cant log in to iMessage

Hi, I was hoping someone could help me. I tried everything on this post and nothing has worked for me at adult. My mac version is 10.11.16, this problem also is the same with FaceTime. Ever since I tried singing into my iMessage into a separate account on the same laptop, my iMessage and FaceTime won't let me log into it at all. I don't understand why and I really would like some help.

Hello Ralph Johns,

I found your Feb 28, 2015 instructions/advice regarding quitting imagent, because of my issue (photo attached), but imagent keeps re-appearing in the Activity Monitor, even after I have force quit it a few dozen times. Do you think my issue is different? I don't have this problem with my iMac. Please advise. Thanks.

HI,

Read through first before trying things.

When you start up your computer then IMAgent is one of the things that also starts up.

It will reappear during any session that you start up the Messages app after you have stopped it.

IF...

The setting in Messages > Preferences > General Section that refers to "When I Quit, Set the Status to Off Line" is ticked then the Buddy List accounts servers such as that Google one and the Bonjour one are not "listened" to for Off Line Messages.

This is turn will stop IMAgent restarting almost spontaneously if Messages is open when you Force Quit IMAgent.

Unfortunately setting this setting does not effect the iMessages account.

You will still get notifications and Dock Number badges on the Messages Icon but it will not start up the app like the Off Line Messaging does if not stopped.

It is not so much that the issue is different but rather the work that Apple are doing behind the scenes have changed what works and what does not.

Back at the OS X 10.8.2 update Messages was updated to version 7.0.1 and since then has needed to see the Serial Number of the Mac as a security feature.

It confirms that the Mac logging in each time you turn it and on launch Messages the iMessages account is from your computer.

You can create the above message if you Migrate a Mac User Account from another computer if you include th Keychain as the IDS: Apple ID-Auth Token references the Serial number as well as the ID and Password.

As you have found when this issues happens it is device specific.

AS well as creating the issue when Migrating it can also seem to happen to people randomly at Updates and Upgrades.

Apple are still working on this.

Things to do before phoning Apple.

1) NVRAM reset How to reset NVRAM on your Mac - Apple Support

2) Safe Boot

These two provide some basic Maintenance by clearing caches and resetting some stored Memory items that might be effecting things.

Try Messages in between each one.

3) Check the Serial Number appears in the About this Mac item in the Apple Icon Menu top left.

4) Try the Apple ID in another Mac user Account. Create one or Enable the Guest option in System Preferences > Users and Groups.

5) Try a a different Apple ID whilst in the test account

6) try the different Apple ID in the normal Mac User Account.

7) check the System Information (Apple Menu again but hold down the ALT key and select the first item). Go to Hardware > Network > Locations

This should have one item that has the en0 number. IF you have Ethernet abilities it should be that option. If you don't the WiFi one should become the en0 numbered item.

NOTE 7) has only been posted by one person saying it was a fix from Apple (there is more about what to delete if there is no en0) But no-one I have posted the info to has had an issue with a missing en0 item.

If none of these get messages to do the iMessages login and it appears to be centred on the use of your Apple ID then it is most likely server end.

At this point you need to phone Apple Support (Apple Care) and say you have an Apple ID issue. (Free to fix)

Level responders do not tend to know about this as they tend to focus on Software and Hardware issues and are somewhat Script led.

You will need to ask to speak to someone higher.

Explain the steps you have done yourself.

Ask if they can look at the server and confirm that your ID, when used from the Mac, is being blocked. (If they can't look ask to speak to someone that can).

Ask for it to be reset.

It is likely that they will contact the engineers as they are the only ones who can reset this now.

You will get a time frame (24 hours to 5 days have been posted back here).

It is fair to say you may be asked to gather data, try other things ( A Reinstall WILL NOT work) to try and fix this as Apple look for answers.

How much time and effort you are will to put into this is up to you.

Hope this helps.

8:28 pm Thursday; January 19, 2017

Hi,

Good to hear it got there in the end. (it seems to be one of the longest sessions with Apple Support I have read about)

The Helpful and Solved "Buttons" only appear for the Original Poster.

7:22 pm Saturday; March 4, 2017

Hi,

This Thread is in the Mountain Lion Section.

It was started in 2013 although there is a rush of posts in 2015

In Mountain Lion at the OS X 10.8.2 update Apple Started using the Serial Number to "Verify" the Login was from your computer.

Initially many people who had their Logic/Mother Board replaced then found they could not Login.

Since then this "feature" has provided some issues for a small number of people along the way.

If you are using a later OS version see this User's Top When the iMessages account will not Login

8:09 pm Monday; March 27, 2017

You're welcome.

7:47 pm Tuesday; March 28, 2017

Thanks for your comments.

You are welcome.

8:16 pm Thursday; June 1, 2017

Hello Ralph Johns,

I went through all your suggestions, thank you.

Finally, I had no other choice but to call Apple Support, and requested a senior support person just like you said. After weeks of calling each other back and forth, and trying this and trying that, sometimes waiting for a few days to try this or that again, this senior support person finally elevated the issue to the Apple engineers, because we finally discovered that my Macbook iMessage account has been blocked. (I have iMessage on my iMac, which works fine.) Yes, this issue had to be elevated to the Apple engineers, and after many more days, it's finally been unblocked. When I asked why it was blocked, nobody knows. Anyway, I am happy now that my old Macbook has iMessage working!

SOLVED! (I can't find the "Solved" button in this post). Thank you for your advice.

I had the same problem, and your step 1 above, (NVRAM reset How to reset NVRAM on your Mac - Apple Support ) did the trick for me. Thank you!

Hi,

Quit Messages

Open the Activity Monitor in Applications/Utilities

Find the imagent item. (it will be in lower case and have not icon)

Highlight and use the Quit Option top left.

Confirm Force Quit. (You may see it restart)

Restart Messages.

9:07 PM Sunday; August 25, 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

Hi Ralph. I have the same problem. Have used Messages for months and months and suddenly today "the registering device does not have appropriate credentials". I tried your solution and no luck. I also downloaded from the App Store to make sure my apple ID and password are OK and they do work fine. Also Messages works fine on my phone. Is my "registering device" my Mac? Is there a way I can refresh my credentials?

--Richard

HI,

At the OS X 10.8.2 update Apple started using the Mac's Serial number as part of the Authorisation process.

This means that the Mac has to have a Serial Number flashed to the memory on the Mother/logic board.

In some cases where the logic board has been replaced for a Refurbishment or Repair it seems the number gets forgotten.

It can only be "Flashed" to the memory by an Apple Store or Apple Authorised Service Provider.

It seems that if you never logged out from before OS X 10.8.2 your Mac could still connect (I only have one references to this behaviour and I am sure subsequent updates require a restart).

There are several similar messages from Messages about the Registration process.

These involve other files that need checking on your Mac.

7:59 pm Sunday; September 15, 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

Thanks Ralph. It turns out that a restart of my Mac fixed the issue for me. (Log out/in didn't).

--Richard

Thanks for letting me know.

7:31 pm Monday; September 16, 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

I started having this problem out of the blue and restaring imagent worked like a charm. thanks!