I watched a couple of videos trying to resolve this issue that suddenly popped up and none of them spoke in a tech-language I understood. Your instructions were simple, clear, and it fixed my messaging problem immediately. Thanks so much for this.
I don't usually leave reviews. This video was sooo helpful. I watched 2 other videos before finding this one. Happy to say everything is working properly now.
Seriously the BEST video out there! I was having an issue with my Mac not syncing with my iPhone messages. It was driving me crazy! I even tried to solve this with Apple support with no resolve. I watached several videos and articles before finally ending up on your video. Thanks to you, I am synced on all my devices. Thank you :)
Hey that's the best news ever, thank you! Yes indeed this video was borne of fixing it hundreds of times so I am not surprised my steps work - good on you for following them carefully! It's a doozy of a job! - Lucas
This is the best tech support youtube video I've ever seen for pace, clarity, and usefulness of information. My iMessage is now working as it should. Thanks!!!!
When I went into Messages/Settings/iMessage on my MacBook Pro, all of the check options were grayed out and I was unable to do anything. I remembered resetting my password for iCloud recently but I had never signed out of iMessage on my MacBook Pro since then. By signing out of iMessage on my MacBook Pro, then signing back in with the new password, I was able to select all of the correct items mentioned above. Now everything works correctly. The video is excellent and put me on the right track. Just want to add this detail in case it helps anyone else. Thanks very much!
I have an older Mac,. Although I have updated it to the latest version of iOS, your solution options are different in my computer. I message was nowhere to be found on the system preferences. I went through setting and other avenues but have no luck. What do you suggest is the newer solution?
What delightful, empathetic and caring personality you have! Thanks for being you and helping demystify the iMessage weirdness I've been having. I guess I've got to be patient with the icloud sync!
I rarely ever subscribe to UA-cam channels, but you got me! Clear instructions, perfect pace, great visuals ... you've got it all. Thanks SO much! exactly my opinion
Great video! You walked me right thru getting my imessage to work with my android friend. I haven’t had a laptop since 2008 so its like learning all over again. Thank You
Thank you so so much!! I’ve been dealing with this problem since forever! You’ve explained everything so well, step by step. Can’t thank you enough!! 😌☺️
Omg I've been struggling to get some messages syncing for years, I had no idea about the forwarding options for Android users (I swear it's never been there before), but things are finally working!!! Thanks!
This is still the best video out there on this mess and note that this often takes a while to work (maybe next day after sync is finished) . However it would be useful to know 1. Why when it's been working for months, it suddenly stops working. 2 What to do before going through these steps _ I find I have to quip the apps and reboot and start from scratch. 3. update the instructions so that they reflect the current software versions
3) Yep at some point I will make a new video but all the steps still work, the only difference is Messages settings on the iPhone has moved to be under "Apps" so you need to go Settings -> Apps -> Messages. From there it's all the same as this video. 1) Seems related to installing an update or getting a new device. 2) Yep restarting both devices is a good move!
The video is excellent - crystal clear and coherent. Unfortunately, these steps don't work in my case. I still can't sync iMessage messages from my iPhone to any of my other devices - they show on my iPhone, but won't sync to my iMac, MacBook or iPad. Every now and then, I can force a sync by using the "Sync now" command in Messages/Settings/iMessage, but even this doesn't always work and in any case the messages are at least a day or two old even if it does manage to sync.The problem coincided with my getting a new iPhone 15 Pro, but this may be purely coincidental.
Might be a health issue with your Mac or your setup then... I can help with that in a one on one consult. Let me know if you want me to send you my booking link! It's about $145 USD per hour. - Lucas
Thanks for your reply Lucas. Since I have the same problem on my MacBook and iPad, it doesn't seem to be a specific issue with my Mac. Messages do eventually show up in all three devices, but after a delay of 48 to 72 hours. I'll pass on making a booking for the moment.@@lucasmacinhome
I have the same experience, intermittent "sync now" etc...I have signed in and out of icloud to no avail. And restarted both the laptop and the desktop multiple times. Since I am retired I have plenty of time for workarounds but it's still frustrating as all get out.
My Apple ID on my iPhone is different from the one on my Macbook Air. Can I still sync them both so I can see and text my messages on both devices? I followed your instructions just fine until I get to 2:55 and what is displayed on my Mac is different from my iPhone. On my Mac only my email address is shown. Any help would be appreciated. Thank you!
This really helped me . Thanks for creating the video. I finally got it sorted and became excited when my messages were printing. Now, I need ti figure out how to send a file to my attorney to be used in court. Thanks again. Keep up the informative tutorials.
