iMessage Questions

[raf66]

Hi everyone. 've got a question re: iMessage.

I just recently purchased the iPhone 5. I have a iMac desktop computer at home for my family's use. My daughter, who is in college, also has an iPhone (4). When she got her iPhone she was in HS and living at home, so she connected/activated using our iTunes account. We have one master account (my kids and I all have had iPod Touches and my daughter has an iPhone), but the only hardware still utilizing the iTunes account is my desktop (obviously), my iPhone 5 and my daughter's iPhone 4. When I activated my iPhone 5 I did so with VZW over the phone (and by using my iTunes account). Now, when people using an iPhone/iPad (anything with iOS) text me, my daughter and I both get the message as an iMessage. Similarly, when I send an iMessage to my daughter she gets duplicate messages. I don't know if she would get copied on an iMessage that I send to another iOS user besides her, but I'm guessing she would since someone sent me an iMessage from an iPad and she and I both got it. I certainly don't want to risk getting copied on her texts to her iOS friends (well, strike that, I guess it could come in handy!!-JK), and I don't want her getting copied on my texts to/from iOS users.

Anyway, is this an iMessage issue or an iTunes account issue? Both?

Thanks and so far this convert from a Droid X is lovin' his new iPhone.

 

[supershick]

Hi everyone. 've got a question re: iMessage.

I just recently purchased the iPhone 5. I have a iMac desktop computer at home for my family's use. My daughter, who is in college, also has an iPhone (4). When she got her iPhone she was in HS and living at home, so she connected/activated using our iTunes account. We have one master account (my kids and I all have had iPod Touches and my daughter has an iPhone), but the only hardware still utilizing the iTunes account is my desktop (obviously), my iPhone 5 and my daughter's iPhone 4. When I activated my iPhone 5 I did so with VZW over the phone (and by using my iTunes account). Now, when people using an iPhone/iPad (anything with iOS) text me, my daughter and I both get the message as an iMessage. Similarly, when I send an iMessage to my daughter she gets duplicate messages. I don't know if she would get copied on an iMessage that I send to another iOS user besides her, but I'm guessing she would since someone sent me an iMessage from an iPad and she and I both got it. I certainly don't want to risk getting copied on her texts to her iOS friends (well, strike that, I guess it could come in handy!!-JK), and I don't want her getting copied on my texts to/from iOS users.

Anyway, is this an iMessage issue or an iTunes account issue? Both?

Thanks and so far this convert from a Droid X is lovin' his new iPhone.

Since your daughter and your iP5 are both using the same iTunes account, then all messages will be sent to the devices connected to that iTunes account.

I heard VZW iPhones can't use their phone numbers for some weird reason. Whenever I text my cousin I must send an iMessage to his email account. If I send it to his phone number, it turns into a text message.

I think you and your daughter will have to separate the iTunes accounts. Can't she create one on her own? The only added benefit I see is that she gets to share apps with you and also all the music you might have for iTunes Match.

She could just login with your account, get all the media, then logout and use her own account?

 

[OneMike]

In iTunes on both the computer and phone you may share an account.

On the iPhone though, create a separate iCloud account rather then using the shared iTunes one. Do the same for iTunes on the mac. You're just all signed into the same account.

I have all purchases for my family under one iTunes account, but we have our separate icloud accounts for messages, backup, etc.. works fine.

 

[raf66]

Thanks for the quick replies. My daughter doesn't really need to share my iTunes account anymore. I mean, she really only comes home on the weekends to eat and do laundry, but she has her own MacBook Pro and never connects to our desktop iMac. Neither of us needs to share music or app downloads, so there's really no reason to keep one account for us both to share. Would it be easier to just switch her MBP/iPhone 4 iTunes account, or would it be better to switch mine (the iMac and my iPhone 5)? I'm guessing it would be essentially the same effort either way. And since we've both got our phones activated through the master iTunes account I use for the family, will it screw anything up when we create a new account for either my stuff or hers? In other words, will the phones have to be reactivated?

OneMike, maybe it would be easier to switch iCloud accounts? Is it as easy as setting up a separate iCloud account on her MBP and then having her log her phone into THAT new iCloud account while I keep the iMac and my iPhone 5 logged into the original iCloud account?

 

[lelisa13p]

Since you & daughter have different phone numbers, you can test this to see if it fixes the problem.

Settings > Messages > Send & Receive. Make sure that only your phone # has a check mark. Have her do the same. That should solve it.

Please post your results.

 

[Gathomblipoob]

Hey, OP. I just saw you on eiC.

