Why are my messages not showing up

Did you ever straighten this out? I have the same issue and would love to resolve it. Thank you.

-a

No, I haven't been able to fix it and no one seems to be of any help.

I've been around Macs since the MacPlus, so I pretty much know what I'm doing and I'm at a loss.

I've deleted most everything and tried to start over and I'm still having the problem. I've deleted & rebuild the iMessage Preference file, done the same with FaceTime, Email, iCloud ... anything I could think of. I've re-started the computer, every time I've deleted preferences and/or shut things on & off.

I still have some iMessage conversations, where I'm not getting the incoming messages. It doesn't make any sense to me. In one case, a conversation was getting the incoming texts and suddenly stopped.

I feel your pain!

Thank you for responding, I will let you know if I figure anything out. Oddly, I recently received a group text that did not appear on my computer but did appear on my phone but when the person who initiated that text sends me a message directly it comes through on both my computer and phone. I also have someone who only shows up on my phone when texting me directly.

Hi,

Check your Contacts App is syncing across devices properly.

On the iPhone > Settings > Messages > Send and Receive check the Number is ticked and Active.

You cannot actually change this but it does happen that sometimes the greyed out number becomes Unticked.

This means you then only get synced messages via the Apple ID.

That in turn means that in some cases you only see Apple ID messages after a while as the Number becomes de-registered.

A little longer than that and the iPhone stops getting any iMessages as the link to the Apple ID is dropped.

The Mac then only gets items addressed to the Apple ID.

If this has happened then reset the iPhone (Turn Messages Off, wait, then turn back On again and wait until the Number has verified again - then add back the Apple ID and any other settings used.

8:37 pm Tuesday; October 11, 2016

Not the problem.

My correct phone # is "grey" and is checked.

I've reset my phone at least 10 times.

Restarted the computer at least 10 times.

Deactivate all the email addresses & the phone # in "Messages" on the iPhone.

Done the above on the computer.

Signed into & out of iCloud & restarted the computer between sign outs.

I have 3 or 4 conversations running, where I can't get incoming SMS or iMessages on my computer.

Hi,

To be clear there is nothing in System Preferences > iCloud for iMessages or the Messages app as a whole.

It is not part of iCloud.

iMessages requires and Apple ID that is iCloud Valid but it does not have to match the one in the iCloud settings.

(At one time it did not have to be iCloud valid).

All iCloud IDs are Apple IDs but not all Apple IDs are iCloud ones.

Test things this way.

On the Mac uncheck the iPhone Number as an Alternative.

ON the iPhone uncheck the Apple ID as an alternative.

Make each device is set to "Start conversation From" the ID or number that belongs to it. (so the iPhone uses it's own Number and the Mac the Apple ID).

Specifically enter the Apple ID as the Contact to iMessage from the iPhone.

Does the Mac see the iMessage ?

On the Mac specifically enter the iPhone number to call your iPhone.

Does the iPhone get the iMessage ?

The iMessages and SMS item you are not getting, are they addressed to the Apple ID or to the iPhone Number ?

I suspect that they will be addressed to one or the other but not both.

7:36 pm Wednesday; October 12, 2016

How would they possibly be addressed to both?

Someone send me a text from their telephone, they send it to my telephone #.

This is driving me nuts. I now have 8 text conversations that INCOMING won't show up on my computer ... 10 other conversations going on, that work fine.

I'm doing to re-state my question, in the hope that *someone* can offer some legitimate insight to this baffling problem.

ALL texts I receive are addressed to my phone #.

My phone number is properly linked to my iCloud account and my iCloud account is properly logged in from both my telephone and computer.

I have reset every possible connection between iCloud, my telephone and my computer.

80% of my texts work perfectly fine. Whether I originate them on my telephone or iMessages on my computer, they properly show up on both sources.

With 20% of my text conversations, the "incoming text" ONLY shows up on my phone and does not transfer to my computer, regardless of whether my originating, outgoing text came from my phone or computer.

When the other person is responding, the "3 dots" appear on both my phone & computer (which proves that my computer is properly link to my iCloud account & to my phone). The "3 dots" show up until the person on the other end hits "send" ... at which point, the dots disappear on my computer and the text appears on my iPhone.

That incoming text won't show up on my computer. It makes no difference if the incoming text is an SMS or an iMessage ... it won't show up on my computer.

HELP !

If by "text" though you mean SMS then the chat is going to be addressed to the iPhone Number.

In your last post you say:-

80% of my texts work perfectly fine. Whether I originate them on my telephone or iMessages on my computer, they properly show up on both sources.

(the app is called Messages and the account iMessages which normally send iMessages but can be made to send SMS via the link to the iPhone via Text Forwarding and the Code Number)

and

That incoming text won't show up on my computer. It makes no difference if the incoming text is an SMS or an iMessage ... it won't show up on my computer.

My suggestion was you start with the iMessages side and check that they are in fact linked (iPhone to Computer).

From there you would need to check whether in fact you can send SMS to prove the Text Forwarding/SMS link is actually fully functioning - there can be occasions when it does not work all the time which sounds like your scenario.

9:21 pm Wednesday; October 26, 2016

Ralph, no offense .. but you don't know what you're talking about and you're either not reading or simply not understanding the issue. You've posted at least 6 different responses, none of which are of any value.

Is there anyone on this forum who understand the iMessage/SMS process and knows why I can't get ALL my incoming messages to sync to my computer?

You might want to start your own post since this one is from last year. A new post would be much more visible. You can link to this one.

Did you look at the links I posted on 9 May 15?

I already have the Apple Recommended points.

The Original Poster never responded to me or Eric.

I can't think of another way to explain this.

Good luck.

9:05 pm Thursday; October 27, 2016

I have the same problem and was flummoxed. I'm on same iCloud account. Same Apple ID but messages stopped coming to my mac in July 2016 and nothing I do can get it working again. Just found I was only using my mobile number for iMassage so have added Apple ID and now can see Text Forwarding - isn't available if you are using your phone number which is why Ralph's instructions didn't work for me! setting text forwarding up now. Still doesn't work! Have just sent test message to my phone from my iPad and it hasn't been forwarded. On the iPad its not receiving either. I've tried adding it on my phone but the code number required does not appear on the iPad so its impossible. Code appeared on mac but it doesn't work. Very very tedious and so typical of Apple that things become more complex and opaque so that the value of the formerly great user experience is now reduced. Oh and now just checked - iPad got the test message forwarded but shows as not being forwarded to on phone while Mac does not get messages but does show on phone as being forwarded to. Truly daft.

Now seems to be working on Mac. Waiting for iPad to be restored and upgraded so that might do it.

I have had this problem as well and have a suggestion that may work. First, open Contacts and look at your own information. Assuming you are using an iPhone, is your iPhone phone number categorized as "iPhone" (the dropdown menu to the left of your phone number when it the editing mode) or is categorized as something else (mobile, other, customized)? If it categorized as something else then change it to "iPhone". I believe there is something in Apple's software that uses this information for messages/texting. Also, if you use an email from Apple ( .icloud .me .mac etc) then select "iCloud" beside the address (in the same edit mode of Contacts).

I typically don't like "hey, try this..." advice because it rarely works but I have not had issues with messages recently and this may have been the fix...although it could have been something else I changed/fixed without knowing it or the problem may still exist but hasn't reared it's head again.

Anyone reading this, please post if this suggestion did or did not work for you. It would be great to know if this is a fix or if it is not worth wasting anyone else's time with.

Good luck!