HT201422: If you get an error when trying to activate iMessage or FaceTime

Learn about If you get an error when trying to activate iMessage or FaceTime
Gaye M
Level 1 (4 points)
Mac OS X

Q: It's been over 24 hours, and Apple iMessage will not accept my Apple password

I've gone into settings, checked things on the Mac and on my iPhone.  The iPhone is set and works perfectly.  The iMessage on Mac worked perfectly until yesterday.  I use Chrome, but went back to Safari and it still doesn't work.  Help, please.

iMac, OS X Yosemite (10.10.1), 3.06 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo

Posted on Dec 1, 2014 11:05 PM

Close
Gaye M

Q: It's been over 24 hours, and Apple iMessage will not accept my Apple password

  • All replies
  • Helpful answers

  • by Linc Davis,

    Linc Davis Linc Davis Dec 2, 2014 9:12 AM in response to Gaye M
    Level 10 (207,936 points)
    Applications
    Dec 2, 2014 9:12 AM in response to Gaye M

    Here are some suggestions for getting the best results from this site.

    Give details of the problem. A remark such as "X doesn't work" conveys no useful information. If X did work, you wouldn't be here. Instead, you should post something like this: "I did A; I expected B; but I got C." Include the complete, verbatim text of any error messages you saw, and specify where you saw them: in an application window, a CrashReporter window, a log, or whatever.

    Also describe the steps you’ve taken yourself, if any, to try to resolve the issue. If the problem is of recent origin, did you make any changes to your setup just before you first noticed it? Is the problem reproducible or intermittent? That is, does it always manifest itself when you take a certain action, or only at unpredictable times?

    Before posting, ask yourself whether it’s likely that you are the the only person ever to have had this problem. If not, search the discussions for answered questions similar to yours. If you found any pertinent information, but it didn't help, give details.

  • by Gaye M,

    Gaye M Gaye M Dec 2, 2014 9:37 AM in response to Gaye M
    Level 1 (4 points)
    Mac OS X
    Dec 2, 2014 9:37 AM in response to Gaye M

    I have gone to Apple help page for iMessage, Google Help Pages for Google Talk (because the menu asks for a talk.google.com password)

    Screen Shot 2014-12-02 at 9.27.26 AM.png

     

    but there is no page for Message, Google Message or any Message at all.  It synchs with Google email, so I went to the help page for that.  I tried logging into my internet accounts again - Gmail in particular.  When I went into preferences and internet accounts, iMessage asked for my Apple password.  So I tried that.  I had also tried logging in using my Google password - supposed to work with all Google apps - and my Gmail password.  Even tried an old password.  I got this screen:

     

    Screen Shot 2014-12-02 at 9.24.44 AM.png

     

    When I hit the Cancel button, it will not cancel but keeps popping up.  Just now, it was 8 times before it stopped.  All other Google functions are working and are connected when I look in internet accounts.

     

    When I click on the message icon, it opens, but the screen is grayed out:

     

    Screen Shot 2014-12-02 at 9.30.39 AM.png

    However, it did update one message from this morning.  The messages are otherwise not there between 11/30 and Dec 2, today.

  • by Gaye M,

    Gaye M Gaye M Dec 2, 2014 9:42 AM in response to Linc Davis
    Level 1 (4 points)
    Mac OS X
    Dec 2, 2014 9:42 AM in response to Linc Davis

    I also checked my iPhone settings for Messages and made sure it was according to the Apple Message Help site.  I don't know what else to do.

  • by Linc Davis,

    Linc Davis Linc Davis Dec 2, 2014 10:51 AM in response to Gaye M
    Level 10 (207,936 points)
    Applications
    Dec 2, 2014 10:51 AM in response to Gaye M

    If you've activated 2-step verification, you need to generate an application-specific password in your Google account and enter it instead of the login password you use on the website.

  • by Gaye M,

    Gaye M Gaye M Dec 2, 2014 12:28 PM in response to Linc Davis
    Level 1 (4 points)
    Mac OS X
    Dec 2, 2014 12:28 PM in response to Linc Davis

    I followed the Google directions to remove 2-step verification.

    An update, it appears to receive at least some messages and gives a notification, but still has me as needing to log in.

  • by Linc Davis,

    Linc Davis Linc Davis Dec 2, 2014 12:40 PM in response to Gaye M
    Level 10 (207,936 points)
    Applications
    Dec 2, 2014 12:40 PM in response to Gaye M

    I'm not sure what that means. Is the account working now or not?

  • by Gaye M,

    Gaye M Gaye M Dec 2, 2014 1:55 PM in response to Linc Davis
    Level 1 (4 points)
    Mac OS X
    Dec 2, 2014 1:55 PM in response to Linc Davis

    Not sure what it means, but it is not grayed out as of now, and appears to be sending and receiving. 

    It's a mystery.  Down for 48, didn't respond to all my attempts, and is back now.

    Thanks for your help.