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cant log in to iMessage

when trying to sign in to Imessage on Mac with Mountain lion i get a error saying

could not sign in to imessage

The registering device does not have appropriate credentials.

i have used this device for imessage for 6 to 8 months already.

iMac, OS X Mountain Lion (10.8.4)

Posted on Aug 25, 2013 11:47 AM

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Question marked as Best answer

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.



User uploaded file
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

Posted on Aug 25, 2013 1:07 PM

48 replies

Nov 25, 2015 12:20 PM in response to norwegiannightmare

Hi,


2 Step Verification is an added layer of security really.

Frequently asked questions about two-step verification for Apple ID - Apple Support.


IF you can log in to the Apple ID page and have received no prompts to sort anything out it remains a bit of a mystery as to why the Apple ID is not working elsewhere.


Phone Apple Support and tell them you have an Apple ID issue.

These are free to fix.

You may be handed over to a Level 2 person and the Level 1 people are script led aimed at solving Apple Care Software and Hardware issues.



User uploaded file

8:20 pm Wednesday; November 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

Dec 4, 2015 10:37 AM in response to Ralph-Johns-UK

dont see that item was recreated in keychain access. and, in any event, solution not working. still getting authentication error, when i try to log in to imsg. but makes no sense that i have no other issues with this apple id!


UPDATE: guess now I do see that item recreated in keychain access. maybe after I quit messages app? But solution still not working. I have tried several listed here. I bought a new MacPro that had El Capitan preinstalled. How difficult to switch to older OS? Messages working on all of our Mavericks computers still. Just not on El Capitan. Not sure about Yosemite.

Dec 4, 2015 1:44 PM in response to StupidSystem

Hi,


Generally speaking a computer cannot be "Backdated" to a version of the OS that it has never used when it has a Newer one from the Start.

i.e. if it came with El Capitan then it cannot run Yosemite or earlier.


As the iMessages server is separate then you can have the issue in only one app.

If you look in System Preferences > iCloud (the most likely place the ID is also used) then there is no setting to Enable it for Messages, or iTunes or the App Store or FaceTime.


This means on one hand that individual Servers can go down and only one app will be affected.

It also means that your ID can be "Suspended" on one server and not on others.

In the case of the iMessages server that is based on each devices unique Login which involves Auth Tokens based on the devices Serial Number.

An over zealous security feature seems to be tripping out some Macs


If...

You have tried a Safe Boot, a NVRAM reset, deleting some of the .plists involved, removing the Auth Token for the IDS: Apple ID info from the Keychain and you still cannot Log in or you appear to be and all Contacts Go Red and say they are "not Registered with iMessages" or each Send get a "Not Delivered" then the account is not Logging in properly.

The ONLY solution is then contact Apple support and say you have a Apple ID issue and join the merry dance (currently they say they don't know of the issue and eventually a Level 2 person will involve the Engineers (they are looking for the trigger) before someone will tell you it takes 24 hours to reset).


I wish you luck at this stage as I have not found any suggestion I have made to people embarking on this is making it any faster.



User uploaded file

9:44 pm Friday; December 4, 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

Apr 15, 2016 8:20 PM in response to Ralph-Johns-UK

I tried everything listed and nothing works. I keep getting a "Could not sign into iMessage. The user name or password was incorrect. Try again." I'm using the username and password in other applications besides iMessage without a problem. It stopped working for me and for my daughter on the same day---different MAC and different cloud and different iTunes account.

Apr 16, 2016 11:32 AM in response to katdailey

Hi,


I am not aware of any drop out of th iMessages service.

Nothing appears in the time line at the bottom of this page http://www.apple.com/support/systemstatus/

Are we talking about a period before the Time Line can scroll back to ?


IF you look in System Preferences > iCloud you will see there is nothing to activate fro iMessages, Messages itself, iTunes, The App Store , FaceTime, Apple Developers if you use it and several other less well known services you an use your ID with.


If your Apple ID ends in @mac.com, @me.com and is linked to iCloud or @icloud.com then it can be used as an AIM Screen Name.

You can add it in Messages as an AIM Account.


In this Thread use Linc's green Marked (Solved) answer to make sure all the Files on your computer can be accessed by "you".






User uploaded file

7:32 pm Saturday; April 16, 2016


 iMac 2.5Ghz i5 2011 (El Capitan)
 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

Jan 19, 2017 12:28 PM in response to Petite Sirah

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.




User uploaded file

8:28 pm Thursday; January 19, 2017


 iMac 2.5Ghz i5 2011 (Sierra)
 G4/1GhzDual MDD (Leopard 10.5.8)
 MacBookPro 2Gb (Snow Leopard 10.6.8)
 Mac OS X (10.6.8),
 iPhone 6 iOS 10.x and an iPad (2)

Mar 3, 2017 1:00 PM in response to Ralph-Johns-UK

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.

Mar 4, 2017 11:22 AM in response to Petite Sirah

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.



User uploaded file

7:22 pm Saturday; March 4, 2017


 iMac 2.5Ghz i5 2011 (Sierra)
 G4/1GhzDual MDD (Leopard 10.5.8)
 MacBookPro 2Gb (Snow Leopard 10.6.8)
 Mac OS X (10.6.8),
 iPhone 6 iOS 10.x and an iPad (2)

Mar 25, 2017 7:23 PM in response to jrj3onapplesupport

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.

Mar 27, 2017 12:09 PM in response to DorkyMariah

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



User uploaded file

8:09 pm Monday; March 27, 2017


 iMac 2.5Ghz i5 2011 (Sierra)
 G4/1GhzDual MDD (Leopard 10.5.8)
 MacBookPro 2Gb (Snow Leopard 10.6.8)
 Mac OS X (10.6.8),
 iPhone 6 iOS 10.x and an iPad (2)

cant log in to iMessage

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