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

They aren't sharing an apple id... they used to be, but I gave them all new apple id's and just didn't format their devices. Yet it still is combining them, even after they were separate on my phone for a couple days. All of a sudden, with new separate apple id's they have combined the messages.

Sorry to reply to this particular message but I couldn’t easily or quickly find a way to just generally add my feedback.

Here is the way it is happening on my family’s phones:

Phone 1 = iPhone 7, ios 12.0

Phone 2 = iPhone 7, ios 12.0

Phone 3 = iPhone 6s+, ios 11.2.6

All are on same Apple ID account.

Messages from phone 1 and phone 3 are combined in one thread to phone 2. Phone 2 does not combine with either of the other two. At least not yet. It combines whether iMessage is turned on or off (restarted with it turned off and it combined before it was turned back on). I believe it also impacts the Airdrop feature. I have tried most, if not all, of the possible or suggested fixes mentioned above (restart, delete threads, etc.). We have a group text between the three phones in which they all show up as a work-around for the moment. I understand if the problem is that Apple wants me to create more Apple IDs, but I do not want to do that. If, in the near future, there is not an option to turn this feature off, I will find a different way to communicate between the phones. Even if that means switching brands of phone. If the product is superior to the competition, there should be no need to try to prevent me from using a competitors product.

I think I included all the pertinent info. I just wanted to put it here so people can compare it to what else is going on and stuff like that. 😁

Thanks for the suggestion but people have said this does not solve the problem. Frankly, I don’t care to delete years worth of text threads either.

The so called solution of using separate apple id’s is simply not acceptable.

Busby.p: Can you please share with us the link or text where apple has acknowledged this is a bug? I was under the impression they are still arguing that this is the user’s fault/error. Thanks in advance!!!!

tinker6700 wrote:

Sorry to reply to this particular message but I couldn’t easily or quickly find a way to just generally add my feedback.

Here is the way it is happening on my family’s phones:

Phone 1 = iPhone 7, ios 12.0

Phone 2 = iPhone 7, ios 12.0

Phone 3 = iPhone 6s+, ios 11.2.6

All are on same Apple ID account.

Don't. Do. That.

I'm done. You people don't want to hear the answer. it doesn't matter how many times you're told, you refuse to accept reality.

Best of luck.

captainjacksparrow wrote:

Accept giving them separate accounts after they’ve had the same id, doesn’t fix it. So there isn’t a fix for this, until Apple comes out with one.

Yes. It DOES fix it, if you properly wipe the devices to eradicate all ties to the formerly shared ID.

Prior to iOS 12 update all phones worked fine for two years with out merging text threads or contacts. Following update it happens sporadically and unpredictably. Why would Apple intentionally include this in their software? Apple will realize that it is a bug and they will fix it. It is just a matter of when. Hopefully it is soon.

captainjacksparrow wrote:

And I have manually removed all ties to the former Apple ID. So it’s still a bug as nobody wants it.

Did you sign out of iCloud, deactivate iMessage and FaceTime, then erase the phones and set them up as new devices? If not, then you didn't do it right.

shannonfromplainsboro wrote:

Prior to iOS 12 update all phones worked fine for two years with out merging text threads or contacts.

Irrelevant. You were 'lucky' prior to the update. That argument comes up every time there is an iOS update and people start finding out things aren't working the way they were before they updated.

I deactivated iMessages, FaceTime and iCloud... just didn’t erase it... I can try that but I’ll be restoring it from a backup. Because there’s super important info on each phone and tons of it, which can’t be transferred if the phone is erased.

captainjacksparrow wrote:

I deactivated iMessages, FaceTime and iCloud... just didn’t erase it... I can try that but I’ll be restoring it from a backup. Because there’s super important info on each phone and tons of it, which can’t be transferred if the phone is erased.

If you restore it from a backup, you're defeating the purpose of erasing it. It will try to reactivate things the way they are now.

What is the information stored in? Transfer it someplace else, then erase the phone. Don't restore from the backup or you're likely to end up right back where you started.

Same thing happening to us as well, i tried having daughter and wife turn off cloud back up for their iPhones and thought it worked for a few hrs, but then it began sending daughters text to wife under a merged thread and deleted daughtears solo thread... it was misidentifying us by which ever had changed their “me” info in contacts last... that seems too be better ...for now

definitely just became a problem with iOS 12... never happened in 7 + years of using same account until update

hope apple fixes this soon

I believe I have discovered a “fix” from another person that was having the same issue.

1) Completely delete the contacts and all message threads they are associated with.

2) Restart your device.

3) Start a new message thread with each contact by manually entering the number and send them.

4) Once each message is sent then you can create a new contact for each.

Not sure if this will work for you, but it worked for me and this other individual.

KiltedTim wrote:

captainjacksparrow wrote:

I deactivated iMessages, FaceTime and iCloud... just didn’t erase it... I can try that but I’ll be restoring it from a backup. Because there’s super important info on each phone and tons of it, which can’t be transferred if the phone is erased.

If you restore it from a backup, you're defeating the purpose of erasing it. It will try to reactivate things the way they are now.

What is the information stored in? Transfer it someplace else, then erase the phone. Don't restore from the backup or you're likely to end up right back where you started.

My Dad has a brain injury and my Mom has a very bad memory and both of them store thousands of notes and reminders, plus they have important texts and photos. Things that you can't just transfer across, stuff in apps and such. It's not like we use the phone for fun, which sure if this happened in a beta, then I'd understand wiping the phone and starting over, because you should be using it on a beta device. Like seriously, I don't see the purpose in doing this, making it so that you can only message one number unless the other number messages you. Like say this was used for some purpose, now though, I try to message say my sister, I can't because even though I create a new message and put her number in, it sends to my Mom, because my Mom is the last one to have messaged me. It's locking us to messaging one number, maybe someone has a legit need to have two numbers on one Apple ID, we should be able to do that, otherwise I hope lots of people switch from Apple, because that isn't right and doesn't help people at all... They are here to serve us and supposed to be about privacy, it's not private when you're trying to message one person and can't and goes to someone else!

Like if it comes to having to completely erase our phones, then we'll switch to Android hands down, because there, we'll be starting out blank!

I'm sympathetic to your plight, however, that does not alter the fact that if you want to fix the problem, correctly, you have to basically nuke it from orbit. No one at Apple advised you to set things up with shared accounts. That has never been supported. The fact that you feel you have special circumstances does not mean that Apple is going to redesign their systems to meet your special needs.

You've been told what you have to do to correct the problem. Whether you do so or not is your choice. Whether you switch platforms is your choice. You're currently speeding down the expressway going the wrong direction. Sooner or later, no matter how fast you try to dodge and weave, you're going to smack head on into a semi and you're going to lose data. Possibly all of it.

If the ONLY thing you're worried about is being able to message them privately, then tell them both to turn off iMessage and leave it off. Or YOU turn off iMessage and leave it off.

As I said, though, sooner or later, there are going to be much more serious problems.