Yes it does take many settings in many places to make it all work well... This is all still accurate for macOS Sequoia and iOS 18 it just looks slightly different. So the steps are the same.
At last! I read several web pages & viewed other videos before discovering this. Finally restored synching of SMS between iPhone, iPad & MacBook. Thank you. No one else suggested checking iCloud setting. I wonder how that got turned off on my iPhone & iPad.
Thanks for this! Just encountered problems after updating to Sequoia and iOS 18. I did find I had to restart both the Mac and the phone, but now the universe is back in order.
Thank you for a concise, clear and understandable set of instructions to fix the Messages not syncing on Mac and not sending messages from Mac to Android users..
Great video. Very well communicated and edited. Clear and concise. However, I have a problem you don't address. The addition of a new .icloud email address. It is in addition the the existing email address. Followed all your steps. Messages are still not synching between devices. Logged out and back in to Apple ID. Do we infer that the issue is still "it takes some time to sync the history"? Or is there something else going on?
It's normal to have an @icloud.com account even if you don't ever use it as an email address. I do address that in the video... I say it is weirdly important to leave those enabled for receiving iMessages even if no one has that address for you and you will never use it. So go through the video again knowing that and then see if it syncs up in a day or two. - Lucas
@@lucasmacinhome I rewatched the video. Lucas, again great video. Things look a bit different on IOS 17.2.1. Per your directive (@1:37), I did and still do have both the old email address and the new .icloud address checked. I manually synched from the phone and all the messages synched up to 10pm last night. Not the messages from this morning. Do you think that this shows it working at that it will eventually "catch-up" and synch in real time? @3:15 of your video you show the desktop version and you show your phone number. What do you do if there is no phone number appearing? Only the email addresses? Nor is there an ability to start a new conversation from the phone number. The number is not in the pull-down. Your video doesn't mention how to trouble shoot that. I will sign up for an hour of troubleshooting with your team if necessary.
I think that was it. Now my cell number appears on the messages I can be reached at on the desktop and the number shows up in the drop down to start new conversations. Oh, and now the messages just started synching.
Thanks this fixed it after watching so many different videos, however the images present on the Macbook messages are still just the default profile pictures, is there a solution to be able to bring over the Pictures and Names of the contacts from those in the Iphone?
Yes, those images sync with contact syncing... so your contacts might need to sync from gmail or iCloud over to the Mac. There's no quick fix for this as there are 100 ways it could be set up now; I would need to see it to help you get it syncing correctly. I charge about $145USD per hour... you can book from this link: macinhome.com/booking/ and just scroll down a bit to see me.
What if at 3:22, there is a loading circle next to the top right button "Sign Out," and all the "reached list" on the left is in grey (not active) ? It's frozen like that. I've done and checked all the previous steps multiple times. No result. Any hints? It's happened multiple times this year. It's like the Apple cloud services are getting worse :(
I don't have a quick fix idea for you but if you want a hand with it I can have a look at your setup. Could be your Mac health in general. Could be your internet/wifi. Could be your cell provider. That's not something I see often when I am working with clients so there's something in your particular setup that's causing that issue. Book with me anytime from macinhome.com/booking
Great Instructions, but for some reason, my iMac refuses to sync with text messages. I know it should and I don't know what I'm doing wrong. Do I have to sign out on my iPhone12 and my iPad Pro and the iMac running Mojave 10.14.6?
I was able to do everything in the video up until the settings for Messages on my Mac in the iMessages menu. Your video shows a checkbox for "Enable Messages in iCloud" under the Apple ID line but that isn't in my settings window. I am using MacBook Air M2, 2022 running Ventura 13.6.1. Is that setting somewhere else in my version?
I have seen that iCloud sync option missing if your Apple ID doesn't have two factor authentication enabled... I've also needed to sign out and sign in again on the Mac. Reboot the Mac, etc. General system health stuff could prevent that showing up on the Mac. Let me know if you want a hand and I can send you my booking link for a consult. - Lucas
Ah yes the pause happens if the phone is only on battery or only on cellular... so the fix is to keep your phone on wifi and plugged into power as much as possible!
@@lucasmacinhome you are so kind to answer, thank you. I never had this issue before, where my phone would have one set of messages and the laptop would have others... not in sync. My iphone updated... and...you know we all hate that. it is like a foreign object to me now. So my phone is unplugged much of the day as I am on it - and I am having issues. Is there anything else to be done? AND< thank you so much, again.
Wow, what a great tutorial! Thanks so much, it seems to be working smoothly on all my devices! I can now send and receive seamlessly with all devices! YAY!
This was a great video thanks! Also thank you for clarifying that the syncing will take some time, other videos didn't make that as clear and made seem as though it should start syncing immediately. Maybe that's common sense, but I'm not tech savvy despite being raised in the tech era lmao.
