SpaceMonki
Level 1 (3 points)

Q: El Capitan iMessage Stopped Working (no handoff no text forwarding)

Funny thing that happened to my Macbook Air 2013 (OS X 10.11) and iPhone 6 running iOS 9.02. I could not use iMessage on the Mac and continuity stopped working completely.

 

When I tried to forward text from my iPhone to Mac, the Message App on the Mac will be open automatically, however there was no verification code popping up on my laptop.

 

As for iMessage, all my friends that I used to contact with, I could no send them message and got an error message saying their addresses are not registered with iMessage. Anyone having this issue?

 

Tired logging and logged out from all my iCloud devices with no luck.

Posted on Oct 5, 2015 12:49 PM

by Ralph Johns (UK),Solvedanswer
Ralph Johns (UK) Ralph Johns (UK)
Level 9 (73,173 points)
Applications
A:

Hi,

 

The phone call to Apple Support is about all there is left.

 

There are at least two silent failures of the Mac to Login to the iMessages account on a Mac.

At OS X 10.8.2 the Messages app was updated to version 7.0.1

This required that the Serial Number was present on the Logic Board.  If was not there was  big pop up error alert with a code number and instructions to Contact Apple Support.

This proves that each device that Logs in does so with a Unique identifier and this can be seen in the Keychain as the IDS: appleID-Auth Token item.

 

It does seem that the idea is that this is used as a Security feature.

Failure to Login shows in at least two ways:-

1) All the Contacts turn Red when you try to enter their Details.

2) All Sent iMessages are quickly identified as "Not Delivered"

 

It also seem that post Upgrades (Yosemite to El Capitan for instance) there is an issue at this point when it reports it cannot login as well.

 

As each device (and in fact different apps) is logged in in the case of iMessages separately compared to the iPhone or iPad the ID will work in other Devices and in other Apps.


However you still need to state that it is an Apple ID issue (free to fix) when you contact Apple Support.

Most Level 1 people have not heard of it.  They are script led and trying to find Software and  Hardware issues covered by Apple Care.

It seems that Level 2s are keen (if not Instructed) to bump the issue to engineers after trying to get you to do more testing.

Politely insist that you want the Apple ID reset on the iMessages server for the Mac.

 

The logic says that this is a security feature to prevent anyone else logging in as you.

However for some reason it seems over zealous locking you out when you have not done anything.

 

 

 

 

 

3Sigcopy2.png

8:10 p.m.      Wednesday; October 21, 2015

 

​  iMac 2.5Ghz i5 2011 (Mavericks 10.9)
 G4/1GhzDual MDD (Leopard 10.5.8)
 MacBookPro 2Gb (Snow Leopard 10.6.8)
 Mac OS X (10.6.8),
 Couple of iPhones and an iPad

Posted on Oct 21, 2015 3:51 PM

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SpaceMonki

Q: El Capitan iMessage Stopped Working (no handoff no text forwarding)

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  • by Ralph Johns (UK),

    Ralph Johns (UK) Ralph Johns (UK) Oct 22, 2015 12:38 PM in response to 15083san
    Level 9 (73,173 points)
    Applications
    Oct 22, 2015 12:38 PM in response to 15083san

    Hi,

     

    You seem to be posting about related issues with a Google Account (It has  Buddy list).

    These are Buddy Lists (I Have mine Separated).

    Screen Shot 2015-10-22 at 20.03.34.png

     

    They are listed in Three places in the app.

    In the Preferences > Accounts.

    Accounts.png

    In the Window Menu.

    WIndowMenu.png

    As you can see you can exceed the CMD + # options.

    And also at the bottom of the main Chat window, in a scrollable box.

    Screen Shot 2015-10-22 at 20.09.06.png

     

    If the Google Account is not logging in then you do need to do the Google Account > Less Secure apps  bit.

    The Server Settings also need to look like this.

    ServerSettings.png

    You need to be Logged Out (normally the "Enable This Account" box in Unticked to do this) and the Text on this pane will then be dark and editable.

     

    There is no Place to see if the iMessages Account is logged in.

    the only time you know there is a problem is when either it returns "Not Delivered" on sending an iMessage or the Contact turns Red and it says they are "Not Registered with iMessages".

     

    Making the Google Account work as it should may help with the iMessages account as that uses port 443 which suggests a secure Login which may well use SSL.

     

     

     

     

    3Sigcopy2.png

    8:38 p.m.      Thursday; October 22, 2015

     

    ​  iMac 2.5Ghz i5 2011 (Mavericks 10.9)
     G4/1GhzDual MDD (Leopard 10.5.8)
     MacBookPro 2Gb (Snow Leopard 10.6.8)
     Mac OS X (10.6.8),
     Couple of iPhones and an iPad

  • by CodingIran,

    CodingIran CodingIran Dec 11, 2015 7:44 AM in response to az12345
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Dec 11, 2015 7:44 AM in response to az12345

    hi ！Do u solve this issue in Genius Bar？

    I have the same issue with you，if u solved，please help！

    tks～！

  • by Ralph Johns (UK),

    Ralph Johns (UK) Ralph Johns (UK) Dec 11, 2015 11:55 AM in response to CodingIran
    Level 9 (73,173 points)
    Applications
    Dec 11, 2015 11:55 AM in response to CodingIran

    Hi,

     

    That Poster you have linked to posted on the 20th  Oct.

     

    I've spent 2 hours reinstalling Mavericks, resetting pram, deleting plists, signing in and out of all accounts, etc.  Does not work.  Very frustrating. Is a phone call to Applecare still worth it here?

     

    I have highlighted the bit I then replied to which was marked as Solved.

     

    If your Serial Number is present, and you have tried a NVRAM Reset and the Safe Boot and deleted linked Keychain items depending on your Apple ID and possibly moved some .plists (virtually everything short of a Reinstall) and the Apple ID works on other devices then calling Apple Care/Support is all there is.

     

     

    3Sigcopy2.png

    7:55 pm      Friday; December 11, 2015

     

    ​  iMac 2.5Ghz i5 2011 (Mavericks 10.9)
     G4/1GhzDual MDD (Leopard 10.5.8)
     MacBookPro 2Gb (Snow Leopard 10.6.8)
     Mac OS X (10.6.8),
     Couple of iPhones and an iPad
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