How to Fix macOS Messages App Not Sending iMessages or SMS Texts on Your Mac

Summary

This guide helps you troubleshoot and resolve: How to Fix macOS Messages App Not Sending iMessages or SMS Texts on Your Mac. Follow the steps below to fix the issue.

Common Causes

If your Mac is not sending or receiving iMessages or SMS texts, it is usually caused by a sync issue with your Apple ID, an unstable internet connection, or a misconfiguration in your Messages settings. This guide will walk you through the steps to restore messaging functionality on your macOS device.

Quick Fix Steps

1. Restart your Mac.
2. Ensure you are connected to a stable Wi-Fi or Ethernet network.
3. Sign out of iMessage and sign back in.
4. Check that your date and time settings are set automatically.

Detailed Instructions

Check Your Internet Connection

iMessages require an active internet connection. SMS texts via Text Message Forwarding also require your iPhone to be online.

1. Open a web browser and try to load a website to confirm your connection is working.
2. If using Wi-Fi, try toggling Wi-Fi off and on in the menu bar.

Sign Out and Back Into iMessage

Refreshing your session with Apple's servers often resolves sending failures.

1. Open the Messages app.
2. In the top menu bar, click Messages > Settings (or Preferences on older macOS versions).
3. Click the iMessage tab.
4. Click Sign Out.
5. Open Messages again and sign back in with your Apple ID.

Verify Your Apple ID and Contact Details

Ensure your Mac is using the same Apple ID as your iPhone and iPad.

1. Go to System Settings > [Your Name].
2. Confirm the email address matches the one used on your other devices.
3. In the Messages Settings > iMessage tab, ensure your phone number and email addresses are checked under "You can be reached for messages at".

Enable Messages in iCloud

Syncing your messages via iCloud ensures consistency across all Apple devices.

1. Open Messages > Settings > iMessage.
2. Tick the box for Enable Messages in iCloud.
3. Click Sync Now to force an immediate synchronisation.

Check Text Message Forwarding (For SMS)

If you can send iMessages but not standard SMS texts, the issue is likely with your iPhone settings.

1. On your iPhone, go to Settings > Messages > Text Message Forwarding.
2. Ensure the toggle next to your Mac is switched On.
3. If prompted, enter the verification code displayed on your Mac into your iPhone.

Troubleshooting

Reset NVRAM/PRAM (Intel Macs only)

If you are using an Intel-based Mac, resetting the NVRAM can resolve persistent system-level communication issues.

1. Shut down your Mac.
2. Turn it on and immediately press and hold Option + Command + P + R.
3. Release the keys after about 20 seconds or after you hear the startup sound twice.

Apple Silicon (M1, M2, M3) Macs do not require manual NVRAM resets as this happens automatically during startup.

Check Date and Time Settings

Incorrect system time can prevent your Mac from verifying security certificates with Apple's servers.

1. Go to System Settings > General > Date & Time.
2. Ensure Set date and time automatically is enabled.

If you continue to experience issues after these steps, there may be an outage with Apple's iMessage servers. You can check the status at the Apple System Status page.

If the problem persists after following these steps, please Open a Ticket with our support team for further assistance.

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