Wow, wow, and wow. I felt as if someone from my Apple Store was talking to me. You are one in a million. Thank you ever so much. You are a true professional. I am Subscribing to you.
very helpful; however my iPad is old and I get several prompts that there isn't enough storarge...Hoping that it will still sync to my iPhone SE and my MacBookPro. 🤞
MMS works through "text message forwarding" so in your iPhone settings under Messages -> Text Message Forwarding, make sure everything in there is turned on.
how do I unpause the syncing? My iMessages on my Mac are paused after following the order you specified in this video, when I hit "Sync Now" it started then now it says "syncing with iCloud paused" . how do I fix this?
@@lucasmacinhome Most times they do and sometimes they don't. I will see a message on my phone but it's not on the Mac. If I reply on the Mac, sometimes the previous message will come up.
@@jasondevonshireportraits8908 If the text syncing is unreliable then I would turn my attention to your wifi/internet, and general Mac and iPhone health. If you have spotty wifi or cell, or if you are sometimes turning on airplane mode, things like that - it can be an issue. If your Mac has been imported a couple times from previous Macs then some dust and cobwebs can accumulate in the OS and it makes it glitchy or slow.
Then I would sign the iPhone out of iMessage and sign in again… might need some troubleshooting! Happy to help if you like. Book anytime: macinhome.com/booking/ - Lucas
Bought a Mac mini and mac air. Only some contacts show as names but most of them only show as phone numbers I have all the history of iMessages just they have a phone number next to it. When I click contacts those numbers are not in contacts
Thanks for this vid. Mine was already set like this, but it's like something isn't automating every 10 mins or whenever a sync is required. It's like the phone and other devices are asleep.
I just recently got a new MacBook Air M2, I have everything checked as you did in the video. My contacts on my mac and phone are synced, however, some of the contact names on my MacBook don't show up even though I have them on my phone, and the number of message notifications on my phone and MacBook messages app don't match up. Ive tried everything to try and get the names to show up on my mac with the new contacts but nothing is working. Help?
I would need to see your setup and confirm the details in the contact syncing... And I have some questions about the number of message notifications. Feel free to book a "new client" consult with me if you want a hand. Here's my booking link: macinhome.com/booking/ - Lucas
I have a new Mac Mini. I used Migration Assistant to transfer everything. iMessage on the new Mac will not send or receive messages. I checked all the settings on this video several times. There must be some potential problem you've missed.
I worked it out myself. Here is the fix. The hints on Apple's home page didn't help. Still iMessages didn't send after going through all the suggestions. This is what worked: Messages - Settings - iMessage - DISABLE messages in iCloud by unticking the box. Wait a few seconds. Enable messages in iCloud. If all else has failed THIS WILL WORK.
Why do we need to set "Start new conversations" to a phone number? I have 3 different eSIMs (phone numbers) tied to my iPhone so setting Start new conversations to my Apple ID email adress works better for me.
My messages keep saying that the syncing in I could is pausing as well on my MacBook that when I press sync now it doesn’t stay gray. How can I fix this or what does this mean
How do I edit the field, "Start new conversations from:"? This field shows my email only. I am unable to add my phone number. I stopped receiving some texts on my MAC recently, only got them on my iPhone. Thanks.
Thank you!! I've been trying to find a way so that I could message my mums android phone on my MacBook for the past 6 months and now realised that it didn't work because my macs messages didn't tick my number box.
BRILLIANT! Thanks so much, this has annoyed me for sooo long - just one android phone I could never send/receive on my main mac studio! Ahhhh brilliant time saver!!!!! T H A N K Y O U.... Also very easy to follow and well laid out tutorial. Great job!
I setup everything just like you did. For some reason I will receive a bunch of text messages to my iPhone and I will respond on my iPhone. But then when I go on my MacBook, those messages I received and sent earlier don't show up
I had a problem in the Mac Messages app where it didn't show my phone number in the settings and I wasn't getting messages there. I was able to fix that problem by signing out in Messages and then signing back in. After that, the number appeared and I was able to start sending/receiving messages there again. 😊🏅
Thank you, VERY helpful! I just got a new MacBook and couldn't understand why everything seemed fine except messages...the key was waiting. It took about 4 hours, then all of a sudden all the messages appeared. You'd think Apple could give a heads up on that!
I would need to see your exact setup... I can help you with that one on one in a screen sharing consult if you like. Book anytime: macinhome.com/booking/ - Lucas
It brought in all of my messages, though the contacts have yet to appear. Does that also take time for the contact names to appear versus simply a phone number?
