Strange Problem Logging in iMessage(and FaceTime)

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Level 1

11 points

Strange Problem Logging in iMessage(and FaceTime)

Good day,
I am having serious (and strange) problems logging in iMessage and FaceTime.
My problems started last week when I bought a new MacBook Pro and was given iPhone from work.

At work I use an iMac and my AppleID works with iMessage on it (iMessage also works on my iPhone with the same AppleID), however when I try to login with my AppleID on my MacBook I get the follow error:

“An error occurred during activation “. (Sometimes, rarely, I am able to “login” but can’t send messages and when I check the “Accounts” settings I see that my account has a status of “inactive” and it logs me out with error “An error occurred during authentication”).

I’ve tried many things to fix it:
I’ve checked and unchecked the Auto date and time option
I’ve reset the NVRAM
I’ve tried using Safe Mode
I’ve even tried reinstalling MacOS, thinking that will fix it, but I was wrong.

Here is where the strange things come.
Today my girlfriend was able to login with her AppleID on the iMessage on my MacBook and everything worked - she was able to send messages and even logged in to FaceTime and was able to make calls.
This automatically ruled problem with the MacBook itself (or at least I think so?).
At this point I was certain that this is a problem with my AppleID somehow banning my MacBook Pro as it was working on everything else apart from it.
Since I use my AppleID mainly for work I made a backup and logged out of everything iCloud and made myself a fresh AppleID account... guess what - ABSOLUTELY SAME THING.. I am able to login everywhere to iMessage except on my MacBook.

My girlfriend tried with her AppleID again - and again everything worked.
At this point I thought that the problem is from my phone number (as when I logged it with the new AppleID on my iPhone it still got linked to the AppleID) so I decided to create an absolutely fresh AppleID that I used to login again ONLY with iMessage and ONLY on the Mac (no other devices, no linked numbers, no nothing).
I was certain that this will work but... guess what: SAME THING AGAIN WITH SAME ERRORS...

I am completely lost as to what the problem might be…

I am really asking for help from you guys. I have AppleCare but I found out that for iCloud and AppleID concerns I have to call Apple support but given the fact that I am not a native English speaker I fear that I am not gonna be able to explain my problem properly...

PS. Things that I should note are that before changing my AppleID I’ve removed, unauthorised and logged out of all of my devices.

Also everything else that is iCloud connected (Notes, Contacts, iCloud Drive, Photo Sync) work fine on the MacBook.

The only thing I am not sure if they work are the Continuity features - they either don’t work or I do not know how to turn them on/use them.

MacOS Version: 10.13.5

iOS Version: 11.4

Sorry for bothering and

Thank you for understanding,

Petko Petkov.

MacBook Pro with Retina display, macOS High Sierra (10.13.5)

Posted on Jul 9, 2018 5:11 PM

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Answer 1

Top-ranking reply

Ralph-Johns-UK

Level 9

76,833 points

Jul 10, 2018 12:01 PM in response to Petkov721

Hi,

See this Users Tip When the iMessages account will not Login

Yes you will have to Phone Apple Care (Support)

Apple ID issues are free to fix.

In Messages an Apple ID can get blocked at the Server end.

THE ONLY FIX is to phone them and get moved up the chain of responders until one of them can look at the server info and see if your ID have been blocked.

It is blocked on a combo of your ID, the password and the device's Serial Number. (If you Migrate a whole Mac User Account from one computer to another you can cause this).

It seems to also happen randomly to others as well.

There is a Test you might want to do beforehand.

On the Mac version in Messages > Preferences > Accounts and the iMessages Account, uncheck the tick boxes for All but the Apple ID (So it can only use the Apple ID).

On the iPhone in Settings > Messages > Send and Receive untick/uncheck everything but the iPhone Number.

If the Mac Logs in now you can try sending an iMessages to the iPhone Number

Start an New Message on the Mac and Manually type in your iPhone Number including the Country Code (Don't type your Name and hope that Contacts will show you the iPhone Number as it does not)

Send the iMessage (if you can).

If it is not sent you are not logged in even if the app looks like it is.

Only by sending an iMessages using One ID can you check.

I do realise you have said you cannot even get to the point where this Test may work.

Your only option will be to phone Apple Support (Apple Care)

8:01 pm Tuesday; July 10, 2018

 iMac 2.5Ghz i5 2011 (Sierra)
 G4/1GhzDual MDD (Leopard 10.5.8)
 MacBookPro 2Gb (Snow Leopard 10.6.8)
 MacBookPro 15" 2016 (High Sierra 10.13.x)
 Mac OS X (10.6.8),
 iPhone 6 iOS 11.x and an iPad (2)

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Answer 2

Jul 11, 2018 11:46 AM in response to Petkov721

Hi,

If the account currently in Messages is working then you Sign Out and then Add a different Apple ID and fill in the password box as well.

(Once you have signed out it will display the last Apple ID that was used.)

This is what happened when your girlfriend tried her ID.

As to why it would not work when you first tried a New ID yourself is a bit of a mystery to me.

However open the Applications/Utilities folder.

Launch the Keychain Access App.

Top left have "login" selected.

Lower Left "Passwords"

In the right hand panel find the item that starts IDS:

It will continue with your Apple ID and end -Auth Token

It will look like IDS: UserID@iCloud.com-Auth Token

You could delete this (And the one for your girlfriend's ID) and try launching the App (Messages) again.

It should recreate this item if it logs in with the server.

One cause is when this Login Keychain is copied from one computer (with one Serial number) to another and of course the Data and the check on the current Serial Number don't match.

7:46 pm Wednesday; July 11, 2018

 iMac 2.5Ghz i5 2011 (Sierra)
 G4/1GhzDual MDD (Leopard 10.5.8)
 MacBookPro 2Gb (Snow Leopard 10.6.8)
 MacBookPro 15" 2016 (High Sierra 10.13.x)
 Mac OS X (10.6.8),
 iPhone 6 iOS 11.x and an iPad (2)

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Answer 3

askbarnabas

Level 10

104,420 points

Jul 9, 2018 6:31 PM in response to Petkov721

Have you already gone to this website and tried the instructions there?Use Continuity to connect your Mac, iPhone, iPad, iPod touch, and Apple Watch - Apple Support

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Answer 4

Petkov721 Author

Level 1

11 points

Jul 10, 2018 1:30 AM in response to askbarnabas

Hello and thank you for the answer.

I have tried all of the steps in that guide, sadly without any luck.

Today I tried logging on iMessage ona completely random iMac at work and everything worked perfectly yet again...

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Answer 5

Petkov721 Author

Level 1

11 points

Jul 10, 2018 6:33 PM in response to Ralph-Johns-UK

I understand, thank You so much.

Just a quick question. What should I do if I want to start a new AppleID? Like how should I make it so it won’t get locked? Because right now even if I create a fresh new one and login on the MacBook it does not work (though it works on other devices), but my girlfriend AppleID works so there is probably a way to have a new one that should work?

Thank you again! Have a pleasant day 🙂

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Strange Problem Logging in iMessage(and FaceTime)

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