 

[Shaddow825]

Thanks for the quick replies. My daughter doesn't really need to share my iTunes account anymore. I mean, she really only comes home on the weekends to eat and do laundry, but she has her own MacBook Pro and never connects to our desktop iMac. Neither of us needs to share music or app downloads, so there's really no reason to keep one account for us both to share. Would it be easier to just switch her MBP/iPhone 4 iTunes account, or would it be better to switch mine (the iMac and my iPhone 5)? I'm guessing it would be essentially the same effort either way. And since we've both got our phones activated through the master iTunes account I use for the family, will it screw anything up when we create a new account for either my stuff or hers? In other words, will the phones have to be reactivated?

OneMike, maybe it would be easier to switch iCloud accounts? Is it as easy as setting up a separate iCloud account on her MBP and then having her log her phone into THAT new iCloud account while I keep the iMac and my iPhone 5 logged into the original iCloud account?

Keep the same itunes account or she loses any purchased apps under the old account. If there isnt anything of significance there (that wouldnt cost much to repurchase), you might take the opportunity to switch itunes accounts as well now since she's going out on her own and then she can pay for her own purchases going forward. It will be harder to do as more time passes and more things get purchases through itunes. If it's mostly been her stuff up till now on itunes and you are new, you might be better off letting her have this account and you setting up a new one

Either way, have her set up her own icloud account for backups/photostreams/imessages since I'm sure you don't want to see any of that

 

[raf66]

That was me, Gathomb. I was doing some research about iMessage and Google pointed me to that site, which I'd never heard of before. Thought I would toss the question out to this forum as well as there loads of helpful people on here.

Thanks again to everyone for responding. lelisa, I just checked the Messages section of Settings and it shows that I "can be reached by iMessage at" my email address and my phone #-both are checked. My daughter's phone # shows up but doesn't have a check mark by it. I'll see if she has something similar. By the way, is there a reason why I should have my email address checked? Does that mean that texts sent via iMessages will go to my email address as well?

 

[lelisa13p]

Email address works for Wifi iPads to receive iMessages.

 

[raf66]

lelisa, it's interesting that although my daughter's ph # was showing up in that section, and even though it did NOT have a check mark beside it, she got a copy of an iMessage that was sent to me earlier this week. However, I just talked to her (via iMessage) and asked her to check that setting on her phone and my number WAS checked. When she unchecked it she no longer got duplicate messages from me. I just asked a colleague who has an iPhone 4S to send me an iMessage/text and once I get it I will check with my daughter to see if she got it, too. Thanks again everyone.

 

[lelisa13p]

Woo Hoo! Now you have a fix for this immediate problem, allowing you to take your time with untangling your Apple accounts going forward.

 

[raf66]

Keep the same itunes account or she loses any purchased apps under the old account. If there isnt anything of significance there (that wouldnt cost much to repurchase), you might take the opportunity to switch itunes accounts as well now since she's going out on her own and then she can pay for her own purchases going forward. It will be harder to do as more time passes and more things get purchases through itunes. If it's mostly been her stuff up till now on itunes and you are new, you might be better off letting her have this account and you setting up a new one

Either way, have her set up her own icloud account for backups/photostreams/imessages since I'm sure you don't want to see any of that

Thanks Shadow. I haven't purchased any apps on the account (they are all hers), so maybe it would be best if I just create my own iTunes account. I assume that can be done on the iMac without it screwing up the activation on my iPhone 5? Also, I have a few hundred songs on that account (I know, not much in comparison to probably some of you). When I set up the new account will those songs disappear? Should I link the iCloud account on my desktop and iPhone 5 to the new iTunes account once I get it set up? And leave her stuff synced with the old iTunes/iCloud account?

 

[razzydazzle99]

Thanks Shadow. I haven't purchased any apps on the account (they are all hers), so maybe it would be best if I just create my own iTunes account. I assume that can be done on the iMac without it screwing up the activation on my iPhone 5? Also, I have a few hundred songs on that account (I know, not much in comparison to probably some of you). When I set up the new account will those songs disappear? Should I link the iCloud account on my desktop and iPhone 5 to the new iTunes account once I get it set up? And leave her stuff synced with the old iTunes/iCloud account?

I rarely post here, but I went through this once and it is quite confusing so I'll help you out, if I'm understanding you correctly try this out, and this is assuming you are all on iOS 6:

There is no need to create lots of master accounts. One ID can handle all the devices, and then secondary IDs are best for each person after that. The one master account should handle all the purchases, because to pay twice for something is nonsense. So, with this basic philosophy, do this:

on dad's iphone 5, go to:
Settings > Itunes & App Stores > now the top field is Apple ID: this should read as "dad'smasteraccount@dademail.com"

Settings > Messages > Send & Receive > Apple ID: this field should be "dad'smasteraccount@dademail.com".... then below this, it should say your phone number with a check mark, and then the same email as your Apple ID..... start new conversations, I'd set that as your phone number.

on daughter's iphone 4, go to:
Settings > Itunes & App Stores > Apple ID: this should read as "dad'smasteraccount@dademail.com"

Settings > Messages > Send & Receive > Apple ID: this should be "daughtersnewemail@daughtermail.com"

Underneath, it should have daughter's phone number listed, and then under that should be daughtersnewemail@daughtermail.com... then start new conversations should be set to the daughter phone number.

