#Apple messages for mac install#
#Apple messages for mac mac#

You can also copy the folder to your Desktop if you want to preserve a copy of the cached messages for later. Then, delete the “~/Library/Messages” folder.

#Apple messages for mac install#

If you want to try and install Messages in a “clean” state, you can remove leftover login data.

#Apple messages for mac mac#

Be sure to keep the files on your Mac when you disable it! Clear Messages Cache We would recommend downloading all your document and desktop files from iCloud and disabling that sync before proceeding. Your contacts and calendar appointments should be safe, but your files can get a little lost in this process, especially if you have Desktop & Documents Sync turned on. iCloud isn’t a backup service, and it’s not reliable enough to act like one. First, you need to make sure you have your iCloud files backed up at all times anyway. If you have data synced with iCloud, this can be a little tricky. This can “reset” the Messages authentication, providing an opportunity for your Mac to reacquaint itself with the messaging server. The idea is to sign out of iCloud completely, reboot, then sign in to iCloud from a fresh boot. The best fix is an attempt to reset the connection. This can cause its own problems, unfortunately. Messages now syncs with iCloud on newer versions of macOS. Delete and then add your account back in, but follow the steps carefully. If your device is logged in but not syncing properly, scroll down to the iCloud sign-in step. Your best bet is to use your cell phone number, since that setting is supported by the largest number of devices. In order to avoid creating duplicate messages, make sure every device logged into iCloud has the same option here. Make sure to check all the boxes.Īt the bottom of the Account tab, you’ll see a drop-down box labeled “Start new conversations from” with your available contact points listed below. Check all the available contact methods on the Accounts tab. You also need to check the address where you can be reached in these settings. You can check your login status in the “Accounts” tab of the Messages preference window. This means you’ll need to log into your Apple ID on your Mac. Your device needs to be enrolled in Messages in order to receive messages. You can find these settings under “Messages -> Preferences.” These settings control the connection between the Messages app and your messaging data associated with your Apple ID, phone number, and iCloud.įirst, you need to make sure your device is enrolled in Messages. While iMessage only rarely goes out, it’s important to confirm that it’s active before you start troubleshooting a problem you cannot fix. We will also presume that you’ve checked for an iMessage outage on Apple’s System Status page. Have you restarted your Mac? Are you sure you have an Internet connection? Experienced computer experts know that these solutions are both effective and necessary troubleshooting steps. The Obvious Fixesīefore you try any of these more advanced fixes, make sure you’ve done the basics first. With the correct troubleshooting steps, we can straighten this out. Regardless of the symptoms, the cause is typically the same: a miscommunication between the Messages app and the messaging servers on Apple’s end.

There are many ways that Messages can break on your Mac.

Perhaps you see multiple conversations for every contact based on where the conversation was started from. Maybe all your messages come through, but you can never reply to a conversation. Maybe text messages work, but iMessages fail to send. Maybe you can send messages but not receive them. A lot of problems can make you want to fix messages.