Screen Sharing Invitation grayed out

I have the same problem in Sierra and I didn't use this feature in previous OS versions. I didn't use iMessagesor iChat, either. Tours of old software are not relevant or helpful. Messages works fine. My Mac works fine. I've used Macs since the MacPlus, so I'm very familiar with them, and I don't run any funny third-party software. I'm not running any third-party VPN or security software. Screen sharing is turned on in System Preferences. I log into Messages using my Apple ID.

To recap, here's the situation:

• Some people I can chat with in Messages, but the Screen Sharing button is grayed out. Facetime works with these people. Solutions that start with "Just click the Screen Sharing icon" do not work. When I look under the Buddies menu while chating with these people, Invite to Share My Screen and Ask to Share Screen are also grayed out.
  
• Other people I can chat with in Messages, but their Screen Sharing button is not grayed out. Facetime also works with these people. I can click the Screen Sharing icon and screen sharing works. When I look under the Buddies menu while chating with these people, Invite to Share My Screen and Ask to Share Screen are not grayed out.

The graying out changes when I go from person to another person, without making any changes to my Mac and without restarting it, or quitting and restarting Messages. Again, my Mac and Messages otherwise work fine.

These people are not on my home network. They all live across town. They all have Macs running Sierra. Their built-in cameras work. I have no idea how they're signed in to their computers, or if they're using their Apple IDs to log into Messages, or getting a massage, or if they're standing, sitting, dancing or whatever.

A suggestion to Apple: Instead of just graying out icons and menus, how about a dialog window that says what's wrong? Playing detective is NOT fun for customers and I'm sure it takes a LONG time for your Support agents to figure out what the issue is. Several long calls to Support probably cost more than the cost of adding a dialog window.

Read this article : Messages for Mac: Share your screen or another user’s screen in Messages

When you share a screen with Messages, you and your friend can work together on the shared desktop. When you start a screen-sharing session, Messages automatically starts an audio call. You can perform actions such as opening folders, creating documents, and copying files by dragging them from one desktop to another.

If the person you’re sharing a screen with uses a different Apple ID in Messages than they use to sign in to iCloud preferences, you must have a contact card for that person. The contact card must include both Apple IDs—the one they use to sign in to iCloud preferences, and the one they use in Messages. For information about creating contact cards, see Create a contact card.

Important: When you share your screen, your friend can request to control your screen, which gives your friend the same access to your computer that you have. Grant screen control only to people you trust. If you share your screen but don’t grant screen control, your friend can highlight areas on your screen by clicking them but can’t control your screen.

Share your screen or a friend’s screen

1. Select a conversation with your friend, or send your friend a message.
2. Click Details in the Messages window.
3. Click the Screen Share button , then choose an option.
   • Share your screen: Choose “Invite to share my screen.”
   • Share a friend’s screen: Choose “Ask to share screen.”

When the screen-sharing request is accepted, the Screen Sharing app opens. For information about using the Screen Sharing app, see Screen sharing overview.

Respond to an invitation

When someone invites you to a screen-sharing session, a small window appears notifying you of who sent the invitation.

Accept, decline, or block the user (hold the pointer over Decline, then click ).

Screen sharing in Messages is independent of screen-sharing settings in System Preferences. You can share screens using Messages even when Screen Sharing is deselected in the Sharing pane of System Preferences.

HI,

You say "Buddies"

In Sierra the iChat Video, Audio Chat and Screen Sharing for AIM and Jabber accounts, Mac to Mac are not longer there.

The Video menu is no more.

However all the icons still appear on Buddy Lists but do not work.

There are some that do show as potentially active and I have not found out why this is as they don't work either.

The Only Screen Sharing you can do now needs you to be in an iMessages Conversation and then use the Details drop down far right which then invokes the Screen Sharing App (About like the Video or Audio icon invoke FaceTime - i.e.both are outside apps).

The method that was originally in iChat is no more.

8:31 pm Monday; April 24, 2017

Hi,

I will start again

Messages was made by adding the iMessages account to iChat and changing the name.

At that time you had a Format and a Video menu before you got to the Help menu.

Since and more so in Version 9 in El Capitan some of those things have changed (been removed)

It has been some while since we have be able to change the Font - now a limited choice in the General Section of the Preferences.

We cannot use different coloured balloons.

We cannot change the size of the font much either, let alone colour it like we could before.

The most recent change was the iChat Video and Audio Chats along with the in-app Screen Sharing that was linked to a VNC connection with a connected Audio Chat.

To be clear the "iChat" method to starting a Video chat was to use either a Buddy list and the Green icons or the list and the icons at the bottom.

Older version pic

Current Buddy List

The icons remain at the bottom of the Buddy Lists but are not active.

Along the way we have lost this "iChat method" and only have access in an iMessages chat to outside (Messages) apps invoked from the Details option.

Current Buddy list in full

No Buddies Menu options

Only FaceTime (outside app) and the Screen Sharing invokes the outside called Screen Sharing app.

As you can also see there is no Video Menu.

If you were using AIM to AIM to Jabber to Jabber (including Google Talk IDs) to Video Chat or Screen Share you can no longer do it.

The Main window with Details Drop down showing in a AIM chat

So ... Contacts (iMessages chats) will sort of do Screen Sharing by invoking an outside app.

You're then restricted to using the ID you use in iMessages.

