Messages not working on a Mac? 8 things to check

2 min read · 8 steps · Updated 2 October 2026

The Messages app on a Mac sends blue iMessages on its own, over the internet. Green text messages (SMS and RCS) always travel through your iPhone. That difference explains most problems.

Menu names are from recent versions of macOS, where the settings app is called System Settings. The picture is our own screenshot from macOS Tahoe 26 on a MacBook Pro.

Step by step

1. Check Apple's System Status page

   Search for Apple System Status and look at the entry for iMessage. If there is an outage, waiting is the only fix.

   Done

2. Check the internet connection

   Open a website in Safari. If it does not load, fix the connection first: Mac won't connect to Wi-Fi: 8 fixes that work.

   Done

3. Restart the Mac

   Choose Apple menu, Restart.

   Done

4. 

   Install macOS updates

   Open System Settings, General, Software Update. The steps are in how to update macOS on your Mac.

   Done

5. 

   Check the date and time

   iMessage refuses to sign in when the clock is wrong. Open System Settings, General, Date & Time and switch on Set time and date automatically.

   Done

6. Check the address

   Make sure the message goes to the right phone number or email address. A number saved without the country code can fail when you or the other person is abroad.

   Done

7. Switch on Text Message Forwarding

   For text messages to people without iMessage: on the iPhone, open Settings, Apps, Messages, Text Message Forwarding and switch on your Mac. The iPhone must be switched on and online.

   Done

8. Sign out and in again

   In Messages, choose Messages, Settings, click iMessage and check that you are signed in with the same Apple Account as on the iPhone, and that your number is ticked under "You can be reached for messages at". If sign-in fails, click Sign Out and sign in again.

   Done

Good to know

Messages missing on the Mac but present on the iPhone? Switch on Messages in iCloud on both: on the Mac under Messages, Settings, iMessage.

If the iPhone itself cannot activate iMessage: iPhone iMessage waiting for activation: 8 fixes to try.

A wrong clock on the phone: iPhone showing the wrong time: how to fix the date and time.

In short: System Status, internet, restart, update, date and time, right address, Text Message Forwarding, sign out and in.