Message on Mac slow to show new messages that show up on iPhone

[Matz]

Fairly often - not always - when a message appears on my iPhone 13Pro, it doesn't show up right away in Messages on the Mac. The delay can last up to several minutes. Normally not an issue, but if I'm texting via the Mac, using my keyboard, it is an annoyance.

Has anyone else noticed this? Is there a solution, or is it just the way it is?

Thanks.

 

[Spunk Bubble]

I had this issue come and go for many years. No idea why.

 

[HobeSoundDarryl]

Hamster that runs on the wheel to power the iCloud server gets tired/takes a lunch break.

But OP: one easy thing to try is log out of iCloud on the Mac, wait a minute or two and the log in again. That might help or might do nothing... but it seems to demand a fresh update on a new login.

 

[Matz]

Hamster that runs on the wheel to power the iCloud server gets tired/takes a lunch break.

But OP: one easy thing to try is log out of iCloud on the Mac, wait a minute or two and the log in again. That might help or might do nothing... but it seems to demand a fresh update on a new login.

Sounds worth trying. Thanks.

 

[gank41]

Hamster that runs on the wheel to power the iCloud server gets tired/takes a lunch break.

But OP: one easy thing to try is log out of iCloud on the Mac, wait a minute or two and the log in again. That might help or might do nothing... but it seems to demand a fresh update on a new login.

FWIW, at least for me, Logging Out of iCloud and then waiting and logging back in, that process takes a LOT longer than a few minutes. If you, like me, have LOTS of iCloud Data that gets synced across, simply logging out of iCloud and then back in can cause a slew of new problems that may take quite a long time to reconcile and actually show that “Messages” is working again.

And also of note, this same issue has been happening off & on for me, too. I have a MBP and a Mac mini, and sometimes messages will show up on my iPhone and then at times both Macs update right away, sometimes it seems to take many minutes until even the messages I’ve replied with also show up in the Messages app on either of my Macs. Sometimes one will show the messages and another won’t.

It’s kind of like the Phantom iCloud Tabs issue. You can “fix” it, but it’ll just happen again.

 

[PotentPeas]

I've noticed this in Sequoia. Not sure if it is what you are experiencing, but it happens to me pretty frequently, multiple times a week.

I get a message while I am not actively using my Mac. When I sit down and unlock the Mac, the new message doesn't show up in the "Messages" app (that I leave open all of the time), BUT clearly macOS knows that a message has been received, because the Messages app in the dock has a red badge on it (indicating one unread message or whatever).

As soon as I click any other message in the Messages app (i.e. switching the active thread), the new unread message pops in. It's like the UI was just stuck and I had to jog it loose.

Weird :-\
Don't ever remember having this happen on Ventura or Sonoma.

 

[Matz]

Weird :-\
Don't ever remember having this happen on Ventura or Sonoma.

Come to think of it, I don’t remember seeing that either. Hmmm.

 

[Bazza1]

Then there's messages you see and delete on your iPhone, but which continue to show up on your MacOS app. And occasionally visa-versa. This being reported elsewhere, and not just on Sequoia.

Seems Apple still hasn't figured out the purpose of iCloud sync yet...

 

[PitfallCreator]

Confirming PotentPeas workaround:

As soon as I click any other message in the Messages app (i.e. switching the active thread), the new unread message pops in. It's like the UI was just stuck and I had to jog it loose.

Very poor UI, but until it is fixed it is a lot faster and easier than logging off and back on, or reinstalling the OS.

 

[jasnw]

I have this exact problem, and it drives me crazy because - damn! - this appears to be something that should "just work". Didn't someone have that motto at one time? Anyway, I have tried every "hold your left hand over your head and cough" type fix/work-around/hack I have come across - they sometimes work, but the problem always returns. This is a big pain when I'm dealing with two-factor auth setups that require you to use texting. I have to have my phone out even though I am running Message on my computer.

My bottom line here is that if you build a service into an OS (or app) it should work. If it doesn't work, then fix it. If you can't (or won't) fix it, REMOVE IT! Keeping a bug and forcing people to just live with it does not build confidence in your product.