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The phone number "is not registered with iMessage"

Hi everyone,


Right now I can't seem to send some text messages from my OS X. Here is a list of things I have done that will have caused the error:

  • I fresh installed Yosemite about 2 days ago
  • I updated my iPhone to 8.1 this afternoon
  • I paired my device (I was able to send some texts from OS X)
  • I fresh installed iOS 8.1 on my iPhone
  • I can't send some text messages from my computer


When I start a new conversation on iMessage, the name of the person remains red. When I try to send a message I get a popup saying: "<the number> is not registered with iMessage". The handoff is well configured because I am able to see an icon appear in the dock when I use the notes app.


What can I do to make this functionality work again?


Thanks

Posted on Oct 20, 2014 5:00 PM

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Posted on Jan 28, 2017 1:21 PM

Nancy and Chris,


I am having the same problem. I haven't been able to send text messages from my 2010 MacBook Pro now to non-Apple device users for almost a full week now. I finally have the time to troubleshoot this, but my iPhone 5 doesn't seem to have 'text message forwarding' on my iPhone message settings. I have the latest iOS running on my phone (I think 10.2 I believe)? So I'm not sure what the issue is.

98 replies

Apr 3, 2018 8:46 AM in response to MacProf

Amazing! After trying to find an answer on the web, I spent about 20 minutes with Apple support on this. They put me on hold, came bock, took off again. Made sure forwarding was on. Finally gave up, said sorry, call Verizon or whatever. The number I was having trouble with is on Cricket. And it was listed as home.


I switched it to "Mobile" and suddenly it works. Don't understand why Apple would this. It's too easy to enter a number and forget to specify which.


Thanks so much for your post. I'm dealing with a contractor who doesn't do email except through his wife's computer, awkward, and I send some fairly long texts, which I don't want to have to do on the phone all the time.

Nov 5, 2014 2:40 AM in response to Philibobby

Hi,


I'm also having the same problem. I keep on getting the message ("phone number" is not registered with iMessage) whenever I tried to send an SMS text message from my Macbook Air.


I can't get the text messages from my iPhone 5s to synchronise with iMessage using the latest Yosemite update. On the previous Mac OS X Mavericks, only a few contact numbers worked.


I would greatly appreciate if anyone can help me with this issue.


Cheers,


Demo14

Nov 27, 2014 7:15 PM in response to Philibobby

You must register your phone number by signing into iMessage from your iPhone. If you are already signed into iMessage on the iPhone, sign out and sign back in on the iPhone.

If it still doesn't appear on the computer, sign out of iMessage there and sign back in. It should appear then.


Also, in order to send SMS messages from the computer, you must enable it on the iPhone. In iPhone settings, open iMessage. Select Text Message Forwarding. You must be on the same wi-fi network. Your computer or other device should show in the list. Just click on the device you want to enable.

Also enable SMS on the iPhone.

Nov 28, 2014 5:37 AM in response to Parrish Jones

My reply was to the OP.


You say you can't send at all, then you say you just can't send to some. Not sure what you are saying. For the ones you can't sent to: do they have an iPhone or are they registered with iMessage? If not, then those people will be SMS messages. You will need to enable your computer on the iPhone as I described.


If this is not the case and your problem is different than the OP, then start a new discussion stating what your problem is.

Dec 28, 2014 4:35 PM in response to tranquildavid

Maybe I can be clearer. My iphone shows up in messages on my mac and I can text a large number of person with and without iphones. It's not my phone for which I receive the mmsg not registered but for toehres, their numbers are highlighted in red in the recipient box. My phone and my iphone have no problem texting the same people just my mac.

The phone number "is not registered with iMessage"

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