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

Hi,

There are two ways to see the Serial Number.

Using the Apple Icon Menu will bring up a small window.

Nearer the top is the OS X version but you can click it.

The first click will show you the Build number which Apple uses to count the version as well.

Clicking the Build number reveals or should do the Serial Number.

Another way is to hold the ALT key down when using the Apple Icon Menu and it will change the top item to System Information.

This brings up a larger window.

At the top of the list on the left is Hardware.

Select this and in the right hand pane near the bottom of the list of info is the Serial number.

It should be about 12 digits.

Later version of About this Mac show it on the front pane.

10:15 pm Thursday; February 4, 2016

Hi,

The one in System Information > Hardware and the one shown in About this Mac > Double click OS X version (past the Build Number) should be the same.

The Build number will be something like 14E33a

As you say these might be 7 characters in some versions.

Just to be clear.

In the About this Mac panel you have to click the line that tells you the OS X version.

This shows th Build Number.

You then have to click the line (Build Number now) to then see the Serial Number and it should titled as such like the pic with the Arrows I posted before.

I had thought that the computer "read" the info and placed it in each view independently.

The About this Mac panel should still change to show you the title "Serial Number" even if the number is missing or unreadable.

The Serial Number should match the sticker on the back or Bottom or in the battery compartment of the computer as well as on the box if you still have it.

I have a Snow Leopard booted computer and this is the Build Number:-

That greyed out line is click-able (or should be) and should appear like the earlier pic I posted (minus the arrows and blurring of course)

It seems from what you are saying that you need to take it back to the Repair place and have it put back.

9:26 pm Friday; February 5, 2016

hi,

In the Yosemite and El Capitan version of the About this Mac the Serial Number does not need clicks to see it is at the bottom of the Overview tab.

9:32 pm Friday; February 5, 2016

Hi,

Can you see the Serial Number when you check ?

8:18 pm Monday; February 29, 2016

Hi,

All Apple password slots will show 8 dots when you return to them no matter how long the password is.

The Issue is at the Server end.

If You have done all the things that might (rarely) correct it on your computer such as trying a Another Mac User and check the Serial Number, NVRAM rest, Safe Boot then it is the server end.

Basically it is an over zealous security feature that block the use of the ID on juts the Mac and just for iMessages (because it is the server).

Often phone call to Apple Support do get bumped up the chain and needs a least Level 2 support person.

Even then they may involve the Engineers from more data grabbing.

At the end of the day they have to reset the ID on the server from just the Device that is having issues.

AS the Login is individual based on the Serial Number as well as the Apple ID and password it can take a long time to convince the Support worker that it is at the sever end.

At the OS X 10.8.2 update (where Messages started using the Serial Number as well the level 2 people were resetting it themselves if the person had their Serial Number showing up.

Many people found they had to go to an Apple Store and get it fixed.

8:28 pm Monday; February 29, 2016

Hi,

An entry in the "To" spot that goes red can mean several things depending where else it occurs.

If it is just one Contact it could mean they are not Registered with iMessages (which is the alert message that shows up)

That could be an iPhone that is not Registered (or has become de-registered).

It could be an Apple ID that is not registered for iMessages.

(Obviously with those last two it does depend on whether an iPhone Number or Apple ID is the "To" ID)

It could mean as you suggest that it is neither an iPhone Number or an Apple ID and if such a number it could be an non iPhone mobile phone.

For iOS 8 and Yosemite users and above on both iPhone and Macs can do Text Forwarding for the SMS linking.

Once this has been set up the Contact will not go "red".

This Thread is in Mavericks so much of this does not apply to the people that Started or joined the Thread near the beginning.

Lastly, All the Contacts can go red as you try them.

In this case this generally means the iMessages account is not logged in to the Server.

From the OS X 10.8.2 update this could be because the Serial number is not on the Logic board after a replacement.

Later versions of the OS seem to develop this issue almost randomly when it seems the Apple ID gets "blocked" at the iMessages server.

This continues even in EL Capitan when the trigger seems to be Upgrading to El Capitan or updating to OS X 10.11.3

Later parts of this Thread deal with this issue of the iMessages Account not being logged in (either fully or partially).