Contacts don't sync through the Message syncing I talk about in this video... I mentioned contacts in the end of this video under the category of "something I can help you with in a one-on-one consult". Contacts sync through iCloud or Google Contacts normally. Let me know if you want a hand with that - you can book into my calendar anytime! macinhome.com/booking/ - Lucas
This just stopped working for me entirely. When I go into my Macbook messages settings -- 'you can be reached at' only displays my email. It used to have my phone number. I think perhaps I am out of storage and it isn't syncing anymore? Could that be why?
@@jordantmo90 I haven’t seen storage cause the phone number to disappear. If the phone number is missing from iMessage on the Mac then you do need to go back to your phone and fix iMessage there first. Maybe sign out and sign in again. If you just follow my video from the start I bet it’ll show up correctly on your Mac. If you want more help with this or with your storage it’s the kind of thing I help people with in my billable hourly consulting. Reach out anytime! - Lucas
I followed your instructions, however my message history is only saved on SOME messages (on my macbook), others have been deleted if I have deleted them from my iphone. why are only some saved and not all ??
I watched a couple of videos trying to resolve this issue that suddenly popped up and none of them spoke in a tech-language I understood. Your instructions were simple, clear, and it fixed my messaging problem immediately. Thanks so much for this.
Music to my ears! Thank you for the comment!!
- Lucas
Spot On! Finally someone who is clear, gives simple instructions and gets to the point! Keep it up I'm subscribed.
Awesome, thank you! Cheers! I hope you like my other videos too. :)
Finally, a pace of instructions I can follow and an actual fix for this annoying problem.
Love it!
I rarely ever subscribe to UA-cam channels, but you got me! Clear instructions, perfect pace, great visuals ... you've got it all. Thanks SO much!
You are very welcome! :)
I don't usually leave reviews. This video was sooo helpful. I watched 2 other videos before finding this one. Happy to say everything is working properly now.
Awesome! Thank you! I am proud of this one. 😊
Seriously the BEST video out there! I was having an issue with my Mac not syncing with my iPhone messages. It was driving me crazy! I even tried to solve this with Apple support with no resolve. I watached several videos and articles before finally ending up on your video. Thanks to you, I am synced on all my devices. Thank you :)
Hey that's the best news ever, thank you! Yes indeed this video was borne of fixing it hundreds of times so I am not surprised my steps work - good on you for following them carefully! It's a doozy of a job!
- Lucas
This is the best tech support youtube video I've ever seen for pace, clarity, and usefulness of information. My iMessage is now working as it should. Thanks!!!!
Awesome! Thank you so much! I'm glad it helped. :)
Superb organization & presentation. Great teacher, Upbeat, good humored. Doesn't go too fast. Anticipates possible problems. I subscribed.
Thank you so much! Great to hear. :)
This is great! When you mentioned, “In order,” I began listening and hearing what needed to be said! Great tutorial!
Nice feedback! And good on you for following the steps in order!
What a great video. the steps at 3:34 where you sync imessages from settings did the trick!
When I went into Messages/Settings/iMessage on my MacBook Pro, all of the check options were grayed out and I was unable to do anything. I remembered resetting my password for iCloud recently but I had never signed out of iMessage on my MacBook Pro since then. By signing out of iMessage on my MacBook Pro, then signing back in with the new password, I was able to select all of the correct items mentioned above. Now everything works correctly. The video is excellent and put me on the right track. Just want to add this detail in case it helps anyone else. Thanks very much!
Nice work cracking that case on your own! Yes those steps make sense.
This problem had taken over my life as a perfectionist. After turning on text message forwarding it finally seems to be working, thanks!
I have an older Mac,. Although I have updated it to the latest version of iOS, your solution options are different in my computer. I message was nowhere to be found on the system preferences. I went through setting and other avenues but have no luck. What do you suggest is the newer solution?
Yes, finally someone who breaks it down in a way anyone can understand, Thank you!!!
Extraordinary orchestration of pacing, presentation, visual references and clarity. BRAVO!
Hey hey thank you so much! Nice to be seen. :)
What delightful, empathetic and caring personality you have! Thanks for being you and helping demystify the iMessage weirdness I've been having. I guess I've got to be patient with the icloud sync!
Aw thanks! I hope you got the techie steps you needed to fix the syncing! :)
- Lucas
You like to explain things, and explain with great detail, at the same time in a simple manner. Thank you. I'm subscribed.
I rarely ever subscribe to UA-cam channels, but you got me! Clear instructions, perfect pace, great visuals ... you've got it all. Thanks SO much! exactly my opinion
Awesome! Thank you!!
Great video! You walked me right thru getting my imessage to work with my android friend. I haven’t had a laptop since 2008 so its like learning all over again. Thank You
You are very welcome!!
