Q: iMessage won't sign in

HI,

If... on the iPhone the Number in Settings > Messages > Send and Receive is not actually ticked (Active) then the Number will become de-registered.

If... left alone, then the iPhone will stop accepting or syncing the iMessages that the Apple ID can "See". i.e. the link between iPhone number and Apple ID at the iMessages server becomes broken.

This may explain, why on your Mac, the Number was not showing.

The fact it has become De-registered on the iPhone may also explain why the Mac can not longer sign in.

I would check the iPhone settings first.

If the Number is not registered, turn Off Message on the iPhone and then start it up again and wait for the Number to verify.

If that works then try adding the Apple ID to the Mac again.

Post back when you have got this far.

8:14 pm      Wednesday; August 24, 2016

Hi,

On the Mac in System Preferences > User and Groups either create another Mac User account or enable the Guest user.

Log as the new User or Guest and set up iMessages.

Does it work there ?

9:00 pm      Wednesday; August 24, 2016

Hi,

iCloud is nothing to do with iMessages.

In fact in System Preferences > iCloud there is nothing for the iMessages account, the Messages app, FaceTime, iTunes, App Store, iBooks, Game Center.

Realistically there is no difference is using a Google mail ID (or mail ID of your choice) as an Apple ID compared to an iCloud ID used to login to various Apple servers.

Reset Home Folder permissions and ACLs Error

There are two important posts in this thread.

Do the Orange/Helpful one first. It tests if you Own and have access to all the files in your Home Folder including the Library and Keychain items.

It also checks you have the correct Read and Write permissions.

When you have run the test you should get a number (Linc suggests 41 as an example).

Whatever the number (you will always get some) run the Terminal Instructions in the Solved/Green Post.

The reason I am suggesting this is that the Preferences files (.plists) are held, in the main in ~/Library/Preferences

However to Write to some of them you have to go ~/Library/Containers/com.apple.iChat/Data/Library/Preferences that then have Aliases pointing to the file sin the other folder.

This dramatically increases the number of Folders you have to have Read and Write permissions for.

Manually checking and resetting each one (potentially) is laborious.

The above Link will get us past that stage without missing anything.

Once you have done this then restart Messages and try the iMessages account again.

Report back at this stage.

I am likely to go off line in about 1/2 hour and it will be about a 20 hour wait before I am back (I will be back) (Sleep, Work, Eat -> Online)

9:29 pm      Wednesday; August 24, 2016

Hummm,

OK, Applications/Utilities open the Keychain Access item.

Have "Login" top left selected.

"Passwords" lower left.

On the right look for IDS: YourAppleIDemail-Auth Token (As in something like IDS: user@internetMail.com-Auth Token).

Delete this.  (Messages will recreate it when you restart it).

Open a Finder window.

Use the Go Menu whilst holding down the ALT key.

Select the Library that appears in the list.

Navigate to Preferences.

Find com.apple.ids.service.com.apple.madrid.plist

Delete that (Drag to Trash)

Do the same with com.apple.imessage.bag.plist

The first holds the Apple ID and the alternatives that were listed.  The second holds the server you last connected in the iMessages server group.

When you restart Messages it should be blank in the iMessages account and you will definitely have to re-enter the Apple ID if you have not already been doing this.

9:48 pm      Wednesday; August 24, 2016

Hi,

Glad you found it.

Little Snitch can be "Bad" when it does this  but I have not had it block anything on it's own.

If another User is an Admin then that option is more likely.

for the    Points

9:53 pm      Wednesday; August 24, 2016