macOS High Sierra Users Report Significant Delays Receiving iMessages and SMS Texts

A bug in macOS High Sierra is causing users to receive iMessages and SMS texts on Macs and other iCloud-connected devices long after they were originally sent, according to reports that have been gradually building up over the last week or so.

First spotted by AppleInsider, a growing number of complaints on Apple's support forums detail the issue, which is affecting Mac owners with iPads, iPhones, and Apple Watches. The issue has also been picked up on MacRumors' forums, while at least one MacRumors staff member has experienced the same problem.

On updating to macOS High Sierra, some users report that iMessages only appear on their Mac after a long delay compared to their iPads and iPhones. Others have noticed that notifications are not coming through at all on other devices connected to the same iCloud account.

Some contributors to Apple's support forum and the MacRumors forum have suggested a couple of temporary fixes, including disabling and re-enabling messages, or sending messages on a Mac instead of an iOS device. Recent beta versions of macOS High Sierra don't appear to solve the problem, making reverting to macOS Sierra the only persistent workaround. Meanwhile, a community bug report has been created to alert Apple to the issue.

There's some speculation that the bug could be related to changes to the way iMessages function behind the scenes. Apple is working to bring iCloud syncing to iMessage in macOS High Sierra and iOS 11, so that deleting a message on one device removes it from all devices linked to the same account, for example. The advertised feature was pulled when the two operating systems were launched, but Apple hopes to introduce it later this fall.

Related Roundup: macOS High Sierra

Tag: iMessage

Top Rated Comments

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OldSchoolMacGuy

9 months ago

If you're seeing this issue, please report it to Apple. They don't fix a problem if they don't have significant data to show it's impacting many.

Don't just assume someone else will vote for you. That's how we end up with political officials we don't like.

https://www.apple.com/feedback/macos.html

Rating: 9 Votes

Avieshek

9 months ago

Is macOS becoming Windows while Windows is trying to become macOS?

Rating: 6 Votes

Bryan Bowler

9 months ago

I’m quite aware that bugs exist and no software is perfect, but I sure am glad that the professional software I rely on for my job takes 1-3 months to certify for Apple’s new operating system that comes out every year. That means that I cannot switch over to High Sierra until at least November or December. And that has worked out really well for me since nowadays all of Apple’s operating systems essentially are in beta mode for the first couple of months after public release.

Don’t worry folks, I love Apple, but unfortunately, over the last 5 years they have changed. They still make great products, but they have been drifting more and more away from producing software that “just works”. All of Apple’s operating systems (mac or mobile) are riddled with problems and it takes them the better part of 6 to 10 months to get everything running smoothly and then the cycle repeats itself all over again since they feel compelled to release something new every single year. It’s sad really. And it’s not the same insanely great company we used to know.

Rating: 5 Votes

fizzyfizz

9 months ago

Yep, I'm experiencing this problem. Glad I'm not the only one!

Rating: 5 Votes

bfreek

9 months ago

i've had this problem forever. with every bloody version of macos. some days it's worse than others. but it's generally flakey.

Rating: 4 Votes

NachoGrande

9 months ago

Is macOS becoming Windows while Windows is trying to become macOS?

That transition happened with windows 10.

Rating: 4 Votes

faded_glory

9 months ago

I'm on Virgin UK. Their slowness is unbeatable. Not noticed any extra lag with HS.

Sent this day, October 18th in the year of our Lord 1817.

Rating: 3 Votes

macgabe

9 months ago

Thanks for confirming. I and everyone I correspond with have this. It takes 20 to 40 mins for messages to come through. It’s like we’re back in the 1990s again. Photos also syncing very slowly or not at all. So seems to be a retrieval or backend problem.

Rating: 3 Votes

chama98

9 months ago

yep me too. even when I receive a text message on my iPhone and not getting it on my iPad! I have to make sure I go into the messages settings on my iPhone to make sure that the text message forwarding function is still turned on as in the past I have found that it turns itself off.

Think its another reason why Apple are pushing updates and new features out without checking and bug bashing. Its like Microsoft. There will be another 'security update for your apple device' along soon!

Rating: 3 Votes