Your Apple ID XXX can't be used to set up iMessage at this time.

My experience with this problem was that after logging into my Apple ID account online, I had an old email address listed as an Alternate Email that could not be "validated"... I removed it, added a different one and went thru the validation process for that email address, and was then able to login to iMessage.

HI,

I had heard that Apple IDs themselves had to be validated if it was an external ID (such as using a Yahoo email or Hotmail one).

This is the first time I have heard of the Alternative/Recovery Address being involved but it does make some sense.

Thanks anyway for the info.

7:39 pm Thursday; September 11, 2014

I'm having the same issue just since yesterday. Your suggestions Ralph gave me a hunch, and made me go in and check out my ID management page. When I logged in there was a big flag on the page (see below) asking me to change my Apple ID (an old one that still has @mac.com) to be my primary email address. So I clicked it. Unfortunately it responds up with the error "An Apple ID has already been set up for this member name. To use it, sign in with the member’s email address ending in either @mac.com or @me.com. The Apple ID cannot be changed, but you can create a new Apple ID if you want to use a different member name."

This tells me their working on something, perhaps trying to discontinue legacy @mac.com or @me.com addresses? I'll try contacting them tomorrow to get it squared away -- I'd actually love to get rid of that old ID.

HI,

I have several @mac.com addresses that I still use as Valid AIM Names (but not as iMessages IDs)

Apple launched the .Mac service and for this you got your @mac.com ID

This was a paid for account.

However as Trail account the name was still valid with AIM as a Screen Names as were lapsed accounts.

When Apple Introduced MobileMe the .Mac service ended but those with @mac.com email accounts (paid for ones) could elect to link the email to their new @me.com ID.

This would give them two valid AIM Screen Names.

When iCloud came along those with an @me.com ID could elect that this was their iCloud ID.

This gave the appearance that the ID was "moved" from the MobileMe server to the iCloud server.

Later Apple issued @icloud.com IDs to iCloud users.

Overall this could mean that people have what looks like three Apple IDs (Albeit linked to one account) that cross over the different types of email ID that have been used.

If they have elected to, all will work as the same Email account.

It is only as iMessages accounts and as AIM Screen Names that they still act independently.

That said it is not always clear cut with iMessages.

I have my Apple ID deliberately set up with a different email so that the emails from the Apple Support Communities don't go to the Dial-up account that was and is my Original Apple ID.

I also see the big notice to make them the same.

I have found it difficult (impossible to change it to either the @me.com or the later @iCloud.com O got when I linked the account to iCloud.

There is also this Doc from Apple OS X: Using me.com or mac.com IDs with AIM in iChat requires OS X v10.7.2 or later

This refers to using those older IDs with the AIM Service is older versions of the iChat app and the earliest version of iChat 6.

Basically in Messages the AIM login is also linked to an Apple Login so that this process allows the Apple end to verify that you are using Messages and the AIM Server so that the AIM servers can "read" the password.

iCloud IDs are like this and have never worked in iChat 5 or earlier.

This Doc is generated by the AIM end wanting more security.

Also I have tried using an @mac.com ID as an iMessages ID but it does seem that it need to be linked to iCloud.

At present you can still have Apple IDs that are not iCloud linked - whilst getting a new Apple ID does seem to make them synonymous.

I hope you have some luck with the Apple Support team on this.

8:26 pm Friday; September 12, 2014

I spent 30 minutes on the phone with an Apple tech guy this morning. He was able to validate my account and get my messages working again with no fanfare. The Messages validation problem was not tied to this secondary issue of the error in the ID manager with trying to change away from an @mac ID.

After he did some digging around, and tried a few different things to see if he could change the old @mac ID to something else, the towel was thrown in. The end result was him recommending I go on to Apple Feedback and make a feature request for the ability to fully transfer @mac IDs to @icloud IDs for real (or even to something else as this account alert seemed to promise), and not just the current solution of aliasing @icloud IDs to old @mac ones.

The tech and I agreed that it stands to reason that if you can change your ID when it's just a random email address, that you should be able to move it away from a deprecated service that Apple has replaced. My motivator of it all is I abhor my screen name, because when I picked it eons ago it meant nothing and became to mean something really bad.

For what it's worth my old, original @mac ID is aliased to a new @icloud ID, and I can use that for the most part ... but for now the original ID is staying @mac. Boo.

Also, I've given up on AIM -- I was able to add the @icloud email to my account but now it doesn't log me in with for either the @mac or @icloud so I can't use the AIM that I had. I don't really have a need for it at this point, so I'm not too concerned but I can see it being a pain for those who still want to use the service.

Understood.

