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Inconsistent SMS messages on MacOS

I've run into a strange interaction between the iOS and MacOS versions of the Messages app. As normal, all iMessage and SMS text messages appear on my iPhone, and iMessages appear correctly on MacOS. Confusingly, only some of my SMS messages appear on my MacBook. I've tried using the "sync now" button under Messages Preferences, but it does nothing. Does anyone know why this might happen, and is there a way to force Messages to update SMS conversations on Mac?

MacBook Pro 13″, macOS 12.5

Posted on Sep 22, 2022 5:24 PM

Reply
Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Posted on Sep 25, 2022 6:21 PM

Hello BluChange,


Let's use the steps below to double check your settings for text message forwarding:


1. On your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch, go to Settings > Messages > Send & Receive. On your Mac, open Messages, choose Messages > Preferences, then click iMessage. Make sure that you're signed in to iMessage with the same Apple ID on all your devices.
2. On your iPhone, go to Settings > Messages > Text Message Forwarding.*

3. Choose which devices can send and receive text messages from your iPhone. If you're not using two-factor authentication for your Apple ID, a verification code appears on each of your other devices: enter that code on your iPhone.
As long as your iPhone is turned on and connected to Wi-Fi or a cellular network, new SMS/MMS texts can be sent and received on the devices that you added.


You can also find those steps in this resource: How to forward SMS/MMS text messages from your iPhone to your iPad, iPod touch or Mac - Apple Support


Should that still persist, do you forward your messages to any other devices? If so, are they exhibiting the same behavior?


Also, does restarting both your iPhone and Mac have any impact on this behavior, even if only temporarily?


Restart your iPhone - Apple Support


Shut down or restart your Mac - Apple Support


Let us know, and we'll keep moving forward from there.

3 replies
Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Sep 25, 2022 6:21 PM in response to BluChange

Hello BluChange,


Let's use the steps below to double check your settings for text message forwarding:


1. On your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch, go to Settings > Messages > Send & Receive. On your Mac, open Messages, choose Messages > Preferences, then click iMessage. Make sure that you're signed in to iMessage with the same Apple ID on all your devices.
2. On your iPhone, go to Settings > Messages > Text Message Forwarding.*

3. Choose which devices can send and receive text messages from your iPhone. If you're not using two-factor authentication for your Apple ID, a verification code appears on each of your other devices: enter that code on your iPhone.
As long as your iPhone is turned on and connected to Wi-Fi or a cellular network, new SMS/MMS texts can be sent and received on the devices that you added.


You can also find those steps in this resource: How to forward SMS/MMS text messages from your iPhone to your iPad, iPod touch or Mac - Apple Support


Should that still persist, do you forward your messages to any other devices? If so, are they exhibiting the same behavior?


Also, does restarting both your iPhone and Mac have any impact on this behavior, even if only temporarily?


Restart your iPhone - Apple Support


Shut down or restart your Mac - Apple Support


Let us know, and we'll keep moving forward from there.

Inconsistent SMS messages on MacOS

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