How to change Jabber (XMPP) password in Messages.app?

Question

Level 1

109 points

How to change Jabber (XMPP) password in Messages.app?

My understanding of how Jabber (XMPP) works is that password changes take place in the messaging client. I'm aware of how to change my Jabber password via IM clients like Adium, but I prefer to use the built-in Messages.app client. What I can't figure out, though, is how to change my Jabber password using Messages.app.

→ Does anyone know: can Messages.app be used to change a Jabber account password? ←

Thanks in advance!

iMac, OS X El Capitan (10.11.1), i7 3.4 GHz x 4, 8 GiB RAM, SSD & HD

Posted on Nov 30, 2015 10:04 AM

Reply

Answer 1

Nov 30, 2015 12:12 PM in response to Geoff Cleary

Hi,

Yes I know.

Oh, you wanted me to tell you ?

Open Messages

Use the App menu > Preferences > Accounts.

Select the Jabber Account.

Deselect the "Enable this account" box.

The account is now Logged out.

You should be able to type in the Password box now.

Just type over the old one by highlighting and then typing.

EDIT.

I have just read that another way.

Messages cannot make the change to the password on the server end.

As you will have notice I have only given you instructions about how to alter the password in the App rather then using the app to change the Password on the server.

Google (who run a Jabber server) can be done On line in the account settings (it also changes it for Mail if you use it in Mail as well.

Same for Facebook Chat (that's also a Jabber server)

Most other servers will have a web page method of doing this.

8:07 pm Monday; November 30, 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

Reply

Answer 2

Geoff Cleary Author

Level 1

109 points

Nov 30, 2015 4:41 PM in response to Ralph-Johns-UK

Ralph Johns (UK) wrote:

Messages cannot make the change to the password on the server end.

As you will have notice I have only given you instructions about how to alter the password in the App rather then using the app to change the Password on the server.

Yes, this is what I'm trying to do: change my Jabber account password all the way through to the backend. I've been given an initial Jabber password that I'm supposed to change after signing in with my client. I've been able to determine how to change my initial password with other clients, but not with the built-in Messages.app. Unfortunately, there's no change-the-password webpage for me to use in this case.

Reply

Answer 3

Dec 1, 2015 1:41 PM in response to Geoff Cleary

Hi,

In that case it will have to be Adium or similar.

I just can't be done in Messages.

EDIT.

Not sure why I didn't get an email about your reply.

9:41 pm Tuesday; December 1, 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

Reply

Answer 4

Geoff Cleary Author

Level 1

109 points

Dec 1, 2015 3:13 PM in response to Ralph-Johns-UK

OK, thanks! I'll use another client and open a bug report against Messages.app for this missing functionality.

Reply

Answer 5

Dec 2, 2015 1:20 PM in response to Geoff Cleary

Hi,

The function has been "missing" since iChat 3 when Jabber abilities were added to iChat.

It has always been you have to register an ID some other way (such as having a Google Mail ID and setting it up for Google Talk (And now Hangouts).) or by registering on a web site.

9:20 pm Wednesday; December 2, 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

Reply