In will do the same for Video and Audio Only chats by Invoking FaceTime (like it has for some while in version 8 in Mavericks and Yosemite - call it cross over if your being polite or confusing two style video and Audio chat plus Screen Sharing options if you are not being polite).

Buddies.

AIM, Jabber and Bonjour connections.

9:13 pm Monday; April 24, 2017

Hi,

If the person is A BUDDY (which came from iChat) then you cannot do this in Messages.

Only someone with an iMessages Apple ID on a Mac at the other end can do this.

But BUDDIES linked to Accounts that have Buddy Lists cannot do it

My first post opening line was:-

"You say "Buddies" "

You have not said this is not a Buddy but an iMessages Contact.

Using Messages does not automatically make them all Contacts.

As my pictures show you can have both.

I have stated one reason what this may not be working with this person ( Sierra no longer does it for Buddies but the app does not check the ID is from the iMessages account)

If it is an iMessages contact then if your end is starting up the Screen Sharing app , then you need to know of their end does as well.

If they are greyed out like your pic then you need to be in the conversation you are having with them - their Name or ID (or iPhone Number) needs to show in the Buddies Menu.

To create your Pic I can select someone in the Buddy List who is not in a chat at the moment.

Then you deselect the Buddy by clicking in empty space

I have yet to find a way to have any sort of selection that does not show in the Buddies menu but Mac to iPhone will not work and the second pic you posted suggests that something in the Main window is selected.

8:08 pm Tuesday; April 25, 2017

Hi,

iPhone Only Contact.

This is only a partial as they still show in the Buddies Menu listing only the iPhone Number and their Contact Card name.

8:15 pm Tuesday; April 25, 2017

Ok,

7:54 pm Wednesday; May 10, 2017

According to this article : If you can't sign in to your iMessage account or FaceTime on your Mac - Apple Support

Reset NVRAM

In case the issue is related to any of the settings stored in NVRAM, reset NVRAM on your Mac.

Check for third-party software

If you installed firewall, security, VPN, or other third-party networking software, make sure that the software isn't blocking any of the network ports used by iMessage and FaceTime. If necessary, disable the software and then try using your iMessage account or FaceTime again.

Also , enter in User library : macOS Sierra: Library folder

Find a folder Preferences > drag and drop com.apple.imessage.plist to the desktop , restart the machine , and open iMessage , use the application .

Enter once again in User Library verify that com.apple.imessage.plist is recreated , drag and drop the plist from the desktop to the trash and empty it .

Please consult in Apple support why the screen share button is greyed , I can not reproduce the issue in my system .

As per my knowledge the message application is not working .

In user library > preferences > drag and drop the plist to the desktop , restart the machine , open messages and see if it works .

And according to the article that is for Mac OSX Yosemite : Messages (Yosemite): Audio chat, video chat, and screen-sharing requirements

Internet connection speed (upstream and downstream)

To find your connection speed, contact your Internet Service Provider (ISP), or refer to the documentation from your service provider. The speed listed in the documentation is the maximum possible speed; the actual speed may be lower.

Hi,

Leaving aside the fact that certain Apple IDs can be used as AIM Screen Names and the App used to be able to do this Over AIM as detailed above.

It could be a Login issue of sorts.

IF...

One end is in Messages > Settings > Accounts and the iMessages account and the only active ID to Receive (and therefore the Send Drop Down is effected) is the iPhone Number will not be able to Share Screens.

That is to say that the Apple ID is logged in but the Send And Receive items are reduced to just the iPhone number.

Technically this make iMessage Syncs work as iMessages addressed to the Apple ID will show up as the iPhone Number as ID will show them.

The second potential issue related to this is you can't tell if the Apple ID is actually logged in until the Apple ID is the only Receive/Send option (the iPhone Number is deselected) and you try to send (manually enter your iPhone Number as it will not call up the My Card info as you are not expected to call yourself)

Of course the issues detailed in this post also have to be tested at the other end.

Example pic of Apple ID as AIM Screen Name for Messages:-

8:18 pm Thursday; May 11, 2017

Hi,

In System Preferences > Sharing Apple Remote Desktop and Screen Sharing cannot be on at the same time.

It is called Remote Management in Sierra and will turn Off Screen Sharing if it is already on.

Also open Hard Drive name/System/Library/Core Services/Applications

These applications are normally started by other applications.

Can you start the Screen Sharing one ?

If you are not using Sierra then the App may be loose in Core Services

8:20 pm Monday; October 2, 2017

If the person you’re sharing a screen with uses a different Apple ID in Messages than they use to sign in to iCloud preferences, you must have a contact card for that person. The contact card must include both Apple IDs—the one they use to sign in to iCloud preferences, and the one they use in Messages. For information about creating contact cards, see Create a contact card.

YES this made my "invite to share screen" thing from "grayed out" to clickable white! It was because in that persons contact card, their email was different than their email used for Apple ID. once I added their Apple ID email to their contact info, it wasn't grayed out anymore!

Thank you!

Same problem here. I can't do screen sharing with one of my contacts who is like me on macOS Sierra using Messages with iCloud accounts. The Screen Sharing icon is greyed out. With anyone else it's working. There is no indicator why it isn't working with this one contact.

Ralph, please don't reply. No one understands what you describe there, it all sounds like auto-translation. It's totally confusing and over-packed with unrelated information.