eh0608

Q: iMessage on my mac says every contact is not registered with iMessage

When I type a contact to send an iMessage to from my mac, it turns red and says "message could not be sent, contact is not registered with iMessage"

MacBook Pro with Retina display, OS X Mavericks (10.9.4)

Posted on Sep 5, 2014 12:24 PM

Close

Q: iMessage on my mac says every contact is not registered with iMessage

  • All replies
  • Helpful answers

Page 1 of 17 last Next
  • by Ralph Johns (UK),Helpful

    Ralph Johns (UK) Ralph Johns (UK) Sep 5, 2014 1:32 PM in response to eh0608
    Level 9 (72,994 points)
    Applications
    Sep 5, 2014 1:32 PM in response to eh0608

    Hi,

     

    This can be because your My Card in the Contacts app (or Address Book) is not showing your details.

     

    It can also be caused by the Sync process between Mac and iOS devices for the Contacts app being messed up.

    In the Contacts app go to the Preferences and check the "Accounts" options and see how you are Syncing he info.

    It should be only one method (iCloud, Yahoo, Google etc.)

     

    It can be caused by a partial Login to the iMessages server.

    Try Signing Out of the app. Followed by Quitting it for a few minutes before reactivating the Apple ID

     

     

    3Sigcopy2.png

    9:32 pm      Friday; September 5, 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 mlinder2,

    mlinder2 mlinder2 Sep 11, 2014 11:03 AM in response to Ralph Johns (UK)
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Sep 11, 2014 11:03 AM in response to Ralph Johns (UK)

    I have the same problem as eh0608 but what you suggested didn't seem to work. iMessage is working on my iPhone and it seems like it isn't an issue with my apple ID either. After calling Apple, they think it could be possibly because I'm on a university wifi, but I know my friends on the same network are not having the same problem.

  • by Ralph Johns (UK),Helpful

    Ralph Johns (UK) Ralph Johns (UK) Sep 11, 2014 12:22 PM in response to mlinder2
    Level 9 (72,994 points)
    Applications
    Sep 11, 2014 12:22 PM in response to mlinder2

    Hi,


    Start with the Apple ID site and the Manage ID option.

    Check your Apple ID is verified and also that any Alternative email including the Recovery ID is also verified.

     

    Check in Messages > Preferences > Accounts > iMessages account that the Apple ID is actually set to be active "Receive At" option

    Same for any other email you have added.

     

    In Contacts app check the Preferences > General section is set to the same Country/Region as the computer.

     

    In System Preferences > Date and Time make sure the Date and Time are correct including the Time Zone and Daylight Saving if it applies.

    It is worthwhile setting the Automatic Time Server function.

     

    In the Finder > Go Menu > Go to Server enter ~/Library/Preferences into the dialogue box that appears.

    In the Preferences find the com.apple.imessage.bag.plist file and (With the Messages app Quit) drag it to the Trash.

    This file will hold the server the iMessages account is trying to use.

    (Restart the app afterwards)

     

     

    3Sigcopy2.png

    8:22 pm      Thursday; September 11, 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 eric Webb,

    eric Webb eric Webb Sep 11, 2014 1:59 PM in response to Ralph Johns (UK)
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Sep 11, 2014 1:59 PM in response to Ralph Johns (UK)

    i have the same problem as mentioned and this suggestion did not work any other ideas?  this started a couple of days ago, with me making any changes, and most importantly it WAS working fine

     

    thanks in advance,

    eric

  • by Ralph Johns (UK),

    Ralph Johns (UK) Ralph Johns (UK) Sep 11, 2014 2:01 PM in response to eric Webb
    Level 9 (72,994 points)
    Applications
    Sep 11, 2014 2:01 PM in response to eric Webb

    Hi,

     

    Try a PRAM/NVRAM reset.

    Hold down the CMD+ALT+P+R keys until you hear three Start up "Bongs" at a computer restart.

     

     

    3Sigcopy2.png

    10:01 pm      Thursday; September 11, 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 wertjake,

    wertjake wertjake Sep 13, 2014 11:18 AM in response to Ralph Johns (UK)
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Sep 13, 2014 11:18 AM in response to Ralph Johns (UK)

    I've been experiencing this same issue for the past week and have tried all these things, but to no avail.

     

    Any other suggestions?

     

    I can't even send an iMessage to my own phone number from my computer -____-

  • by Ralph Johns (UK),

    Ralph Johns (UK) Ralph Johns (UK) Sep 13, 2014 12:11 PM in response to wertjake
    Level 9 (72,994 points)
    Applications
    Sep 13, 2014 12:11 PM in response to wertjake

    Hi,

     

    Do you have any other account active in Messages on the Mac ?

    It can be very difficult to ascertain if the iMessages account has logged in or not.

    It has no Buddy list like the Bonjour (and other accounts).

    There is nothing in the main Messages Window  to say the iMessages account is On.

