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messages not marked as read

I have a macbook-pro retina and an ipad 1st gen.


When I get a new message in Messages it will not mark as read on my macbook until I read it on my ipad.


How do I get messages on the macbook to mark a message as read?

MacBook Pro (Retina, Mid 2012), OS X Mountain Lion (10.8.2)

Posted on Nov 7, 2012 8:41 AM

Reply
24 replies

Dec 6, 2017 9:27 PM in response to Ralph-Johns-UK

Solved! I came across this (very old) post looking for a fix after I migrated to a new machine and experienced the same thing as OP (laptop messages wouldn't mark as read, but if I read texts on my phone it would sync and be accurately reflected on my laptop). Remove/re-adding accounts didn't work, killall Dock didn't work, but deleting com.apple.imessages.bag.plist and restarting messages did the trick. Thanks Ralph!

Nov 8, 2012 2:25 PM in response to dalupus

Hi,


As far as I have been able to test the "Syncing" is only "Display on all devices" and not a full on "Copy actions across devices".


This means deleting it on the iPad or iPhone does not remove it from the Mac version (Nor Stop it appearing if the Mac was Off).


The "Read" and "Delivered" subtexts seems to be in a world of their own around the edges of this issue at present. So much so I tend not to pay any attention to them.


With regard to the second post

The iCloud ID does not have to be the Apple ID you are using in iMessages.

It may also be a valid AIM Screen Name that you have logged in.

This and a GoogleTalk login will not have "Read" or other info posted in the Chat window as to it's delivery status.


If you are talking about Mail across different devices not apparently keeping up that is a separate issue.





User uploaded file
10:25 PM Thursday; November 8, 2012

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


 iMac 2.5Ghz 5i 2011 (Mountain Lion 10.8.2)
 G4/1GhzDual MDD (Leopard 10.5.8)
 MacBookPro 2Gb (Snow Leopard 10.6.8)
 Mac OS X (10.6.8),
 Couple of iPhones and an iPad
"Limit the Logs to the Bits above Binary Images."  No, Seriously

Nov 8, 2012 2:30 PM in response to Ralph-Johns-UK

I should have been more clear. I am not talking about messages I send and the subtext saying that reciever read it. I am talking about messages I receive. Messages I receive are not being marked as read on my computer after I look at them. Or more precisely I always have "unread" messages. However when I go read them on my ipad then they turn to read on my computer.

Nov 8, 2012 2:48 PM in response to dalupus

HI,


So...

The DOCK icon remains lit up with a number for Unread Messages even when the Messages App is "Front" ?


The Message Window always reads "Unread Messages" at the top no matter which Chat is "Front" at this point ?


The particular Chat that has the new Messages is marked with the blue circle but this never goes even when that chat is "Front" ?


I have seen a delay of this nature on my Messages but it resolves itself fairly quickly (About within 10 secs of pulling the chat to the Front).


It is late where I am and it will be a while before I catch up with further replies.






User uploaded file
10:48 PM Thursday; November 8, 2012

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


 iMac 2.5Ghz 5i 2011 (Mountain Lion 10.8.2)
 G4/1GhzDual MDD (Leopard 10.5.8)
 MacBookPro 2Gb (Snow Leopard 10.6.8)
 Mac OS X (10.6.8),
 Couple of iPhones and an iPad
"Limit the Logs to the Bits above Binary Images."  No, Seriously

Nov 8, 2012 3:11 PM in response to Ralph-Johns-UK

Right exactly. And if I pull the chat up on my ipad it then goes to read on my ipad and my computer.


I tried restarting messages and signing in and out of my account.


It seems that it does eventually clear itself normally. Like after an hour. I wonder if it is trying to communicate with something but getting blocked by a firewall or something and it eventually times out.

Nov 9, 2012 12:14 PM in response to dalupus

Hi,


It's been around since the beta version.


This thread advocates tow methods:-

1) Deleting the account and re-adding it.

2) Using Terminal to End the DOCK process to clear the info about apparent Unread messages.



User uploaded file
8:14 PM Friday; November 9, 2012

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


 iMac 2.5Ghz 5i 2011 (Mountain Lion 10.8.2)
 G4/1GhzDual MDD (Leopard 10.5.8)
 MacBookPro 2Gb (Snow Leopard 10.6.8)
 Mac OS X (10.6.8),
 Couple of iPhones and an iPad
"Limit the Logs to the Bits above Binary Images."  No, Seriously

Nov 15, 2012 8:49 PM in response to Ralph-Johns-UK

it seems my problem is different as killall doc does not fix it. I did a migration from my mac-air to this new macbook pro and that is when the problem started. I am wondering if something in the accounts with messages got corrupt.


I have tried deleting and recreating the accounts with no help.


The really wierd part is as soon as I read the messages on my ipad then they are marked as read on my ipad and computer. It is like my comptuer can not mark the messages as read.


This is extremely frustrating. Is there any way to reset messages or something. I am pretty sure it had something to do with the migration as it did some wierd stuff with double messages and stuff.

Nov 16, 2012 10:33 AM in response to dalupus

Hi,


In the Finder > Go Menu > Go to Folder type (Copy and Paste) ~/Library/Preferences into the Dialogue box.In the Preferences find the com.apple.imessages.bag.plist and drag it to the Trash.


Restart Messages.



User uploaded file
6:26 PM Friday; November 16, 2012

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


 iMac 2.5Ghz 5i 2011 (Mountain Lion 10.8.2)
 G4/1GhzDual MDD (Leopard 10.5.8)
 MacBookPro 2Gb (Snow Leopard 10.6.8)
 Mac OS X (10.6.8),
 Couple of iPhones and an iPad
"Limit the Logs to the Bits above Binary Images."  No, Seriously

Nov 16, 2012 11:06 AM in response to Ralph-Johns-UK

I called apple support a few hours ago. After a bunch fidling with different things they had me create a second account on the machine. I went into that account and added my icloud id to messages in that account. sent and received a few messages and everything was working fine.


Logged that user back off and restarted messages back on my original account and wahlaa everything was working. I will give it a few days to see if the issue stays fixed.

Nov 16, 2012 12:11 PM in response to dalupus

Ok.



User uploaded file
8:11 PM Friday; November 16, 2012

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


 iMac 2.5Ghz 5i 2011 (Mountain Lion 10.8.2)
 G4/1GhzDual MDD (Leopard 10.5.8)
 MacBookPro 2Gb (Snow Leopard 10.6.8)
 Mac OS X (10.6.8),
 Couple of iPhones and an iPad
"Limit the Logs to the Bits above Binary Images."  No, Seriously

Feb 26, 2013 12:03 PM in response to dalupus

I am having this same problem. Essentially my MacBook Pro (Late 2011) will not mark iMessages as read, the badge on the messages app keeps building unread messages until I read all the messages on my phone. I called Apple support and they had me restart imessages on my iPhone 5 and on my MBP and nothering worked. I even tried to do what Ralph suggested by deleting the preferences file (com.apple.imessages.bag.plist). They then told me thats supposed to be how it works, you are supposed to rack up unread messages on your phone. Any help? Thanks

messages not marked as read

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