Messages doesn't work with Google Hangouts after High Sierra Upgrade

Here is how you fix it

I figured out a solution for GTalk to work on High Sierra

Go to system settings and go to Internet Accounts and delete your google account.

Open Terminal

find ~/Library/Preferences -name "*iChat*" -delete

then

rm -rf ~/Library/Caches/com.apple.Messages

then

rm -rf ~/Library/Messages

and reboot

You must make it less secure for it to authenticate.

https://support.google.com/accounts/answer/6010255?hl=en

Now open Messages and add your google account via Jabber. Then go to preferences in Messages and go to Accounts and go to server settings and make sure settings are as follows:

Server: talk.google.com

Port: 5223

Check Use SSL

Then go to Account Information and Enable this account

I rebooted again and then opened Messages and made sure my buddy list was there.

Then I went to System Preferences and go to Internet Accounts and add your google account.

Upon doing this a message popped up for me asking to Add Google Talk to Messages and WHOA it is working.

I can now send and receive messages, have my calendar and everything as before.

Before this I could receive messages and see buddies but couldn't communicate with them.

Hi,

Quit Messages.

Open the Folder ~/Library/Preferences

Find com.apple.iChat.Jabber.plist and drag it to the Trash (it will get remade later)

Go to Internet Accounts and Delete the Messages account for Google Hangouts.

Now restart the computer with a NVRAM reset

How to reset NVRAM on your Mac - Apple Support

Open Messages.

Open Internet Accounts and Add a new Other Account for Messages.

Your Google ID here should match the way it is displayed when you login to the Web Mail page for Google. (Mail will tend to except @gmail.com or @googlemail.com but Messages will not)

Make sure the Messages Accounts has the "Automatically find Port and Server" ticked.

I use SSL ticked and have my Google setting to allow "Less Secure Apps"

This is in your Account settings for Privacy and Security (from the drop down from your icon at the Google Web Mail page (or other Google web login).

I have been using this since Google brought out the Oauth Tokens they claim are more secure than SSL (Also originally Apple did not seem to recognise them either)

9:00 pm Thursday; December 21, 2017

Hi,

In Sierra you HAD to add the Google account in Messages before it could be added in Internet account (or Mail was enabled there) and this used to cope with the fact two servers were used.

Trying this in High Sierra does not work and you have to delete all Google items in System Preferences > Internet account.

Add the Google item and Enable for Mail (You cannot add Messages here as the option no longer exists)

Add a Messages Account under Other. (Scroll the right hand pane)

9:36 pm Monday; December 11, 2017

OK,

For what happened was this.

I tried using the Add Jabber option in the Messages Menu as in Sierra you had to add the Google account in Messages and then activate the Mail option in Internet Accounts (It had to be added "First" to Messages before Internet Accounts had Mail activated as they used Separate servers).

This showed me a Google Buddy List but I could not see an Account in Messages or Internet Accounts, nor could I access the Buddy List to send a Messages from the Buddies.

I tried all sorts to remove the account including trying to set it up in Internet Accounts so that the Buddy List would link to an account, and also removing the account but deleting com.apple.iChat.Jabber.plist in the ~/Library/Preferences folder.

Eventually after trying with the App being shut down whilst I did the .plist deletion and a NVRAM reset as well I eventually got rid of the account/Buddy List in Messages.

I was then able to add it in Messages as an "Other > Messages" account when the item was then added properly to Messages in the Accounts Pane of Preferences and showing a Buddy List I could access.

I would start but deleting the com.apple.ichat.Jabber.plist (Drag it to the the trash whilst the App is shut down otherwise the .plist is still being used)

hen try again in Internet Accounts.

8:57 pm Monday; December 18, 2017

I found that a combination of this - GTalk / Messages Solution Found - High Sierra | MacRumors Forums - and re-adding my accounts got me able to chat again but it prompts me for my password everytime it logs in - which is arguably as bad as not being able to use the app

Interestingly oly my laptop is afflicted by this. My desktop is having no problem and everything is synced between them.

If you go to System Preferences and then Internet Accounts you will see one or more accounts Remove all of them and start over.

I think it’s half-assedly intentional. When I upgraded to High Sierra, I could receive but not send as described above. I then tried a clean install of High Sierra, and my jabber account disappears as soon as I complete the setup up.

I'm at the same point on my Macbook. I did another clean install and this time setup my jabber account first. It too asks me for my password every time, which is a bummer because I have to use an app password because I have two factor authentication enabled.

Thanks for the detailed write up vr5150. I tried this but didn't have any luck. However, I suspect that it's because I have 2-factor authentication turned on for Google. Adding Google accounts in Internet Accounts supports 2-factor, but adding Gtalk as Jabber in Messages does not, so you have to use an app specific password. This is how I did it in the past but even after following your instructions I could only get back to the point where I could receive messages but couldn't send them. It might work if I turn off 2-factor, but I don't want to lower security to that point.

BTW, I've found this Chrome plugin to be quite good for Hangouts. It's not as nice as having everything in the one Messages app, but it's better than just running Hangouts in a regular browser window:

Google Hangouts - Chrome Web Store

Same thing happening here. I often had hangouts and messages running and so would get duplicate incoming popups.

While it's annoying, messages didnt show the inline photos I'm often sent, so really, best for me just to use the hangouts client and close messages! Nice upgrade Apple.

Hi,

System Preferences > Internet accounts

Scroll the right hand pane down until you can see to Add Other accounts.

Choose Messages.

You will then see the panel Tngirl14 has posted.

8:20 pm Sunday; December 17, 2017

Hi,

Open a Finder window.

Use the Go Menu.

Choose Go to Folder and put in ~/Library/Keychains

Highlight the Login one then use the CMD + i Keys together (Get Info)

Check you Own this file and have Read and Write Permissions to it.

8:09 pm Thursday; December 21, 2017

You must make it less secure for it to authenticate.

https://support.google.com/accounts/answer/6010255?hl=en

After doing this I didnt have to re-enter password again

My Hangouts is functional as well, but if you're having issues with a google product with a new update. It's always best to check the spec requirements of your applications to see if they'll function on a new OS regardless Mac or PC.

I am having the same issue - It seems like a combination of the GTalk service being depreciated and High Sierra don't play well together. I no longer get the option to add a google account to the messages app.