raphcamp

Q: Imessage on Mac does not sync my Iphone contacts

Hi,

 

when I want to use Imessage on my Macbookpro, I cannot find the contacts that are on my Iphone. They do not appear in the "Contacts" although the Icloud option is on both on my computer and my Iphone. But it seems not to sync.

 

Can someone help me ?

 

Thank you

 

Raphael

 

Iphone 4S (6.1.3)

MacBookPro (Lion 10.8.3)

MacBook Pro, OS X Mountain Lion (10.8.3)

Posted on Apr 24, 2013 5:00 PM

Close

Q: Imessage on Mac does not sync my Iphone contacts

  • All replies
  • Helpful answers

Page 1 of 3 last Next
  • by Ralph Johns (UK),Helpful

    Ralph Johns (UK) Ralph Johns (UK) Apr 25, 2013 1:52 PM in response to raphcamp
    Level 9 (72,994 points)
    Applications
    Apr 25, 2013 1:52 PM in response to raphcamp

    HI,

     

    So in System Preferences > iCloud you have the Contacts item Ticked ?

     

    This iCloud Apple ID is the same one used for iCloud Syncing on the iPhone ?

    Settings > iCloud.

     

    And the Contacts option here is On as well ?

     

    3Sigcopy2.png
    9:52 PM      Thursday; April 25, 2013

     

      iMac 2.5Ghz 5i 2011 (Mountain Lion 10.8.3)
     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

  • by raphcamp,

    raphcamp raphcamp Apr 25, 2013 2:16 PM in response to Ralph Johns (UK)
    Level 1 (2 points)
    Apr 25, 2013 2:16 PM in response to Ralph Johns (UK)

    Hi:

    Yes everything is ticked and "on". And the Apple ID is the same.

     

    Something s else happened. After I put "on" the Iphone's contacts option for Icloud, all the contacts that were on the Icloud (the ones I've previously synced from my Ipad) appear on my Iphone. But after when I put it "off", some of the contacts that were previously on my Iphone were deleted, apparently the ones which were in double between the Ipad and the Iphone.

     

    What is ennoying is :

    1) I am not able to sync the contacts that are on my Iphone to use them on the Mac app Messages

    2) If it were working, it would mean that all my contacts will be on Icloud, including the ones of my Ipad which are numerous, and that they will be synced to my Iphone - and I do not necessary want to have so many contacts on my Iphone...

     

    Thank you

    Raphael

  • by Ralph Johns (UK),

    Ralph Johns (UK) Ralph Johns (UK) Apr 25, 2013 2:26 PM in response to raphcamp
    Level 9 (72,994 points)
    Applications
    Apr 25, 2013 2:26 PM in response to raphcamp

    Hi,

     

    If you are asking the iPhone to hold a reduced number of Contacts then this is something that iCloud and the iTunes sync option cannot do.

     

    I must admit to not being an expert on the Address Book/Contacts app to say which is the best way to merge two existing Lists.

    I would have tended to manually add any iPhone Only contacts to the Mac or iPad before syncing.  (Creating a "Master" List as it were)

     

     

     

     

    3Sigcopy2.png
    10:26 PM      Thursday; April 25, 2013

     

      iMac 2.5Ghz 5i 2011 (Mountain Lion 10.8.3)
     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

  • by bangcola,

    bangcola bangcola Aug 12, 2013 2:03 AM in response to raphcamp
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Aug 12, 2013 2:03 AM in response to raphcamp

    Try this:

    message>perference>accounts> you can be reached for message at > tickle all box

  • by Ralph Johns (UK),

    Ralph Johns (UK) Ralph Johns (UK) Aug 12, 2013 2:18 PM in response to bangcola
    Level 9 (72,994 points)
    Applications
    Aug 12, 2013 2:18 PM in response to bangcola

    HI,

     

    1) The question was posted in April and has had no replies from the Original Poster since 25th of that month.

     

    2) Your answer has nothing to do with the question and is therefore, unfortunately, unhelpful.

     

    Whilst the Poster was talking about using the Messages app on a Mac and the corresponding app on the iPhone they were is fact asking why the Contacts (Formerly the Address Book) did not list the same people.

     

    Which Apple ID, iPhone Number or Linked emails  or even second iPhone number make no difference to what the Contacts App on the Mac or the iPhone can show you.

    They can be synced via iCloud or iTunes or kept separate.

     

    The Apple ID used for Messages and the iMessages "registration" does not even have to be an iCloud linked Apple ID.

     

     

    3Sigcopy2.png
    10:18 PM      Monday; August 12, 2013

     

      iMac 2.5Ghz 5i 2011 (Mountain Lion 10.8.4)
     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

  • by Sakari,

    Sakari Sakari Dec 28, 2014 6:02 PM in response to Ralph Johns (UK)
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Dec 28, 2014 6:02 PM in response to Ralph Johns (UK)

    Actually, Bangcola was spot on Ralph Johns.  His answer solved my problem perfectly and I found it to be extremely helpful and entirely to do with the question.  Thanks Bancola!  And I don't know if your "tickle all box" was a typo or not but I like it either way =D

     

    Check Bangcola's post above for the SOLUTION everyone!

