iMessage on my Mac no longer sends messages. It only sends SMS, even to contacts that have apple ID

Hi,

That's how you set up Text/SMS Forwarding.

However that is the bit that was working.

The Original Poster, to whom you have replied to, was having trouble with getting iMessages.

Whilst the set up is:-

Enable the App on the iPhone

Add an Apple ID that is iCloud Valid to the Mac version to set up iMessages.

Test between the two.

Add the Apple ID to the iPhone settings for iMessages which will link the two for iMessages syncing.

Then the iPhone should be on the LAN.

Then you can do the set up you describe.

The issue then comes when the Mac version is not logged into the iMessages server.

Although you needed it above when the iMessages part on the Mac is not logged in the iPhone can still send (Forward) SMS to the Mac as the link for that is based on then being on the same LAN and having had it already set up.

You will see on the 1st August 2015 that I eventually worked out this was the issue.

8:19 pm Thursday; November 23, 2017

Hi,

The Original Title.

Q: iMessage on my Mac no longer sends messages. It only sends SMS, even to contacts that have Apple ID

A Quote from the Detail of the Question.

On the side of the MBP, when I send a message it only sends as SMS.

It's about the iMessages side not working NOT the SMS part.

NOTES

You do need iMessages working before you can set up the Text (SMS) Forwarding as the two devices have to be using the Same Apple ID and the same LAN.

However it is possible to lose the Mac's Login to the iMessages Server (the only way you know is when it does not send iMessages) and as the link was made to Text Forwarding on the iPhone and both devices are still using the same Apple ID in the respective Apps then it still works for SMS from the Mac.

This means it CAN do SMS but not Do iMessages.

Since this Thread started over two years ago we have worked out you can Test the Mac's login:-

On the Mac restrict the Receive At list to just allowing the Apple ID to work.

On the iPhone > Settings > Messages > Send and Receive turn Off (deselect) the Apple ID so only the Number is Receiving and Sending

Now on the Mac start a New Message.

Type the iPhone Number in Manually including the Country Code (if you stick in your own Name it does not show you the My Card info from Contacts).

Send an iMessage to the iPhone.

If the iPhone does not get it (no Matter what shows on the Mac end) then the Mac version is not Logged In.

This User's Tip When the iMessages account will not Login contains further tests and possible help to find out if other things will sort this issue.

It also finally suggests phoning Apple Support to get them to reset the iMessages Server for the Mac's Use of the Apple ID.

One of the tests is to see if the Serial Number is present as this make part of the IDS key in the Keychain that makes the failure Device Specific (I.e your Apple ID will work on other devices and also in Other apps. including iCloud).

You normally have to be very patient and get moved up the levels of responders until you get one that can look at the server issue and confirm that your Apple ID when used from the Mac is blocked.

They may have to hand off the reset to the Engineers (more waiting).

A Reinstall is not going to work if the issue is with the Block at the server.

Only do this, if it is suggested, AFTER they have confirmed the Server is not blocking your use of you Apple ID on the Mac version.

7:55 pm Friday; December 15, 2017

When I had this problem, I fixed it by opening Messages, opening the conversation where I was sending messages by SMS rather than iMessage, clicking the drop down arrow next to the contact in the "To:" field at the top of the conversation, then switching it to a contact with the iMessages tag next to it.

cole_V wrote:

I had the same problem but i figure out what worked for me.

On my mac I went to iMessage preferences, then go to accounts and click on the iMessage account and at the bottom it says "start new conversations from:" Click on it to dropdown and click your email instead of your number and that should be it. This is what worked for me so i hope it helps y'all out!

This is what worked for me too! My problems started after an automatic update to Sierra 10.12.6. But this quickly solved my problem when nothing else did. Thank you!!!!!

Hi,

Here is what you have to do. On your iPhone go to:

Settings>Messages>Text Message Forwarding and enable all the devices you want to send and receive text messages from. This is it and enjoy.

Thanks

Hi,

Go to the iPhone > Settings > Messages > Send and Receive.

The iPhone Number should be ticked but greyed out (i.e. you can't change it as the user).