This video is perfect. Thank you so so much. I have been struggling with this for days!
Awesome - you are welcome!
thank you for the great instructions, 2 Thumbs Up…...
Thank you so so much!! I’ve been dealing with this problem since forever! You’ve explained everything so well, step by step. Can’t thank you enough!! 😌☺️
You are very welcome! :)
Omg I've been struggling to get some messages syncing for years, I had no idea about the forwarding options for Android users (I swear it's never been there before), but things are finally working!!! Thanks!
This is still the best video out there on this mess and note that this often takes a while to work (maybe next day after sync is finished) . However it would be useful to know 1. Why when it's been working for months, it suddenly stops working. 2 What to do before going through these steps _ I find I have to quip the apps and reboot and start from scratch. 3. update the instructions so that they reflect the current software versions
3) Yep at some point I will make a new video but all the steps still work, the only difference is Messages settings on the iPhone has moved to be under "Apps" so you need to go Settings -> Apps -> Messages. From there it's all the same as this video. 1) Seems related to installing an update or getting a new device. 2) Yep restarting both devices is a good move!
The video is excellent - crystal clear and coherent. Unfortunately, these steps don't work in my case. I still can't sync iMessage messages from my iPhone to any of my other devices - they show on my iPhone, but won't sync to my iMac, MacBook or iPad. Every now and then, I can force a sync by using the "Sync now" command in Messages/Settings/iMessage, but even this doesn't always work and in any case the messages are at least a day or two old even if it does manage to sync.The problem coincided with my getting a new iPhone 15 Pro, but this may be purely coincidental.
Might be a health issue with your Mac or your setup then... I can help with that in a one on one consult. Let me know if you want me to send you my booking link! It's about $145 USD per hour.
- Lucas
Thanks for your reply Lucas. Since I have the same problem on my MacBook and iPad, it doesn't seem to be a specific issue with my Mac. Messages do eventually show up in all three devices, but after a delay of 48 to 72 hours. I'll pass on making a booking for the moment.@@lucasmacinhome
I have the same experience, intermittent "sync now" etc...I have signed in and out of icloud to no avail. And restarted both the laptop and the desktop multiple times. Since I am retired I have plenty of time for workarounds but it's still frustrating as all get out.
My Apple ID on my iPhone is different from the one on my Macbook Air. Can I still sync them both so I can see and text my messages on both devices? I followed your instructions just fine until I get to 2:55 and what is displayed on my Mac is different from my iPhone. On my Mac only my email address is shown. Any help would be appreciated. Thank you!
This really helped me . Thanks for creating the video. I finally got it sorted and became excited when my messages were printing. Now, I need ti figure out how to send a file to my attorney to be used in court. Thanks again. Keep up the informative tutorials.
Very good explanation! Thank you! I bookmarked this for future one-on-one needs, subscribed, sent to others.
Awesome, thank you so much! :)
THANK YOU! It is gnarly, but your instructions are very clear!
Yes it does take many settings in many places to make it all work well... This is all still accurate for macOS Sequoia and iOS 18 it just looks slightly different. So the steps are the same.
Nicely done -- clear, easy to follow, and SOLVED my problem!!!
At last! I read several web pages & viewed other videos before discovering this. Finally restored synching of SMS between iPhone, iPad & MacBook. Thank you. No one else suggested checking iCloud setting. I wonder how that got turned off on my iPhone & iPad.
I'm so glad you got it! You are crafty indeed to be able to follow these complex steps!
Thanks for this! Just encountered problems after updating to Sequoia and iOS 18. I did find I had to restart both the Mac and the phone, but now the universe is back in order.
Great to hear and I’m most happy that this video is still helpful with the new macOS and iOS!
Thank you for a concise, clear and understandable set of instructions to fix the Messages not syncing on Mac and not sending messages from Mac to Android users..
You’re most welcome!
Thank you so much for this tutorial - clear and concise. Just what I needed!!
Thank you. The text messaging forwarding to Android Users (minute 4:35) solved my problem
Such a tremendous general summary. Excellent!
Thank you!!
Great video. Very well communicated and edited. Clear and concise. However, I have a problem you don't address. The addition of a new .icloud email address. It is in addition the the existing email address. Followed all your steps. Messages are still not synching between devices. Logged out and back in to Apple ID. Do we infer that the issue is still "it takes some time to sync the history"? Or is there something else going on?
It's normal to have an @icloud.com account even if you don't ever use it as an email address. I do address that in the video... I say it is weirdly important to leave those enabled for receiving iMessages even if no one has that address for you and you will never use it. So go through the video again knowing that and then see if it syncs up in a day or two.