  • by Ralph Johns (UK),

    Ralph Johns (UK) Ralph Johns (UK) Dec 29, 2014 1:29 PM in response to Sakari
    Level 9 (72,994 points)
    Applications
    Dec 29, 2014 1:29 PM in response to Sakari

    Hi,

     

    Maybe I have missed something...

     

    You are saying that in the Messages App using the iMessages account -  which reads from the Contacts App - you could not see all the Contacts - some of which were Only on the iPhone -  but ticking all the boxes in the Messages App > Preferences > Accounts > iMessages > Receive At area allows you to see them ?

     

    NewMessasagesContacts.png

    But then this does ?

    iMessagesaccount.png

     

     

    christmas.gif

    3Sigcopy2.png

    9:29 pm      Monday; December 29, 2014

     

      iMac 2.5Ghz i5 2011 (Mavericks 10.9)
     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
  • by gigimaristationery,

    gigimaristationery gigimaristationery Jan 1, 2015 11:19 AM in response to raphcamp
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jan 1, 2015 11:19 AM in response to raphcamp

    I have the same problem...but none of the above solutions worked.  Happened right after installing Yosemite

  • by BrightLady,

    BrightLady BrightLady Feb 21, 2015 2:07 PM in response to gigimaristationery
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Feb 21, 2015 2:07 PM in response to gigimaristationery

    I have this same problem since installing Yosemite.  All my contacts reloaded from iCloud. However, iMessage recognises some contacts but not others.    Unrecognised emails or phone numbers are already part of an existing contact.  If I try and add a new email/phone number to an existing contact it does not work.  All iCloud settings are correct and switched one.

    Any help suggestions greatly appreciated.

  • by KNraj,

    KNraj KNraj Feb 24, 2015 11:43 AM in response to BrightLady
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Feb 24, 2015 11:43 AM in response to BrightLady

    on your mac, check contacts and add the iCloud ID you used for iPhone and the names should sync. IT worked for me

  • by BrightLady,

    BrightLady BrightLady Feb 24, 2015 1:10 PM in response to KNraj
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Feb 24, 2015 1:10 PM in response to KNraj

    Thanks KNraj. However, the iCloud ID's are the already the same on all my devices. 

  • by KNraj,

    KNraj KNraj Feb 24, 2015 5:25 PM in response to BrightLady
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Feb 24, 2015 5:25 PM in response to BrightLady

    In My case 'Message' had appleID account added but not in 'contacts'. What i did

     

    1. spotlight search - enter: contacts

    2. preferences > accounts > add the appleID used for phone and Messages

     

    Once i did it Messages which uses 'contacts' started displaying names.

     

    Hope that helps

  • by BrightLady,

    BrightLady BrightLady Feb 25, 2015 11:47 AM in response to KNraj
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Feb 25, 2015 11:47 AM in response to KNraj

    Thanks again but like I said.....my appleID is already entered for contacts and messages and it is the same for each as I only have the one. 

     

    Messages does not recognise phone number and/or email addresses that are already in my contacts.

  • by Ralph Johns (UK),

    Ralph Johns (UK) Ralph Johns (UK) Feb 25, 2015 12:50 PM in response to BrightLady
    Level 9 (72,994 points)
    Applications
    Feb 25, 2015 12:50 PM in response to BrightLady

    Hi,

     

    Odd stuff first.

    In the Contacts App > Card menu > Show My Card - is this your Info ?

     

    Can you compare the Names that do show in Messages with those that do not in the Contacts App ?

    For instance do the ones using Country Codes as part of the telephone Number Show up but ones that only use the local number (no Country code) do not ?

     

    If this s the case check the System Preferences > Date and Time including the Time Zone as everything is time stamped.

    Next go to the Messages app > Preferences > Accounts > iMessages Account > Details Button (you will be asked to sign in again).

    Does this list the "right" Country or region (it is this that will add the county code to plain numbers and allow your Apple ID (or others) to work properly.

     

    In System Preferences > Network > Advanced Button > DNS tab does it list DNS servers that are not on your LAN ?

    Quite often it lists the router (192.168.x.x or 10.x.x.x and occasionally 172.16.x.x through to 172.32.255.255) rather than external DNS servers.

    It "should" show the ones the router lists in a greyed out form.

    If not, copy the DNS servers across (from the router) or use Public ones.

     

    If that does not  work use th Finder > Go Menu whilst holding down the ALT key and select the Library that appears.

    Navigate to Preferences.

    Find com.apple.iMessages.bag.plist and drag it to the Trash then Restart Messages.

    This will force the app to reconnect to the iMessages Servers (and as there is a group of them you may well end up with a new server)

     

     

    3Sigcopy2.png

    8:50 pm      Wednesday; February 25, 2015

     

      iMac 2.5Ghz i5 2011 (Mavericks 10.9)
     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
Page 1 of 3 last Next