why does Messages tell me my contact is invalid?

Hi,

AS Camelot says the iMessages accounts can be iPhone Numbers that have been registered (the Messages App on the iPhone is On) and Apple IDs that happen to be iCloud ones.

Whilst the ID has to be iCloud Valid it does not have to be the one you use in System Preferences > iCloud as there is no setting in here for Messages or iMessages.

(there are other apps such as FaceTime, iTunes, Games Center, iBooks that are not iCloud apps)

The System Preferences > iCloud does have a place to enable the sync to the other devices using the same Apple ID in the iCloud settings.

It also has to be selected on that other device.

The list is then kept in iCloud (literally in the Cloud) and is read by the various devices.

Set up for Text Forwarding (SMS)

Enable the iPhone version of Messages to register the Number for iMessages.

Enable the Mac version with an iCloud Valid ID.

Link the two by adding the Apple ID to the Messages settings (Send and Receive) on the iPhone.

Add the iPhone to your LAN (WiFi Settings)

At this point the Text Forwarding will show up and offer you the Mac as a point of contact.

Choose this and the Code number should appear on the Mac version.

Enter this back on the iPhone.

The two will now be "paired" for Text/SMS Forwarding.

I have written "paired" in this manner as it is similar to the way you pair Blue Tooth devices but this is using your LAN and at least the iPhone will be WiFi.

The important step is adding the iPhone to the LAN.

I would test send an SMS form the iPhone and check the "Sync" of that appears on the Mac version (green Bubble)

To be clear:-

Any ID or phone number that is not registered with iMessages at that moment in time will return the error message "Not Registered with iMessages"

This is a bit broad as it covers:-

iPhones that have lost contact with the carrier (out of area, Lack of Power, lack of WiFi if carrier signal is not good enough.

iPhones that have been de-registered ( specifically removed, lack of contact with the iMessages server for about a week)

Apple IDs that were linked to iPhone Numbers but the iPhone is subject to the second item above.

technically any Apple ID that manages to get suspended.

If the Mac version is not logging in properly.

It can silently fail at this and you get the same "Not Registered..." for ALL Contacts. (there is nowhere in the app to check it is logged in - the Status item refers to Buddy Lists like AIM and Google or Bonjour)

Summary

You don't have to be using System Preferences > iCloud.

The ID you are using on the Mac does have to be iCloud valid

The iPhone has to be using Messages.

It needs to be able to Send and Receive SMS from the Carrier

You needs to have set up the two so that the iPhone is effectively "Sharing" to the Paired device the SMS/Carrier connection.

This needs both the iPhone and Mac to be linked for iMessages and to be on the same LAN then Linked

Not Registered with iMessages is a vague error message that can refer to several states at the iPhone end or the state of the Mac login at the Mac end.

Only iPhone Number and Apple IDs that are registered and contactable at that moment in time will not show the error message.

If Text Forwarding is not set up then all non iPhone Numbers including Landlines will get the error message along with iPhones that might have issues connecting to the server at that moment.

P.S. Does your wife know your friend comes first ? 😁

8:24 pm Tuesday; June 6, 2017

Hi,

(Wish my wife was that understanding).

for the Points and for the Points. (I got both emails to say you awarded the Helpful before the Solved - it's just this site shows the "top" award given rather then multiples to the same post - Apple's "Recommended" gives the same green tick but only 7 points which will show instead of the Helpful, if awarded).

It is true that for those that have used Messages since OS X 10.8 when it was introduced have only had to do each step as the OS and iOS on the iPhones have had the features.

Messages 7 (it carried on from the iChat numbering) literally added the iMessages account to iChat.

At iOS 8 the ability to link the two devices so the iMessages showed on both was added.

Adding the ability to "Share" the SMS connection is therefore only a step more at OS 10.10 (Yosemite).

You are right in that the app is very Apple centric and the Mac version could have been made an SMS client as well as doing AIM and Jabber/Google and Bonjour in addition to the iMessages account.

If you have an AIM ID/Screen Name then in the United Stated for certain Mobile Carriers you can send SMS from your AIM account.

Apple IDs ending @mac.com, @me.com if linked to iCloud and @iCloud.com are recognised by AIM as valid Screen Names (A dual login to AIM and Apple allows the same password to be used as the AIM password)

Phone Numbers can then be added to the Buddy List and you can chat from there.

See this page and expand the "Does my WIFI carrier ...."

AIM Mobile: IM Forwarding - AOL Help

So...

As you might have gathered I know a fair bit about iChat and Messages.

Your Question is probably more like asking if Word can Spell Check and I have told you more about all it's other features.

I hope that some of it's useful to you.

8:44 pm Wednesday; June 7, 2017

The short answer to your syncing question is to use iCloud. This is Apple's preferred/recommended way of syncing contacts, mail, messages, and more across your Mac, iPhone and iPad - enable iCloud on your MBA's System Preferences, then do the same on the phone and you should be set.

As for messages, it can only send Messages to other (known) iCloud users. If the recipient is not a known iCloud user then it will be sent as an SMS message. Messages has no idea, knowledge, nor care of email addresses, so I'm not sure why you expect Messages to send your wife an email. That's what Mail.app is for.