- Lucas
@@lucasmacinhome I rewatched the video. Lucas, again great video. Things look a bit different on IOS 17.2.1. Per your directive (@1:37), I did and still do have both the old email address and the new .icloud address checked. I manually synched from the phone and all the messages synched up to 10pm last night. Not the messages from this morning. Do you think that this shows it working at that it will eventually "catch-up" and synch in real time? @3:15 of your video you show the desktop version and you show your phone number. What do you do if there is no phone number appearing? Only the email addresses? Nor is there an ability to start a new conversation from the phone number. The number is not in the pull-down. Your video doesn't mention how to trouble shoot that. I will sign up for an hour of troubleshooting with your team if necessary.
Does it have something to do with setting up Facetime on the iPhone?
I think that was it. Now my cell number appears on the messages I can be reached at on the desktop and the number shows up in the drop down to start new conversations. Oh, and now the messages just started synching.
@@lifebasesolutions3405 I think you got it! Nice work! Let me know if it gets out of sync or it's not quite perfect. :)
- Lucas
Thanks this fixed it after watching so many different videos, however the images present on the Macbook messages are still just the default profile pictures, is there a solution to be able to bring over the Pictures and Names of the contacts from those in the Iphone?
Yes, those images sync with contact syncing... so your contacts might need to sync from gmail or iCloud over to the Mac. There's no quick fix for this as there are 100 ways it could be set up now; I would need to see it to help you get it syncing correctly. I charge about $145USD per hour... you can book from this link: macinhome.com/booking/ and just scroll down a bit to see me.
Perfect video, explained everything perfectly. Thank you !!
I believe you also need to make sure SEND AS SMS is turned on in the iphone MESSAGES setting. Thanks for your video.
Excellent walkthrough. Thank you so much.
Thank you so much for your clear directions, you're the best! and looks are a great bonus 😉
Well shucks, thanks! :)
What if at 3:22, there is a loading circle next to the top right button "Sign Out," and all the "reached list" on the left is in grey (not active) ?
It's frozen like that.
I've done and checked all the previous steps multiple times. No result.
Any hints?
It's happened multiple times this year.
It's like the Apple cloud services are getting worse :(
I don't have a quick fix idea for you but if you want a hand with it I can have a look at your setup. Could be your Mac health in general. Could be your internet/wifi. Could be your cell provider. That's not something I see often when I am working with clients so there's something in your particular setup that's causing that issue. Book with me anytime from macinhome.com/booking
Thank you! Your instructions were clear and helpful. My three devices are synched now.
You're most welcome!
Great Instructions, but for some reason, my iMac refuses to sync with text messages. I know it should and I don't know what I'm doing wrong. Do I have to sign out on my iPhone12 and my iPad Pro and the iMac running Mojave 10.14.6?
Thank you so much!! I've been trying to fix this for a long time!!
Superb, this was truly helpful. Thanks so much. Subscribed.
I was able to do everything in the video up until the settings for Messages on my Mac in the iMessages menu. Your video shows a checkbox for "Enable Messages in iCloud" under the Apple ID line but that isn't in my settings window. I am using MacBook Air M2, 2022 running Ventura 13.6.1. Is that setting somewhere else in my version?
I have seen that iCloud sync option missing if your Apple ID doesn't have two factor authentication enabled... I've also needed to sign out and sign in again on the Mac. Reboot the Mac, etc. General system health stuff could prevent that showing up on the Mac. Let me know if you want a hand and I can send you my booking link for a consult.
- Lucas
Am looking for the "Syncing with iCloud Paused" video
Usually it just pauses because you are not plugged into power, or you are not on Wifi.
this is beautifully done,. So though - why is syncing PAUSED on my phone, and won't allow me to sync now. #always something@1
Ah yes the pause happens if the phone is only on battery or only on cellular... so the fix is to keep your phone on wifi and plugged into power as much as possible!
@@lucasmacinhome you are so kind to answer, thank you. I never had this issue before, where my phone would have one set of messages and the laptop would have others... not in sync. My iphone updated... and...you know we all hate that. it is like a foreign object to me now.
So my phone is unplugged much of the day as I am on it - and I am having issues.
Is there anything else to be done?
AND< thank you so much, again.
The "Enable Messages in iCloud" button doesn't show up on my MacBook Pro w/ Sonoma 14.4.1 -- any suggestions? Thanks!
thanks Lucas, this worked for me. Nice clear instructions.
Awesome, love to hear it!
Hi! On the "start new conversations from" the only options I have are my emails. How do I add my phone number to there?
this is incredibly useful, clear and generous!
LOVE THIS! SO articulate and thorough! Thank you SO SO much!
