iMessage is an instant messaging platform native to the Apple ecosystem. One of the great things that iMessage offers is that it syncs across all your Apple devices using the same Apple ID which enables you to converse from any Apple device.

However, lately, many users have been facing syncing issues on their macOS devices. Recent conversations started/received on iOS devices do not appear on macOS devices. So, essentially, they can start a conversation from their Mac but cannot receive replies to it on the device. That defeats the entire point of syncing iMessage on Mac.

Fortunately, there are a number of fixes you can try that will resolve the issues for you.

1. Make Sure you are Reachable on your macOS Device

iMessages can be delivered directly to your number and your Apple ID. But many a time, the cause of the issue is that you are not reachable on your Apple ID and only on your mobile number which is creating the out-of-sync issue among the devices.

To make sure you are reachable, first, open the ‘Messages’ app on your macOS device, either from the dock or the launchpad.

After that, click on the ‘Messages’ menu. Next, click on the ‘Preferences’ menu option from the list to continue. This will open the ‘Preferences’ window on your screen.

Now, switch to the ‘iMessage’ tab. Then, locate the ‘You can be reached for messages at:’ section and click to tick the checkbox preceding your Apple ID address to start receiving iMessages, if not already checked.

In case you were already reachable at the Apple ID, head to the next section and try out the next fix.

2. Sign Out from iMessage and Sign in Again on both the Devices

Another solution that works like magic for most people is to sign out from iMessage and sign back in. A simple reboot of iMessage can trigger the syncing of iMessage across your devices.

Sign out and Sign in Again in iMessages on macOS Device

Turning off iMessage on a macOS device is a pretty straightforward process and only takes a couple of clicks.

First, head to the ‘Messages’ app either from the dock or from the launchpad of your device.

Next, click on the ‘Messages’ tab present on the menu bar. Then, click on the ‘Preferences’ option. This will open a separate window.

After that, click on the ‘iMessage’ tab and make sure you are on the ‘Settings’ page. Next, click on the ‘Sign Out’ button. This will bring a pop-up alert to your screen.

Now, click on ‘Sign Out’ on the pop-up alert.

Once successfully logged out, you will need to sign back in. On the same window, enter your Apple ID credentials and click on the ‘Next’ button to sign in.

You should be able to see the missing messages on your macOS device now. If that’s not the case, head to the next section and repeat the same process on your iOS device as well to push the recent messages to the server.

Sign Out and Sign in Again in iMessages on iPhone

Similar to the macOS counterpart, the process to sign out and sign back in again in iMessages on an iOS device is as plain sailing as it gets.

First, head to the ‘Settings’ app either from the Home Screen or the App Library of your device.

Next, locate and tap on the ‘Messages’ tile present on the screen to continue.

After that, on the ‘Messages’ settings screen, locate and tap on the ‘Send & receive’ tile under iMessage to proceed.

Next, locate the ‘Start New Conversations’ section on the page and then click on your Apple ID present under the section. This will bring up an overlay banner on your screen.

Now, from the overlay banner, tap on the ‘Sign Out’ button to sign out from iMessages on your iPhone.

Once successfully logged out, wait for a few minutes and tap on the ‘Use Apple ID for iMessage’ to continue. This will bring up an overlay prompt on your screen.

Now, sign in using the same Apple ID you’re using on your iPhone, or if you wish to change it, tap on the ‘Use Other Apple ID’ option. But make sure you’re using the same Apple ID for iMessage on your iPhone and Mac.

Once signed in, give your devices a couple of minutes to sync and your messages should show on the macOS devices signed in with the same Apple ID.

3. Manually Sync Messages on Mac

If you are not able to get the mac and iOS devices to sync the messages by themselves, you can manually sync iMessage on your macOS device.

First, head to the ‘Messages’ app either from the launchpad or using the Dock.

After that, click on the ‘Messages’ tab present on the menu bar. Then, click on the ‘Preferences’ option to continue.

Next, click on the ‘iMessage’ tab. Then, make sure you are on the ‘Settings’ page. After that, click on the ‘Sync Now’ button to start syncing the iMessage.

4. Make Sure Both Devices are Updated

A very elementary fix for most of the problems that a majority of people overlook is to keep the devices always updated. For your ease of convenience, we have listed below instructions to keep both of them updated.