So, the problem is that both are using the same iMessage account. This should fix that, so have your girl go to make a new apple ID, and plug it in in that spot. This also keeps it so that you can share all your app purchases, because buying a weather app twice is ridiculous.

Lastly, I'd have her set that new ID as her iCloud back up too, so that you aren't both sharing the same space, etc. That is under Settings > iCloud > Account: daughter@email.com

Hope this helps.

 

[lelisa13p]

razzydazzle99, you have certainly lived up to your name. Thanks for this. I may need it one day, too.

 

[raf66]

on dad's iphone 5, go to:
Settings > Itunes & App Stores > now the top field is Apple ID: this should read as "dad'smasteraccount@dademail.com"

I'm assuming the email you're using is the current master email?

Settings > Messages > Send & Receive > Apple ID: this field should be "dad'smasteraccount@dademail.com".... then below this, it should say your phone number with a check mark, and then the same email as your Apple ID..... start new conversations, I'd set that as your phone number.

Ok, I've done that.

on daughter's iphone 4, go to:
Settings > Itunes & App Stores > Apple ID: this should read as "dad'smasteraccount@dademail.com"

Ok, I understand that part. Just leave it as is in other words.

Settings > Messages > Send & Receive > Apple ID: this should be "daughtersnewemail@daughtermail.com"

Would this email be a personal email account that she already has? Would she have to set this new email address up in iTunes first? If not, will it be recognized?

Underneath, it should have daughter's phone number listed, and then under that should be daughtersnewemail@daughtermail.com... then start new conversations should be set to the daughter phone number.

Ok, I get that. She just uses the email address that she used above.

So, the problem is that both are using the same iMessage account. This should fix that, so have your girl go to make a new apple ID, and plug it in in that spot. This also keeps it so that you can share all your app purchases, because buying a weather app twice is ridiculous.

Does the new Apple ID you're referring to get set up on her MBP? Is it a whole new account? Also, when you say plug the NEW ID in, at what SPOT does she plug that in?

Lastly, I'd have her set that new ID as her iCloud back up too, so that you aren't both sharing the same space, etc. That is under Settings > iCloud > Account: daughter@email.com

Is the iCloud setting you're referring to on her iPhone 4 and her MBP? Both?

Thanks for help.

 

[razzydazzle99]

I'm assuming the email you're using is the current master email?

Would this email be a personal email account that she already has? Would she have to set this new email address up in iTunes first? If not, will it be recognized?

Does the new Apple ID you're referring to get set up on her MBP? Is it a whole new account? Also, when you say plug the NEW ID in, at what SPOT does she plug that in?

Is the iCloud setting you're referring to on her iPhone 4 and her MBP? Both?

Thanks for help.

1. Yes, the dad email should be the CURRENT master account email address.

2. Have her go to https://appleid.apple.com/ and click "Create an Apple ID". Then have her use her personal email address, her daughter@gmail.com or yahoo.com address or whatever she uses. Nothing will actually GO to the email address after sign up, this is merely just a way for Apple to finger print people and have a unique way of identifying individuals other than just a phone number.

The email chosen for the Apple ID does NOT need to be inserted anywhere into itunes. This is a iMessage issue, which iTunes has nothing to do with. Itunes is strictly purchasing/commerce, which is why you will keep the current master for that function in the iPhone4, however the messaging is her own unique identity, so the Phone will handle that instead of Itunes. In fact, once she registeres it on that link I gave, it will be recognized by all devices she puts it into for iMessage from now til infinity.

3. I don't own a MBP so I don't know what that can/can't do. However what I am telling you should not involve the computer, except to register the Apple ID on that web link I gave you. If MBP does some thing with it, someone else will be better to help you with that. The places on her phone where she should plug in that new apple ID of hers, are these 3 spots:

Settings > Messages > Send & Receive > Apple ID: daughter@newID.com
Settings > iCloud > Account: daughter@newID.com
Settings > FaceTime > Apple ID: daughter@newID.com

4. The icloud setting should be done through her phone. Again I don't have a MBP so I'm not sure what those are capable of.

Lastly, in those "Settings" spots, I listed in part 3, the only things that should be showing up are YOUR phone number, and YOUR email address. That's it, anyone elses numbers or emails should be removed from the device. The same goes for the daughter phone, only her number, and her email should be showing up in all 3 of those areas. Anyone else's info showing up could cross-contaminate again, whether intentionally or inadvertently.