of the public released Apple software. If you are referring to using some pre-release Apple product(s), then this is not the forum to discuss this.

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Answer 7

Mar 20, 2012 11:55 AM in response to Michael Black

Not referring to prerelease.

iCloud aim accounts will work with iChat. But on aim directly it will not, appears to not relay the password like it should.

I'm gonna call AppleCare.

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Answer 8

Apr 10, 2012 5:35 PM in response to Transgenic X5-655

Transgenic X5-655 wrote:

Not referring to prerelease.

iCloud aim accounts will work with iChat. But on aim directly it will not, appears to not relay the password like it should.

I'm gonna call AppleCare.

So, what did the AppleCare answer to your request ?

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Answer 9

Apr 10, 2012 7:43 PM in response to Camille Paschali

Known issue, and this issue affects some new "Messages BETA" testers too.

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Answer 10

Apr 10, 2012 7:53 PM in response to Transgenic X5-655

Thanks.

Hope this issue to be solved quickly.

Is there a dashboard ?

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Answer 11

Apr 11, 2012 2:09 PM in response to Transgenic X5-655

Hi All,

There have been several "Apple" IDs over the years (Names issued by Apple)

iCloud issued @me.com names are different to MobileMe issued @me.com name and @mac.com names

All ARE Valid AIM Screen Names.

However iChat 6 and Messages Beta both login to me.com as well as AIM.
This fact allows AIM to verify the password when the name is used in iChat 6 and Messages beta.

iChat 2 through 5 do not do this dual Login so the Password cannot be verified by AIM and so the iCloud issued names do not work in iChat 5 or Earlier.

If you have an @mac.com or MobileMe issued @me.com then you can go here (AIM Settings) and create Display Names, adjust Off Line IMs setting and other things.

You cannot do this with the new iCloud issued name due to the lack of the dual login.

If you are using such a name (iCloud) in iChat 6 (or Messages beta) you still need to keep the password to 16 characters or Less for the AIM servers limit.

Use the AIM settings link and follow the "Get Username" Name link top right or use

The @mac.com registration page to create new names for iChat 5 or earlier.

10:09 PM Wednesday; April 11, 2012

Please, if posting Logs, do not post any Log info after the line "Binary Images for iChat"

 iMac 2.5Ghz 5i 2011 (Lion 10.7.3)
 G4/1GhzDual MDD (Leopard 10.5.8)
 MacBookPro 2Gb (Snow Leopard 10.6.8)
 Mac OS X (10.6.8),
"Limit the Logs to the Bits above Binary Images."  No, Seriously

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