To check for updates on your iPhone, head to the ‘Settings’ app either from the Home Screen or the App Library.

After that, tap on the ‘General’ option to proceed.

Next, tap on the ‘Software Update’ option from the list to continue.

iOS will now check if you have a new update available. In case you do, tap on the ‘Download & Install’ button.

To check for updates for Mac, head to the ‘System Preferences’ app either from the Launchpad or the Dock.

Next, click on the ‘Software Update’ icon to proceed.

If you have updates available, click on the ‘Download’ option to start downloading the updates. This will redirect you to the App Store page of the operating system. Then, click on the ‘Get’ button to start downloading.

5. Reset Network Settings on iPhone

Improper network configurations on your iPhone can also lead to iMessage syncing problems. Thankfully, it is very simple and straightforward to reset them to factory defaults.

Note: Resetting network settings will remove any VPN installed on your iPhone as well as any saved Wi-Fi or cellular networks.

Head to the Settings app, either from the Home Screen or the App Library on your device.

After that, tap on the ‘General’ option from the list.

Next, scroll down to the bottom of the page and tap on the ‘Transfer or Reset iPhone’ option.

After that, tap on the ‘Reset’ option to continue. This will bring an overlay menu to your screen.

Now, tap on the ‘Reset Network Settings’ option and punch in your passcode. Once done, your iPhone will restart immediately.

6. Check the Service Status of iMessage Servers

It is a very rare event that Apple servers go offline, however, it is not impossible. Hence, if you have tried multiple methods till now but have not been able to resolve the issue, it is definitely worth checking if the servers are up or not.

Head to www.apple.com/systemstatus using your preferred browser. Then, check if the iMessage server is online or not.

In case the server is offline/unavailable, wait for it to become available and check once again if your messages have synced or not.

7. Uninstall Beta Software

If you are running a beta release software on one device, and a public release of the operating system on the other, chances are that is the culprit causing the syncing issue. Simply remove the beta profile from your iOS/macOS device and go back to the public-release operating systems on both devices to resolve the issue.

First, head to the ‘Settings’ app either from the Home Screen or the App Library.

Next, tap on the ‘General’ option from the list to continue.

Then, tap on the ‘VPN & Device Management’ option.

Under the ‘Configurations Profile’ section, tap on the ‘Beta Software Profile’ option.

On the next screen, tap on the ‘Remove Profile’ button.

Once you have removed the beta profile from your iPhone, you will receive the update for the next stable version of iOS like a regular update in the ‘Software Update’ section which you can then download and install on your iPhone.

However, if you don’t want to wait for the stable version of the currently installed beta, you will have to restore your iPhone using iTunes by entering into the Recovery mode.

To do so, first, connect your iPhone to your PC using a cable and launch the iTunes app on it. Then, perform the following steps on your iPhone to enter the recovery mode:

  • For iPhone 8 and later: Quickly press and release the ‘Volume Up’ button. Similarly, press and release the ‘Volume Down’ button. After that, press and hold the ‘Lock/Side’ button until you see a USB to computer connection icon on your iPhone screen. Once the icon is displayed, your iPhone is in recovery mode.
  • For iPhone 7 and 7 Plus: Press and hold the ‘Lock/Side’ button along with the ‘Volume Down’ button at the same time. The phone might start to restart, however, do not let go of the buttons until you see the recovery mode screen.
  • For iPhone 6S and earlier: Press and hold the ‘Lock/Side’ and ‘Home’ buttons together until you see the Recovery mode screen.

Once you enter the recovery mode on your iPhone, you will receive a pop-up alert on your computer. Click on the ‘Restore’ button to continue. This will download the latest stable version of iOS from Apple servers.

In case the download takes longer, your iPhone might exit the recovery mode. In case it does, simply perform the steps mentioned above again to enter it once the download has finished downloading.

You might have to enter your Apple ID credentials to finish the restoration of your iPhone. Once done, your iPhone will be switched to the stable version of iOS.

There you go, folks. iMessage de-sync issue can create confusion as the conversation initiated/carried on iPhone does not end up being displayed on your other devices. Thankfully, using the fixes mentioned above, you can easily resolve the problem yourself.