     

    In the Main Messages window if you try to start an iMessages connection does it read "iMessage" in greyed out characters in the Text Field box ?

    Screen Shot 2014-09-13 at 20.05.18.png

     

    Also try deleting the com.apple.ids.service.com.apple.iMessage.plist one as well whilst the app is Quit.

    When you restart the app you will need to re-enter your Apple ID and accept the pop ups about what the iPhone is using.

     

     

    3Sigcopy2.png

    8:11 pm      Saturday; September 13, 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 wertjake,

    wertjake wertjake Sep 13, 2014 1:34 PM in response to Ralph Johns (UK)
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Sep 13, 2014 1:34 PM in response to Ralph Johns (UK)

    I have no other active accounts in iMessage.

     

    I do see iMessage in the text box while it is unselected as you described and pictured.

     

    However, I am unable to locate that file you specified. It is not in ~/Library/Preferences/

  • by Ralph Johns (UK),

    Ralph Johns (UK) Ralph Johns (UK) Sep 13, 2014 1:38 PM in response to wertjake
    Level 9 (72,994 points)
    Applications
    Sep 13, 2014 1:38 PM in response to wertjake

    Hi,

     

    On re-reading I seem to have copied the wrong info across.

     

    It should be this one:-

    com.apple.ids.service.com.apple.madrid.plist

    3Sigcopy2.png

    9:38 pm      Saturday; September 13, 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 wertjake,

    wertjake wertjake Sep 13, 2014 1:51 PM in response to Ralph Johns (UK)
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Sep 13, 2014 1:51 PM in response to Ralph Johns (UK)

    I deleted that file and I don't notice anything different. Still can't send/receive iMessages.

  • by Nwachnin,

    Nwachnin Nwachnin Sep 13, 2014 10:32 PM in response to Ralph Johns (UK)
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Sep 13, 2014 10:32 PM in response to Ralph Johns (UK)

    Hi,

     

    I just wanted to chime in here and say that I have been having this problem for MONTHS. I have had my mac for about 4 years and have never had a problem. Then all of a sudden about 6 months ago it stopped working. It has also stopped working on my iPad, but works fine on my iPhone 5. I have taken it to the Apple store, where they even tried messaging the store's iPhone, and still received the same "User is not registered with iMessage" error. They couldn't figure it out and told me they had to "Escalate it to the engineers". I waited about a month, until I finally called and they told me to try "logging out on all devices and logging back in" as if I hadn't tried that. They then assigned me a "Senior care rep" who asked me to try a bunch of things with no success. The Senior care rep then told me he would go back to the "Engineers" and call me in a week. I haven't heard from him in at least a month - just haven't had a chance to call back and devote every evening to talking to people on the phone trying to fix this problem. I really just don't understand how a basic feature could just not work for some people, and Apple has no idea how to fix it. If ANYONE out there knows how to fix this problem I would be so incredibly grateful.

  • by sga0006,

    sga0006 sga0006 Sep 16, 2014 7:18 AM in response to eh0608
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Sep 16, 2014 7:18 AM in response to eh0608

    I've been having this issue for a couple weeks, an another one of my friends is, too. Facetime is working perfectly on my computer, but I cannot send or receive iMessages from. When I look at the app, it shows me a one-sided conversation of the messages that I have sent, but does not show me anything sent to me from other iPhones (although it does sometimes show the blue dots indicating that someone is typing, but never shows me a message from someone). The contacts are all red, "not registered with iMessage" when I know they are. It is working fine on my iPhone and iPad. I have deleted the 4 files that Ralph suggested in this and other threads and double checked my account and signed in and out a million times. Apple will not help me because I have downloaded Yosemite beta (the problem started before the download, and I downloaded it hoping to fix it). The only "solutions" I have seen are when people say it magically got better overnight. Does anyone know what I can do?

  • by Ralph Johns (UK),

    Ralph Johns (UK) Ralph Johns (UK) Sep 16, 2014 11:42 AM in response to sga0006
    Level 9 (72,994 points)
    Applications
    Sep 16, 2014 11:42 AM in response to sga0006

    Hi,

     

    The "overnight" fix does suggest that restarting the computer may be involved as it is likely then that people turn their computer Off.

     

    I would try a PRAM/NVRAM Reset by holing down CMD+ALT+P+R at Start up until you have heard three Start Up Bongs.

     

    I would also consider  using a Safe Boot

     

     

    3Sigcopy2.png

    7:42 pm      Tuesday; September 16, 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 sga0006,

    sga0006 sga0006 Sep 16, 2014 2:11 PM in response to Ralph Johns (UK)
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Sep 16, 2014 2:11 PM in response to Ralph Johns (UK)

    I just tried both kinds of reboots, and neither worked. There are actually several people in my class who all started having this problem at the same time. Is it possible that our school wifi connection somehow did this? It seems far-fetched, but I'm just trying to figure out why this happens, and no one, including Apple, knows how to fix it.

Page 1 of 17 last Next