Cannot send iMessages on my Mac but can receive them

Try this:

1. go to Keychain Access app in the Utilities folder

2. under the File menu, choose *Lock Keychain "Login"*

3. go to the File menu again and choose *Unlock Keychain "Login"*

4. enter your password when prompted.

I'm on Sierra. I could receive messages on all my devices but after an OS security update I could not send or reply in Messages on my laptop. I finally got a useful error message (STKeychainErrorDomain error -25299) from a third-party app (Airmail3) indicating it had a problem accessing the Keychain. They sent me to a lengthy Apple help forum about rebuilding my Keychain. I started with the easiest possible suggested fix (above) and (ridiculously) it solved all my problems.

So I tried everything on all 4 of these pages and none worked. Finally I contacted Apple Support and after getting passed to a 2nd level, having them have me capture some logs and have them analyzed, I got it fixed.

Close all applications, specifically Messages

Reboot

Spotlight search for Keychain Access

Search in Keychain Access for - com.apple.facetime

Right click on and delete - com.apple.facetime: registrationV1

Reboot

Launch Messages

This worked immediately for me.

Hope this might help someone else!

I just tried the one from cabrownfromottawa way up, i think on page 5 of this thread: https://discussions.apple.com/thread/7528581?answerId=33300061022#33300061022. If that doesn't take you there, here is a copy: So I tried everything on all 4 of these pages and none worked.  Finally I contacted Apple Support and after getting passed to a 2nd level, having them have me capture some logs and have them analyzed, I got it fixed.

Close all applications, specifically Messages

Reboot

Spotlight search for Keychain Access

Search in Keychain Access for - com.apple.facetime

Right click on and delete - com.apple.facetime: registrationV1

Reboot

Launch Messages

It certainly worked for me! Good luck!

Midonz solution worked. I had the same issue when upgrading.

by midonzFeb 20, 2018 12:07 PM in response to Ralph Johns (UK)

Try this:

1. go to Keychain Access app in the Utilities folder

2. under the File menu, choose *Lock Keychain "Login"*

3. go to the File menu again and choose *Unlock Keychain "Login"*

4. enter your password when prompted.

I'm on Sierra. I could receive messages on all my devices but after an OS security update I could not send or reply in Messages on my laptop. I finally got a useful error message (STKeychainErrorDomain error -25299) from a third-party app (Airmail3) indicating it had a problem accessing the Keychain. They sent me to a lengthy Apple help forum about rebuilding my Keychain. I started with the easiest possible suggested fix (above) and (ridiculously) it solved all my problems.

Turns out that although in Settings on my iPhone were logged onto my main Apple ID, under >Messages >Send & receive the login Apple ID was an older ID I'd not used for a couple of years. Can't get my head around why or even how that works b/c I wouldn't have entered it and that ID no longer exists. All fixed & working now thanks to Linc Davis' response below.

THANK YOU @cabrownfromottawa for the following advice that was magical!

Close all applications, specifically Messages

Reboot

Spotlight search for Keychain Access

Search in Keychain Access for - com.apple.facetime

Right click on and delete - com.apple.facetime: registrationV1

Reboot

Launch Messages

I tried this, but it did not work:

1. go to Keychain Access app in the Utilities folder

2. under the File menu, choose *Lock Keychain "Login"*

3. go to the File menu again and choose *Unlock Keychain "Login"*

4. enter your password when prompted.

I then tried this, and it did work for me:

1. Close all applications, specifically Messages
2. Reboot
3. Open Keychain Access
4. Search in Keychain Access for - com.apple.facetime
5. Right click on and delete - com.apple.facetime: registrationV1
6. Reboot
7. Launch Messages

IMac (27-in, Mid 2011) with High Sierra Version 10.13.6

I had this same problem. I could receive iMessages but not send them on my Mac. I went through all the various steps that were mentioned with no luck. I was even able to text Android phones and receive texts on my Mac, but not able to send iMessages in the message app on my Mac. Then, I just decided to turn iMessage off on my iPhone in settings. When I did this, I was able to receive iMessages on my Mac, but now I couldn't on my iPhone. I turned iMessage back on in settings but nothing changed until I closed out the iMessage app on my iPhone and reopened it. Suddenly everything is working as it should. It was frustrating for some time. There seems to be some glitches in the software. Hopefully this will help someone with the same issue.

Deleting com.apple.facetime: registrationV1 from Keychain Access just worked for me!!! (The previous 3-1/2 pages of things didn't.) I did not have this problem appear until I updated from El Capitan to High Sierra recently.

I managed to fix it by searching for "imessage" in the Keychain. Four private keys showed up, deleted all four and iMessage started working. FaceTime not yet.

Another success -- my husband lost the ability to send iMessages from his computer two years ago. Deleting the com.apple.facetime: registrationV1 password worked for him, too. (I am now giving him grief for not being able to fix this himself -- his reaction was to install WhatsApp and grumble about Apple being idiots. My reaction was to track down a solution, and roll my eyes at Apple when I saw what it was. Keychain is a train wreck...)

I signed out of iMessages on all my devices, then signed back in and restarted all of my devices and my iMessage works fine!

Hi,

Try this Users Tip When the iMessages account will not Login

Particularly the last part about phoning Apple.

If you have two Active Receive At IDs such as the Apple ID and the iPhone Number you may well see "Sync" "Copies" (They are not Syncs as they are just sent to all registered devices - nor are they true copies but it is a simple way to think of the same Message being sent to the Apple ID and the iPhone Number)

9:12 pm Thursday; February 15, 2018

Hi,

Most likely the Apple ID is not logged in and you are seeing "sync" version via the iPhone Number.

See When the iMessages account will not Login

10:11 pm Sunday; October 21, 2018

Great ideas on the "fix" for this issue. Unfortunately the only one I have gotten to work is creating a new Mac user account.