osx sierra iMessage not using ringtone or texttone set in contacts app

Question

Level 1

9 points

osx sierra iMessage not using ringtone or texttone set in contacts app

I have selected from the available factory sounds for certain contacts. Not custom sounds I've made or imported or bought, but factory sounds. When they text and I receive it on the phone, the sound works. When I receive the message on the max, running Sierra, the default sound applies not matter what. I can not figure it out! Any ideas?

I have even made a contact in OSX/macOS, selected the new sound within OSX/macOS, verified it played when selected, then tested. Again, on iphone/iOS it works fine, but is OSX/macOS Sierra, default sound plays. After getting the improper/default sound, I went and verified again in the Contacts app on both Sierra and in iOS devices, the selected factory sound is still set up correctly even after receiving a text and the incorrect/default sound playing.

MacBook Pro with Retina display, macOS Sierra (10.12), null

Posted on Oct 24, 2016 10:36 AM

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Answer 1

Oct 24, 2016 1:50 PM in response to polymechman

Hi,

Open System Preferences > Notifications.

Select the Messages Option then untick the Play Sound option.

Restart the Mac version of Messages.

On your iPhone specifically type in your Apple ID ins New Messages (do it manually and don't try from the Contacts app)

Make sure Messages on the Mac is behind another app.

Send an iMessages to the Mac (Apple ID)

The Pop up alert should appear but play no sound.

Bring Message to the Front.

Reset the Notifications to Play the sound.

Restart Messages and place behind another app again.

Send a second iMessages from the iPhone to the Apple ID.

Does it play the correct tune now ?

9:50 pm Monday; October 24, 2016

 iMac 2.5Ghz i5 2011 (Sierra)
 G4/1GhzDual MDD (Leopard 10.5.8)
 MacBookPro 2Gb (Snow Leopard 10.6.8)
 Mac OS X (10.6.8),
 iPhone 6 iOS 10.x and an iPad (2)

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Answer 2

polymechman Author

Level 1

9 points

Oct 24, 2016 3:40 PM in response to Ralph-Johns-UK

Hi Ralph,

None of this helped. In fact, now some contacts don't make any sound at all. I wonder if it has anything to do with a conflict setting for sounds in the Preferences menu for Messages itself? It had "Note (Default)" selected in there. I tried turning that to none, still not getting any sound at all from some contacts, even those with assigned sounds.

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Answer 3

Oct 25, 2016 2:54 PM in response to polymechman

Hi,

I had not realised that the Mac had picked up on the Tones set on my iPhone by listing them in the Contacts app.

To be honest my Mac plays the Sound I have set in Messages (News Flash)

I have her set to Sherwood for text messages.

However the iPhone also did not play Sherwood.

It played some sort of tone that I have not been able to work out with Vibrate.

I much preferred it when iChat had Alerts

Going back to Messages and the Contacts settings there appears to be no way in Messages to use the Contacts App sounds - I am guessing it should it should override the default sound setting.

I have checked the com.apple.ichat.plist and mine only lists the Alert choices made some time ago that are obviously overwritten by some other file.

I am not sure where to go with this at the moment as I seem to also need to sort mine out. (it used to play selected sound for selected people).

9:05 pm Tuesday; October 25, 2016

 iMac 2.5Ghz i5 2011 (Sierra)
 G4/1GhzDual MDD (Leopard 10.5.8)
 MacBookPro 2Gb (Snow Leopard 10.6.8)
 Mac OS X (10.6.8),
 iPhone 6 iOS 10.x and an iPad (2)

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Answer 4

polymechman Author

Level 1

9 points

Oct 25, 2016 2:53 PM in response to Ralph-Johns-UK

A real shame. I have been scouring the net with everyone telling everyone else that "Contacts App assigned sounds will play in macOS in Messages!"

Except they don't. Can anyone else confirm that their assigned contact's FACTORY (not some custom, but truly factory sound options) for ringtone and alerttone/texttone plays when receiving texts/messages within the macOS Sierra implementation of Messages app?

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Answer 5

Oct 26, 2016 12:20 PM in response to polymechman

for the Points

8:20 pm Wednesday; October 26, 2016

 iMac 2.5Ghz i5 2011 (Sierra)
 G4/1GhzDual MDD (Leopard 10.5.8)
 MacBookPro 2Gb (Snow Leopard 10.6.8)
 Mac OS X (10.6.8),
 iPhone 6 iOS 10.x and an iPad (2)

Reply