You are most welcome!
Wow, what a great tutorial! Thanks so much, it seems to be working smoothly on all my devices! I can now send and receive seamlessly with all devices! YAY!
This was a great video thanks! Also thank you for clarifying that the syncing will take some time, other videos didn't make that as clear and made seem as though it should start syncing immediately. Maybe that's common sense, but I'm not tech savvy despite being raised in the tech era lmao.
Thank you! Yes indeed it takes some time to sync the history... I am glad this was helpful! :)
- Lucas
Wow, wow, and wow. I felt as if someone from my Apple Store was talking to me. You are one in a million. Thank you ever so much. You are a true professional. I am Subscribing to you.
Love it, thank you so much! I am glad it helped! :)
very helpful; however my iPad is old and I get several prompts that there isn't enough storarge...Hoping that it will still sync to my iPhone SE and my MacBookPro. 🤞
Often I need to do some storage or general health maintenance on the devices before things will sync! Book with me anytime: macinhome.com/booking/
Very informative video. I did all settings but my mac still gives the message that mms is disabled. Maybe I need to restart everything?
MMS works through "text message forwarding" so in your iPhone settings under Messages -> Text Message Forwarding, make sure everything in there is turned on.
how do I unpause the syncing? My iMessages on my Mac are paused after following the order you specified in this video, when I hit "Sync Now" it started then now it says "syncing with iCloud paused" . how do I fix this?
Thank you. You explain everything very clearly. I still don't have all messages on my Mac, I guess I will wait and see if it straightens itself out.
Did they show up?
@@lucasmacinhome Most times they do and sometimes they don't. I will see a message on my phone but it's not on the Mac. If I reply on the Mac, sometimes the previous message will come up.
@@jasondevonshireportraits8908 If the text syncing is unreliable then I would turn my attention to your wifi/internet, and general Mac and iPhone health. If you have spotty wifi or cell, or if you are sometimes turning on airplane mode, things like that - it can be an issue. If your Mac has been imported a couple times from previous Macs then some dust and cobwebs can accumulate in the OS and it makes it glitchy or slow.
Wow, this worked! thanks man! Subscribed.
Awesome vid! Love how to the point you are! The only thing is 'text message forwarding' still will NOT show up despite doing all the steps.
Then I would sign the iPhone out of iMessage and sign in again… might need some troubleshooting! Happy to help if you like. Book anytime: macinhome.com/booking/
- Lucas
that happened to me too the first time around, then I realized that there's a different menu with iCloud, I was in the wrong place!
Bought a Mac mini and mac air. Only some contacts show as names but most of them only show as phone numbers
I have all the history of iMessages just they have a phone number next to it. When I click contacts those numbers are not in contacts
Thanks for this vid. Mine was already set like this, but it's like something isn't automating every 10 mins or whenever a sync is required. It's like the phone and other devices are asleep.
I have found the sync of older messages to be slow... if you ever put your devices in airplane mode or turn off Wifi that'll make it worse.
Ugh!!!!! So close until I got to the "Enable Messages in iClould" I don't have that.. Should I update my mac?
Omg I watched vids for months it only showed Getty’s from months ago ur the best
this just saved me so much time and headache - thank you !
You are very welcome! :)
Excellent video to solve an annoying problem. Thanks for your great work!
So glad it helped! Yes I am proud of this one.
thanks for the clear and concise steps
thanks so much, I just got a new Mac Studio and couldn't figure out how to get my text messages from my friends not on iphones.
this is the only video that really helps
I just recently got a new MacBook Air M2, I have everything checked as you did in the video. My contacts on my mac and phone are synced, however, some of the contact names on my MacBook don't show up even though I have them on my phone, and the number of message notifications on my phone and MacBook messages app don't match up. Ive tried everything to try and get the names to show up on my mac with the new contacts but nothing is working. Help?
I would need to see your setup and confirm the details in the contact syncing... And I have some questions about the number of message notifications. Feel free to book a "new client" consult with me if you want a hand. Here's my booking link: macinhome.com/booking/
- Lucas
Fantastic, really appreciate this video!
Awesome! Thanks for the tips, it's a much better demo than Apple itself. They should just include a link to this tutorial to save everyone time LOL
I have a new Mac Mini. I used Migration Assistant to transfer everything. iMessage on the new Mac will not send or receive messages. I checked all the settings on this video several times. There must be some potential problem you've missed.
Yes I do address that at 05:47, the last item on my bullet list!
- Lucas
I worked it out myself. Here is the fix. The hints on Apple's home page didn't help. Still iMessages didn't send after going through all the suggestions. This is what worked: Messages - Settings - iMessage - DISABLE messages in iCloud by unticking the box. Wait a few seconds. Enable messages in iCloud. If all else has failed THIS WILL WORK.