If it is unticked (it happens) sign out of the Apple ID on the iPhone.

Place it in Airplane mode for 2 minutes.

On going back to the settings wait for the number to Verify.

Add back the Apple ID and then the SMS/Text Forwarding setting (You might have to do this several time to get the Mac to show you a new code).

9:40 p.m. Wednesday; July 22, 2015

HI,

OK so the iPhone Number has been reset with the servers.

Is the iPhone listing the Apple ID as an Active (ticked ) Send and Receive option ?

Logic states that it should be as they as the first steps to do (do the standard Sync linking) before you attempt the Text Forwarding link.

If that is ticked then we need to check the Mac > Messages > Preferences > Accounts > iMessages Account lists the Apple ID (Almost certain) and that this is also active as a Receive At ID (which when the iPhone Number is listed creates the "Start Conversations From" drop down).

It may pay to Sign Out of the Apple ID here and then Sign Back in again.

This will cause the pop ups to appear about what the iPhone is using - which you need to accept - just to make sure the link on the Mac is made between Apple ID and iPhone Number

8:14 p.m. Thursday; July 23, 2015

Hi,

I don't have any other suggestions myself at the moment but I will remain Subscribed to this thread if you update it.

8:07 p.m. Tuesday; July 28, 2015

Hi Joshua and Ralph - I'm glad I found this thread. I have been having EXACTLY the same problem you describe, and I have tried all of the same fixes to no avail. This started a few days ago after I got my MacBook Pro (mid-2012 Retina) back from Apple Repair where it had to get a new Magsafe board and a new logic board (it had lost the ability to charge). After I got it back, everything about the computer worked perfectly fine (in fact, better than before) EXCEPT for Messages, which was now doing the problem described above (only sending green SMS messages from the computer - although I can send blue imessages from my phone and iPad).

If either of you learn anything that helps, PLEASE let me know - this is quite annoying as it had been working fine with full linking ever since Apple came out with handoff.

Thanks!

James

UUnfortunately, that's not encouraging. I've found a few other posts out there with a similar problem and the answer from Applenalways seems to be "we've never seen this before." Unfortunately, as you and I are experiencing, it's very real! The logic board isolation makes some sense as that is the only thing that has recently changed in my computer......

Hi,

We may be looking at two issue running together.

It is possible that the Mac can get locked out of the iMessages servers for no apparent reason.

Basically this from the start of OS X 10.8.2 shows that this is possible:-

This is what happens when the Serial Number is missing.

We know that there are at least two types of "Silent" failures (before the Yosemite SMS link ability) which showed up as All contacts going red and "not Registered with iMessages" alerts being shown. The other is when sending a iMessage always gets a "Not Delivered" alert appearing under the text.

Both these mean you are not logged in (? fully) from the Mac for iMessages - the presumption being you can use the same ID to login to other services (different Servers) and even with different devices to the iMessages servers.

However at the same time the iPhone has to have the same Apple ID in use to work over your Local network for the SMS to be forwarded to the Mac from the iPhone's carrier service.

This works as the iPhone and Mac are linked locally and not just with the iMessages servers.

Ergo the SMS function may keep working even though the Mac does not has full login with the iMessages servers.

It used to be that we suggested phoning Apple Support, saying you had a login /Apple ID issue (free to fix) and got (asked for ) a level 2 person and got them to look a the iMessages servers regarding your Mac login and they would reset it.

Then the issue seemed to be more common and also further away in time from the Pic above error.

This seemed to cause a moment towards the Engineers being involved and lots of testing and the Level 2s not solving the issue on their own.

If it is the Mac's use to the Apple ID used for iMessages only a reset seems to fix it.

The Serial Number is used for two reasons.

1) A unique login for each device.

2) a security feature that stops a Man-in-the-Middle attacks (people pretending to be your Mac)

Obviously it seems to be being triggered by ordinary events and causing everyone a headache.

Apple are obviously looking for this cause rather then endlessly resetting everyone that phones up.

9:28 p.m. Saturday; August 1, 2015

This does help me understand what might be going on. So, do you recommend I call Apple and ask for a reset?

Thanks!