10:52 pm Friday; September 12, 2014

Kind of related to this, I have two apple IDs-- a Gmail account that is linked to my iTunes store and later on a MobileMe account (got it for free from Apple), both of which predate Apple iCloud. I tried looking into merging them all but I just gave up. It seems far too complicated for the reward.

Anyway, my question was: does this have to be resolved over the phone ?

As per Ralph's instructions, I emailed iTunes support about this, quoting my customer reference no. I work everyday and just wouldn't have time to take a 10 to 30 min call to solve something I think should be able to be done over the email....

Also, did your tech support give any indication whether this error would happen again down the path ?

Hi,

You cannot merge two Apple IDs.

Apple tried it once.

It was on a sort of global scale and involved the period when they changed from using the WebX software for the the Discussion Boards and changed to the Jive Software. (we are now on an update of that)

Unfortunately, in some cases people had their names in their own accounts and is business related ones and Apple tied these together.

iMessages has it's own servers as does iCloud, Mail, and FaceTime.

As the code that appears only show in Messages about the iMessages login it would seem fair to say that the iMessages account for the Mac involved is the key fact. (it does not effect iOS logins).

As it is known that since OS X 10.8.2 that the Serial Number is used to create a valid Token for security.

We also know that it seems that whatever the issue is it cannot be changed by the end user, which is why Apple Support have to be involved.

Whilst a future repair to your Mac may involved a Logic/Mother board replacement which in turn would mean the Serial Number would need putting back as well, that issue may well raise it's head again.

If the Code Number issue is related to that a future hardware failure with some sort of replacement may cause the issue to appear again.

On the other hand of those that posted here that they had the issue and reported back that it was resolved by Apple Support, none have returned to say the issue had come back.

7:25 pm Sunday; September 14, 2014

I chatted to a guy from AppleCare this morning for about 10 minutes. He said he had reset the Apple ID and I just needed to restart my MBA and try logging back into iMessage. I'm at work atm so I'll try this tonight and pray that it's resolved.

Ugh. The thing that really gets me about this is that Apple is asking for a $20 Applecare service fee to fix a problem that just appeared at random with one of their products. Basically extortion - if you don't pay us $20, you can't use iMessage again.

Hi Derick Fay,

Try again but this time insist you have an iCloud/Account issue that needs dealing with rather than an App or Computer problem.

Whilst the issue does only centre around the iMessages' account in the Messages app's use of the iCloud name it seems something is flagged on the account that only Apple can reset or change.

7:54 pm Tuesday; September 16, 2014

Ralph is right -- you'll need to identify that you're having an Apple ID issue specifically. Try this link, it should take you to the right place: https://getsupport.apple.com/Issues.action. Select "More Products & Services" then "Apple ID." Once there, it will give you a drop down if you select "Other Apple ID Topics" -- one of them is Messages and Apple ID. I used this link/process to schedule for Apple to call me to take care of the problem.

I too had this issue and firstly today I had the argument with Apple support about paying for help, so I rang off and rang back an hour later and spoke to a different person who knew exactly what I was talking about and fixed it straight away. It is unacceptable that not all support personnel know what is going on and try to scam money out of you for something which is not your fault. I think the clue is to say it is an Apple ID issue not a mac issue.

I followed the set of directions using the expresslane.apple.com and chose Apple ID support. I got a call from them pretty quickly, but was then redirected to Apple Care. They wanted my MacBook Air serial number and tried to give me the whole talk about how my Apple Care is no longer current and I had to pay. I kept pushing that this wasn't about my computer itself not working, it was something that was suddenly not authenticating my apple ID and I didn't think it made sense to pay or have to go to an actual apple store to avoid paying when calling this number was what they were directing me to do. I told them I have a validation code and convinced the guy on the line to look up what to do for me. Then he had trouble logging into whatever system they had to use to enter the code. He ended up connecting to a supervisor who had me read the error message again, and was able to enter the code. The problem was resolved within seconds after he entered the code on his end.

I really didn't want to call to have this fixed, but it seems like it's the only way....Just DON'T let anyone convince you that you need to pay anything!

Getting someone on the line by calling Apple Care directly won't get you help either....they make you choose to pay or they basically hang up on you if you don't have a valid Apple Care. You really need to go the route of having them call you through the expressslane.apple.com page.

Hi,

Thanks for that. It was very clear as to what the issues can be once you have Contacted Support.

I have linked your Post to a Post/thread I have started in the Lounge ( A Level 6 and above Poster area with access to the Hosts more directly).

I have highlighted the issue about the need to make it clear it is an account issue and asked the Hosts to ask the Support Staff to know more about the issue.

It is strange because when the issue started in Mountain Lion they seemed to know all about it and never tried to charge.

8:42 pm Wednesday; September 24, 2014