Why do we need to set "Start new conversations" to a phone number?
I have 3 different eSIMs (phone numbers) tied to my iPhone so setting Start new conversations to my Apple ID email adress works better for me.
My messages keep saying that the syncing in I could is pausing as well on my MacBook that when I press sync now it doesn’t stay gray. How can I fix this or what does this mean
How do I edit the field, "Start new conversations from:"? This field shows my email only. I am unable to add my phone number. I stopped receiving some texts on my MAC recently, only got them on my iPhone. Thanks.
Thank you!! I've been trying to find a way so that I could message my mums android phone on my MacBook for the past 6 months and now realised that it didn't work because my macs messages didn't tick my number box.
Thank you. I had an issue with a new MacBook Air not texting to Androids but you solved it!!! Was a toggled off switch on my iPhone. Thanks.
Awesome! Yes that one is an easy fix but in a strange place!!
BRILLIANT! Thanks so much, this has annoyed me for sooo long - just one android phone I could never send/receive on my main mac studio! Ahhhh brilliant time saver!!!!!
T H A N K Y O U.... Also very easy to follow and well laid out tutorial. Great job!
You are very welcome! :)
THANK YOU
I setup everything just like you did. For some reason I will receive a bunch of text messages to my iPhone and I will respond on my iPhone. But then when I go on my MacBook, those messages I received and sent earlier don't show up
I had a problem in the Mac Messages app where it didn't show my phone number in the settings and I wasn't getting messages there. I was able to fix that problem by signing out in Messages and then signing back in. After that, the number appeared and I was able to start sending/receiving messages there again. 😊🏅
Thank you, VERY helpful! I just got a new MacBook and couldn't understand why everything seemed fine except messages...the key was waiting. It took about 4 hours, then all of a sudden all the messages appeared. You'd think Apple could give a heads up on that!
Indeed!
Doesn't;t seem to work with IOS Version 17.5.1. Can't sync iPhone 14 promax with MacBook Pro
Huge help, thanks!
You are very welcome!
it worked! thanks so much for this helpful video!! new subscriber here!
Love it! Thank you! :)
I've done all these steps and they still won't sync, any recommendations?
I would need to see your exact setup... I can help you with that one on one in a screen sharing consult if you like. Book anytime: macinhome.com/booking/
- Lucas
@@lucasmacinhome i retried it and it worked the next day, must’ve taken some time to sync. Thank You!
@@ryrodriguez6210 Great news, nice work! :)
- Lucas
It brought in all of my messages, though the contacts have yet to appear. Does that also take time for the contact names to appear versus simply a phone number?
Contacts don't sync through the Message syncing I talk about in this video... I mentioned contacts in the end of this video under the category of "something I can help you with in a one-on-one consult". Contacts sync through iCloud or Google Contacts normally. Let me know if you want a hand with that - you can book into my calendar anytime! macinhome.com/booking/
- Lucas
I typed the question prematurely, ha. Video was super helpful & I got everything working as expected. Thanks! @@lucasmacinhome
This just stopped working for me entirely. When I go into my Macbook messages settings -- 'you can be reached at' only displays my email. It used to have my phone number. I think perhaps I am out of storage and it isn't syncing anymore? Could that be why?
@@jordantmo90 I haven’t seen storage cause the phone number to disappear. If the phone number is missing from iMessage on the Mac then you do need to go back to your phone and fix iMessage there first. Maybe sign out and sign in again. If you just follow my video from the start I bet it’ll show up correctly on your Mac. If you want more help with this or with your storage it’s the kind of thing I help people with in my billable hourly consulting. Reach out anytime!
- Lucas
Next to the discovery of water, this was thee most helpful vid on UA-cam - Thank you!
Hah! Thanks!! 🙏
I followed step by step instructions, but imac messenger stays off line. Can receive not send. OS High Sierra 10.13.6
So helpful, thank you!!!
I followed your instructions, however my message history is only saved on SOME messages (on my macbook), others have been deleted if I have deleted them from my iphone. why are only some saved and not all ??
Might just need more time to sync, assuming you have correctly turned on Messages in iCloud. Did they sync up? It's been a month since this comment.
great Video sir,thank you for this video. my I message start on my Mac properly.☺
Finally a solution that really works and easy to follow.
I'm so glad you found my video! Reach out anytime.
really amazing tips. Thanks so much
You’re welcome! Glad it helped. 😊
What does it mean if your phone number doesn’t pop up with the check but your email and iCloud does?
Thanks for the great information.
You are very welcome. :)