Our best guess is that this is an over zealous Security feature that Apple still have not worked out how it gets triggered.

7:59 pm Wednesday; March 2, 2016

Hi,

iOS = the Operating system on iPads and iPhones

El Capitan = the name used for the Mac OS version OS X 10.11.x

You cannot have updated an iPhone or iPad to El Capitan.

8:07 pm Tuesday; March 15, 2016

Hi,

Since you report the Logic Boards was changed can you see the Serial Number ?

In Mavericks Use the Apple Icon Menu > About this Mac

IN this panel click the OS X version line - it will change to the Build Number - click the line again and it will change to the Serial Number.

If it cannot be seen then you need to go Back to the Apple Store and have it put back as iMessages will not work without it.

It should match the label on the back/Bottom or in the Battery compartment of your Mac.

7:30 pm Sunday; March 27, 2016

Hi,

The issues is simple.

The Apple ID and password also uses the Serial Number of the device to login (or phone number and serial number).

IF the Serial Number is missing then iMessages will not login.

Apart from that it seems that the Security feature that this then is gets triggered randomly, judging by Apple's response to this.

The Fix is that your ID is reset on the Apple iMessages servers (as it is only iMessages that is effected)

Level 2 responders at Apple Support used to be able to see the server and reset it.

It was a major issue at the OS X 10.8.2 when the Serial Number were first used.

That's not to say that can't look and have someone reset the ID.

It seems that some also had the issue in Mavericks and Yosemite when the Serial Number was on their computer - as if the "Security Feature" was being triggered.

Some people had it happen at the Upgrade to El Capitan and others at the OS X 10.11.3 update.

It seems the Level 2 people will involve the engineers and it can then take "24 hours" according to quotes t fix (normally most see an overnight improvement).

There is no reset on the Mac end and you have to wait for Apple Support/Engineers to do their thing.

Reinstalling does not work (we would suggest it if it did)

Upgrading an non working iMessages account also does not work as you have found out. (That also breaks the link to text Forwarding and an OS X Upgrade make it look like an "new" computer which happens to have the same name).

7:37 pm Monday; March 28, 2016

Hi,

Good to hear.

Thanks for coming back and letting us know.

(Apple Employees denying anything is fairly standard procedure. It is how quickly they move to a resolution and the steps they might have taken in the past in data gathering that they miss out that can be the key)

8:52 pm Saturday; April 2, 2016

Hi,

If the main window of Messages says "Not Registered with iMessages" fro every Contact you try then the app is not Logged in.

If you go to the Preferences > Account and it says "Inactive" then that inly confirms that.

I would be interested in seeing what you are seeing in the Preferences.

If your ID is showing then edit that with a Graphic App.

iMessages is not part of iCloud it just uses an iCloud ID.

8:02 pm Tuesday; June 28, 2016

Hi,

If you have turned the Messages App Off then On again the "Verifying" bit should be in front of you (it was the last time I reset mine).

If it is not check the Send and Receive Section or try to start a New Message.

8:07 pm Monday; December 12, 2016

Hi,

There is no place the iMessages account shows it's "Status"

The list at the lower left of the main window is about all the other accounts you may have like Bonjour, AIM, Jabber/Google or Yahoo ones.

They are the ones listed in the Window Menu if you have separated the lists

In this pic the iMessages, Bonjour, one AIM and the Google (which is a Jabber account) are listed as active.

Only the three with Buddy Lists are listed lower left.

8:00 pm Monday; December 19, 2016

It worked for me too, all of a sudden, thanks thegarman! I followed these steps, OS X Mavericks: Reset your computer’s PRAM and when I restarted, I suddenly received all iMessages from one month... still not sure why my iPad's iMessage was not working for some time, but it is working again too since a week, so for me, my iMessage problem is solved!

in response to Hwy6AandM0

and Ralph.

"You may need to go back to the iPhone and check it is still set to Text Forward.

If it is you need to check it is pointing to the Mac."

THIS WORKED! AFTER ALL THESE MONTHS. Now non-imessage contacts show up green and messages can come and go from my iMac.

THANKS!

Gideon 4