Jay Gamel

Q: imessage account missing

My imessages accounts list shows only Bonjour. there is no iMessages account or anyplace to sign in with my Apple ID. El Capitan, up to date. Clicking the Plus sign only shows AIM, Jabber, google, yahoo, etc. where is the iMessages sign in option?

iMac, OS X El Capitan (10.11.4), 8 gig memory

Posted on Aug 20, 2016 1:49 PM

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Q: imessage account missing

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  • by Michael McCranie,

    Michael McCranie Michael McCranie Aug 20, 2016 1:52 PM in response to Jay Gamel
    Level 3 (543 points)
    Mac OS X
    Aug 20, 2016 1:52 PM in response to Jay Gamel

    System Preferences> iCloud> Account Details> Contact

    Hope this helps, best of luck to you

              ~Michael M

  • by Eric Root,

    Eric Root Eric Root Aug 21, 2016 7:35 AM in response to Jay Gamel
    Level 9 (69,813 points)
    iTunes
    Aug 21, 2016 7:35 AM in response to Jay Gamel

    Try going to System Preferences/Internet Accounts, and in the right pane, click Other. In the next screen, select Messages account. Add the account and then see if you can add it to Messages.

  • by Ralph Johns (UK),Apple recommended

    Ralph Johns (UK) Ralph Johns (UK) Aug 21, 2016 12:13 PM in response to Jay Gamel
    Level 9 (72,994 points)
    Applications
    Aug 21, 2016 12:13 PM in response to Jay Gamel

    Hi,

     

    At the first run on Messages  the Preferences > Accounts in the app shows two accounts that you cannot delete (or Add anywhere else).

     

    The iMessages is waiting for your Apple ID  and the Bonjour one in normally set to be inactive (you need to tick the Box to "Enable this Account".

    Bonjour is a zero set up account that will find other iChat/Messages accounts of other Macs on your LAN

     

    If the iMessages account is Missing you will need to reinstall the OS as there is no way to install just Messages.

     

    iMessages (an account within the Messages app) is not part of iCloud (it just uses an Apple ID that has to be iCloud valid).

    In System Preferences > iCloud there is not set up for Messages, FaceTime, iTunes, Game Center, App Store, iBooks despite the fact you might use the same ID on all of them.

     

    In System Preferences An Apple ID ending in @mac.com @me.com if linked to iCloud or @iclould.com can be used as a Valid AIM Screen Name due to an Agreement Apple has had with AIM for 15 years (since iChat (1)  first came out).

     

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    8:13 pm      Sunday; August 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)