Why is iMessage combining two contacts into one thread. I can only text back the last one that messaged me. This started with iOS 12

I particularly appreciate someone who "solves tech problems" for a living trying to figure out a way out of this. I spent a lot of time on various boards in the past couple of days, trying to figure out if I had missed some solution. Yours is the only workaround I have seen, other than "get separate ids"....too much time wasted on deleting threads, toggling out of imessage, changing contact lists, update to 12.1 (yeah, that fix didn't do it since I am on 12.12) etc. The only glimmer of hope I had was the support tech at apple telling me I'm not the only one with this problem --after trying endless options she concluded that my daughter and granddaughter must be, unbeknown to me, sharing...and if so, then if I can get them to unshare, I will still have to do all the things we just did (delete tainted threads, clean up any contact overlap data, etc, watch for it to come back even with the new ID if I have left any bit of the shared ID traceable back to my granddaughter's phone...the monster in the apple software will try to bring them back together again.)

Maybe, but that’s the way things go with a majority of technology. I deal with that every day. A one time issue out of over 6 years of use is a better success rate than just about anything else I’ve dealt with. I’m going to just add one thing and then I’m done with this thread because at this point it’s just spinning wheels with the same people naysaying and preaching over and over.

The part that gets to me with some of the replies I get is that I actually didn’t come up with this method. Apple representatives on phone tech support and in the store suggested it to me and I followed their advice and instruction. It originated from what they said to do for my circumstances and a system they had and continue to have in place. If it stops being supported or there comes a day when the system doesn’t work as described, I’ll move on to another method. That doesn’t make this method any less valid.

Alexis62103 wrote:

That doesn’t make this method any less valid.

I never said it wasn't "valid", whatever that means. I said it sounded needlessly complex and likely to continue to break. It honestly makes no difference to me how you set up your devices.

7 months since OP and this is still an issue. I have just experienced this for the first time. It is only effecting one of my contacts who i had 2 numbers saved in the same contact card. Unfortunately the 'second' number was an international number and i am no longer able to send messages to the original 'local' number now they are back in the country. it is also sending as a text SMS message not an imessage as the international number was inactive so therefore imessage failed as it reverted to SMS (costing me international rates *GRRR*). I have tried to force imessage to the local number but it keeps sending as SMS to the international number, even when i have: deleted the international number out of the contact and then the local one too, deleted the messages associated with the international number out of the conversation thread, turned on flight mode with wifi only (to ensure im not charged int SMS again) and inputted the number manually. When i deleted the messages associated with the international number, and composed a new message, it showed as green local, but when i hit send it changes back to the international (green).

People have been taking about the root cause being icloud and using icould alias (at their end) which was probably the initial cause, but my issue seems to have transcend imessages into SMS which is a real problem because this has cost me real money and i am not able to send ANY messages (to this contact) other than international SMS which they cant even receive anyway being back home.

spiritsofthenight wrote:

7 months since OP and this is still an issue. I have just experienced this for the first time. It is only effecting one of my contacts who i had 2 numbers saved in the same contact card. Unfortunately the 'second' number was an international number and i am no longer able to send messages to the original 'local' number now they are back in the country. it is also sending as a text SMS message not an imessage as the international number was inactive so therefore imessage failed as it reverted to SMS (costing me international rates *GRRR*). I have tried to force imessage to the local number but it keeps sending as SMS to the international number, even when i have: deleted the international number out of the contact and then the local one too, deleted the messages associated with the international number out of the conversation thread, turned on flight mode with wifi only (to ensure im not charged int SMS again) and inputted the number manually. When i deleted the messages associated with the international number, and composed a new message, it showed as green local, but when i hit send it changes back to the international (green).

People have been taking about the root cause being icloud and using icould alias (at their end) which was probably the initial cause, but my issue seems to have transcend imessages into SMS which is a real problem because this has cost me real money and i am not able to send ANY messages (to this contact) other than international SMS which they cant even receive anyway being back home.

What you are describing really has nothing to do with sharing an Apple ID (the root cause of the issues in this thread). If you want help I would suggest starting a new thread as this one has run its course and likely won't get attention from those who might be able to help.

If your problem, as you described, started with one person having the same apple id signed into different devices (i.e. one with an international sim card or something) then the only solution is not only to delete the contacts on every one of your devices but to also delete every thread that includes that person, at the international or domestic number. Otherwise, your phone “remembers” the numbers belong together (i.e, same person) on the new unified thread function and forces them back together, over riding any attempt to manually type in a different number. Then very carefully try to communicate with that person only at the number you want...although in most cases, the problem is encountered when family members share an apple id, it can happen without knowing with strangers that have signed in with same id to different numbers...

Did you start a new thread? I have the exact problem that just happened for the first time. Unfortunately my iPhone XS merged my husband’s local number with his O/S number and I can’t text him at home, now, and I’ve been charged for the texts! I also don’t want to lose years of messages to/from him. Have you found a solution, yet?

Ok so I’m so glad that this has happened to other people. I know that that sounds cruel but seriously. So my friend Emma and my friend Gia they are twins. And their apple ids are somehow combined??? So if I wanted to tell Emma something and Gia was the last that texted me, I could only FaceTime Emma to tell her. This is the worst thing on IOS 12.

Having this issue as well. It just started today. It combines my wife’s and daughter’s messages into one. Do you know if Apple is aware of the issue?

I am having this same issue. Started today. it also is only happening with family members. They haven’t experienced it yet.

How owe do we report to apple

Having this EXACT same issue since updating to iOS 12.

Each time Apple puts out a new iOS update I cringe. What happened to their quality control?

The fix is for everyone to use their own free separate Apple ID. Here are helpful links to get you started -

Set up Family Sharing - Apple Support

Create and start using an Apple ID - Apple Support

Here are some things that fixed it for me

Re: Why is iMessage combining two contacts into one thread. I can only text back the last one that messaged me. This started with iOS 12

Submit feedback to Product Feedback - Apple

I'm still working out what product it goes under.

If i choose iMessage its only a mac issue, no imessage section for IOS

Its not really a phone issue either.

Depending on the country, a parent can create an ID for a child under 13:

Family Sharing and Apple ID for your child - Apple Support