iMessage is combinging 2 different people into one conversation

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Level 1

7 points

iMessage is combinging 2 different people into one conversation

On my iPhone 6, iMessage is combining 2 different people into one conversation. How do I separate the conversations from these 2 different people?

Posted on Apr 18, 2016 4:13 PM

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Answer 1

Apr 19, 2016 12:44 PM in response to sabest

Hi,

Separate out their Address Cards in the Contacts App.

If they are using the same Apple ID (or have linked them together) they need separate ones.

Same if they have linked their iPhone Numbers.

8:44 pm Tuesday; April 19, 2016

 iMac 2.5Ghz i5 2011 (El Capitan)
 G4/1GhzDual MDD (Leopard 10.5.8)
 MacBookPro 2Gb (Snow Leopard 10.6.8)
 Mac OS X (10.6.8),
 iPhone and an iPad (2)

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Answer 2

sabest Author

Level 1

7 points

Apr 19, 2016 6:26 PM in response to Ralph-Johns-UK

These 2 people have completely different contact cards. They don't have any link via Apple ID, phone number or any other contact information in common. They aren't linked in any way except on my iPhone 6, showing them now as a combined contact listing on the left hand column of the iMessage pane. This has resulted in the mixing of the messages from each of them on the right side iMessage pane.

Up until a week ago they were shown on my iPhone under separate listings/contacts in iMessage. The conversations from each of them were separate as well. These 2 people are still shown as separate contacts, as well as conversations in iMessage on my iMac computer & both of my iPads. I don't know why these contacts were suddenly linked and the conversations were combined on just my iPhone.

I'm still at a loss as to how I can solve this situation.

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Answer 3

Apr 20, 2016 8:14 PM in response to sabest

Hi,

Do you mean that in the Side Bar listing of Chats you have one that shows at least two head silhouettes as the same conversation ?

If so this is a Group chat.

You can do it by Adding multiple names to the "To" spot.

One of the others could have created the Group.

If this is not what you mean could you post an Annonymised picture.

8:48 pm Wednesday; April 20, 2016

 iMac 2.5Ghz i5 2011 (El Capitan)
 G4/1GhzDual MDD (Leopard 10.5.8)
 MacBookPro 2Gb (Snow Leopard 10.6.8)
 Mac OS X (10.6.8),
 iPhone and an iPad (2)

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Answer 4

sabest Author

Level 1

7 points

Apr 20, 2016 5:36 PM in response to Ralph-Johns-UK

Yes, the Side Bar listing on my iPhone now shows what up until recently were single individuals, as now being mixed into one "chat" even though neither of the two people has sent any messages to the other or joined in the ongoing "chat" with me. How do I separate the individual people and the "chat" conversations on my iPhone?

I need to separate the individuals as they are shown at present (two head silhouettes) back to being single/separate individuals like they previously were shown. All the rest of my "chats" shown in the Side Bar are with single individuals. I need to know what to do to get these joined people and now combined conversations separated.

Until I find out how to do that, I have learned that when I sent a message using my iPhone to one of the individuals, it was sent to the other person instead of the intended recipient. I then had to go to my computer or iPad to send the message to the intended person because my Side Bar listings of "chats" on my computer and iPads hasn't been corrupted into thinking that I'm in a "group" chat with both of them at the same time.

Thank you for all the time and effort you have put forth trying to help me. It is greatly appreciated.

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Answer 5

Apr 21, 2016 11:49 AM in response to sabest

Hi,

Nothing form what you have Posted is helping me in seeing how you ended up with this group chat.

I specifically started a Group chat on iPhone (which worked) and then as it said I could add a Contact to that I tried to add a Contact to a single 1-1 chat but the Add Contact item cannot be seen.

In both the Mac and the iPhone version I can leave the Group chat but I do not seem to be able to delete one person.

As the iMessages are in one chat you cannot separate them out into two other chats.

They are not longer on the server as they are deleted as your device(s) receive them.

I have learned that when I sent a message using my iPhone to one of the individuals, it was sent to the other person instead of the intended recipient.

This bit sounds like the Address Card in Contacts might have been corrupted or even merged in some way. (which is back to where I first came in)

So typing in "Dave" to pick a Contact actually also lists an Apple ID (or iPhone Number) for "Paul" which might, possibly, explain how the the "wrong" person got the iMessages in the first place.

You also seem to be saying that this Group chat is not actually showing on your Mac or iPad

That make me wonder if the iPhone is using the Same Apple ID as your Mac and whether the iMessages are syncing to the Mac and iPad.

7:49 pm Thursday; April 21, 2016

 iMac 2.5Ghz i5 2011 (El Capitan)
 G4/1GhzDual MDD (Leopard 10.5.8)
 MacBookPro 2Gb (Snow Leopard 10.6.8)
 Mac OS X (10.6.8),
 iPhone and an iPad (2)

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Answer 6

Apr 22, 2016 12:10 PM in response to Ralph-Johns-UK

Humm,

I asked Apple to remove the Recommendation they added yesterday but they have just added two more today.

Whilst they are not "wrong" in the terms of the info so far I also think that I have missed something about this.

Essentially I tend to work from the Mac version as I used iChat way before iMessages was ever crammed in to make it Messages.

This seems to be much more of a iPhone or iOS version on Messages issue.

Ralph

8:10 pm Friday; April 22, 2016

 iMac 2.5Ghz i5 2011 (El Capitan)
 G4/1GhzDual MDD (Leopard 10.5.8)
 MacBookPro 2Gb (Snow Leopard 10.6.8)
 Mac OS X (10.6.8),
 iPhone and an iPad (2)

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