The iMessage app on the Mac makes it easy to send and receive messages to other users who use iMessage on their device (Mac, iPhone, or iPad). The application is quite stable and generally does not create any kind of problem. However, sometimes it can understand that iMessage does not work and if you are not very experienced with macOS you may have some difficulty in solving the problem.
I will explain in detail all the procedures to be carried out when iMessage does not work.
What to do when iMessage isn’t working
Generally, iMessage malfunctions can cause different types of problems, such as failure to send messages, application freezing, and in some cases slowing down the entire system. If you also have one of these problems and iMessage is not working properly, perform the following procedures.
Make sure your Mac is connected to the internet
iMessage requires an Internet connection to work properly. First, make sure your Mac has the connection enabled and working.
Try to access any website using your web browser. If the pages open regularly go to the next procedure. If not, check why the Mac is not connected to the Internet.
Restart the Mac
Very often the simple restart of the Mac can solve several problems related to the apps installed on macOS. Then, restart your Mac using the standard procedure.
- Click on the Apple icon, the apple-shaped one at the top left of the menu bar;
- Click on the item “Restart” and then click on the “Restart” button in the window that opens.
After your Mac restarts, check if the app has started working again.
Check if you are using the correct Apple ID
iMessage requires an Apple ID, this must be the same as the one you use to log in to iCloud from your Mac. Therefore, I recommend that you check if the Apple ID used is the correct one, to do so:
- Click on the Apple icon, the apple-shaped one at the top left;
- Then click on “System Preferences”;
- Click on the “Apple ID” icon.
Deactivate and reactivate the iMessage app
Sometimes disabling and re-enabling this messaging app can fix the problem. Here’s how:
- Open the “Messages” app ;
- Click on the item “Messages” at the top, in the menu bar;
- Click on “Preferences” ;
- Select the “iMessage” tab;
- Click on the “Exit” button ;
- Close the “Messages” app later, reopen the application, access the preferences, and re-enter your Apple ID.
