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User profile for user: Debocoffin
Debocoffin Author
User level: Level 1
9 points

Messages on iPhone not appearing on M1 MacBook Air

Some of my messages from just a few contacts are not showing up on my new M1 MacBook Air. They show up on my iPhone only. I have Messages in iCloud enabled on all my devices. On my iPhone, I went to iCloud settings to be sure that Messages was checked. On my Mac, I opened the Messages app, then went to preferences to be sure that "Enable Messages in iCloud" was checked. I finally contacted Apple Support, and the agent had no idea what to do. She disconnected the call. I haven't called back yet to see what else I can try.


The person who I've been texting on my iPhone has an Android phone. I generally cannot text him at all (same for others who use Android phones) from my MacBook. I can sometimes send him links if I generate the text on my iPhone, but not always. I cannot forward PDFs ever. Today I texted him quite a bit on my iPhone, but when I moved to my MacBook Air to continue texting him, none of the entire morning's texts was there. I tried using the synch button, but nothing happened.

MacBook Air (2020 or later)

Posted on Jan 28, 2022 1:07 PM

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User profile for user: Tesserax
Tesserax
User level: Level 10
152,302 points

Posted on Jan 28, 2022 2:13 PM

One important thing to understand here is that iMessage "texts" are only available between Apple devices. To send/receive "texts" from non-Apple devices, requires using SMS. This is a service provided by the cellular voice provider. The Messages app on either the iPhones or the Macs, can access either iMessages or SMS text messages.


If you are not able to send an SMS text to an Android-user, the issue is with your cellular voice provider, and that is where I would start your troubleshooting.


Finally, to be able to send an SMS text from a Mac, the Mac will rely on the iPhone to do the work. This is part of Apple's Continuity process.


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User profile for user: Tesserax
Tesserax
User level: Level 10
152,302 points

Jan 28, 2022 2:13 PM in response to Debocoffin

One important thing to understand here is that iMessage "texts" are only available between Apple devices. To send/receive "texts" from non-Apple devices, requires using SMS. This is a service provided by the cellular voice provider. The Messages app on either the iPhones or the Macs, can access either iMessages or SMS text messages.


If you are not able to send an SMS text to an Android-user, the issue is with your cellular voice provider, and that is where I would start your troubleshooting.


Finally, to be able to send an SMS text from a Mac, the Mac will rely on the iPhone to do the work. This is part of Apple's Continuity process.


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User profile for user: Debocoffin
Debocoffin Author
User level: Level 1
9 points

Jan 31, 2022 4:45 PM in response to PRP_53

I had a long call with a senior tech support guy today. He said that my telephone number was showing up from my view, but it was actually not showing up in his. He could see that there was a glitch. I had to sign out of iMessages (twice--it didn't work the first time), then restart the phone and sign in to iMessage again. It worked the second time, though the missing messages from the past week still haven't populated in the MacBook Air yet. He said he'd check back in a couple of days to see if they do over time. Tried the synching button, but nothing happened. So the problem is a glitch; everything was set up perfectly, but it didn't work. I even had the pop-up alert that a new phone was using Messages, yet iCloud couldn't see my phone number.

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User profile for user: Debocoffin
Debocoffin Author
User level: Level 1
9 points

Jan 28, 2022 2:26 PM in response to Tesserax

If I'm having no problem (or limited problems--I cannot say I have none) sending a text to my brother on my iPhone, then why does that text I just sent him not appear on my M1 MacBook Air? Given "continuity" and the use of iCloud, the text I began on my iPhone I should be able to complete on my Mac. As I said, I have forwarding selected. The link you provided shows instructions for text message forwarding; as I wrote above, I have that activated exactly as instructed.

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Messages on iPhone not appearing on M1 MacBook Air

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