Not syncing the latest messages can be annoying. You would not be able to see your recent conversations on your Mac and other Apple devices. When iMessage is activated on Apple devices sharing the same Apple ID, users can get the same messages on synced devices.
So, when Mac OS messages not syncing after updating to the new iOS or for other reasons, look for a solution. Here, we’ll let you walk through the useful tips to fix the messages not syncing issue between iPhone and Mac.
Why Do Messages Not Sync?
When you can’t see the text messages on your Mac, it means they are not syncing from your Apple devices. It might be because the iMessage app is not set up properly. There is a possibility that your settings are disabled after updating an iOS.
Make sure the email address you are using with iMessage is not turned off. Your Mac may also not sync messages over a poor or unstable internet connection. Apple syncs messages between iOS devices only when both devices are using the same Apple ID. So, check it.
1. Try Basic Tricks to Fix the Issue
Before attempting a bit of challenging methods, try the basic ones. Rebooting your Mac solves synchronization glitches and many other issues like slow macOS Ventura or network connectivity problems. So, turn off your device and turn it on again.
Before rebooting your device, close all apps to prevent data loss. You can also attempt updating devices with the recent version of macOS and iOS. After trying these tricks, check if messages are syncing properly. If not, work on the methods discussed below.
You can also look for more suggestions in the video below:
2. Turn iMessage on and Off
First, turn off your iMessage app on both devices and again turn it on. Click Settings on your iPhone and then tap Messages. Toggle Off iMessage and then turn it on after some seconds. On Mac, click Preferences in the Messages app.
Tap Choose Accounts, followed by Sign Out. Now, wait for a few seconds and then sign in again. Once this process completes, activate iMessage on both devices. Determine if iMessages sync now properly or not.
3. Check Date & Time Settings
When the date and time settings on your device don’t match the current location, messages may not sync. Hence, check these settings. Connect a Mac to a stable internet and use the time server of Apple to set the right date and time.
Click on Date & Time in System Preferences. Tap Date & Time and choose the lock symbol. Use your Touch ID or input your password. Tick Set date and time automatically and choose Time Zone. Checkmark ‘Set time zone automatically using current location.’
4. Check Your iMessage Settings
On your iPhone, first, navigate to Settings and then click on Messages. Select the Send & Receive option. Make sure your email address or contact number is marked under “You can be reached by iMessage at”.
On your Mac computer, launch your Messages app and then tap Messages in the menu at the top. Hit on Preferences and then select Accounts. Confirm that the contact number and Apple ID has given under ‘You can be reached for messages at’ match the iPhone settings.
5. Activate iMessage in iCloud
When Mac OS messages are not syncing with iPhone or vice versa, you can try to enable iMessages in iCloud. Just like documents and photos, you can sync messages to your iCloud account to avoid losing messages.
To activate iMessage from your iPhone, click your account name in Settings. In iCloud, turn on Messages. To turn on iCloud syncing from Mac, click Preferences in Messages. In the iMessage tab, tick the ‘Enable Messages in iCloud’ box.
6. Sync Messages Manually
On macOS, there is an option to manually sync chats from iCloud devices to Mac. When your Mac device doesn’t update the chats automatically, you can start a synchronization manually. Access your Messages app and select Messages.
Next, click on Preferences. Navigate to the iMessage option and click on the Sync Now button. How fast or slow the synchronization process takes depends on the number of messages and network connectivity. Wait for about 2-5 minutes and confirm if chats are up-to-date.
The Conclusion
When you find that your messages do not sync from Mac to iPhone or vice-versa, try any of the above-mentioned tips. When nothing works, check the iMessage server status on the Apple System Status webpage. The indicator next to Apple ID and iMessage must be green.
Messages will not be delivered if there is an unstable and slow internet connection. So, run a good speed check or turn Wi-Fi off and then on. If your device is properly connected to the network, but the speed or connection is unstable, check the signal quality.
