How to make your Mac use Messages in iCloud

1 June 2018, 13:32

Feature head image

Apple has released the 10.13.5 update for macOS High Sierra, which includes the Messages in iCloud feature.

And this just works… Right? I’m afraid not! Here are the steps required to activate it. Of course, I assume here you’re signed-up to iCloud already so don’t cover that below.

  1. Open Messages’ Preferences dialog box (hit Cmd+comma while the app is running), and click the Accounts icon at the top.

  2. Ensure you’ve selected the “iMessage” account in the list at the left, then ensure the Settings tab is selected.

  3. Put a check alongside Enable Messages in iCloud.
    Main feature illustration

  4. After a few seconds, the Sync Now button will stop being greyed out, and you can click it.

  5. In the main Messages window, you’ll see at the bottom left a progress display saying “Uploading Messages to iCloud” (or possibly something similar if your iOS device(s) has already synced their messages). This syncing took around fifteen minutes to complete on my MacBook Pro and appeared to get stuck near the end but, ah, patience won the day!

    Main feature illustration

It’s not yet clear if it’s necessary to repeat the step above and click the Sync Now button in future. However, if you notice that the Messages list on your Mac is different from that on your iPhone or iPad then obviously clicking it to resync would be a good idea.


Leave a comment...

For what it’s worth, it was not turned on automatically on my iPhone.

— Darren · Jun 1, 06:24 PM · #

Good point Darren – and you’re right of course, it doesn’t automatically sync on iOS devices. I’ve not only edited this article to reflect this but also added a new post about how to switch on Messages for iOS devices: http://www.mackungfu.org/HowtomakeyouriPhoneoriPaduseMessagesiniCloud

— Keir · Jun 2, 01:29 AM · #

 
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