iMessage syncing issue

Tech Support
1

Since upgrading to an iPhone XS, the iMessages on my iPad and iPhone don’t seem to stay in sync. Specifically, I’ll read a message on one device, and it may or may not be marked as read on the other. It sill appears as a new message.

Short of logging out of iCloud on each device, any recommendations?

Thank you,
Steve

2

Are you using iCloud for Messages? If so, is it turned on for both devices?

3

Yes and yes. It is enabled for both.

4

Is this both for iMessages and SMS messages? I’ve been having trouble with SMS messages syncing (thankfully those are few and far between)

I’d also verify the Text Message Forwarding and Send & Receive settings in the Messages settings are all setup correctly.

Of course, turning off/on devices would be a good step too if you haven’t yet.

6

You can also logout of icloud and log back in if re-enabling sync does not work

8

This happens all the time to me regardless of ‘enabling’ or ‘re-enabling’.

All software is up to date with the latest versions. Hardware is
iPad Pro 12.9 (Gen 3)
iPad Mini (the last one I think Gen 5 or 6)
iPhone 12 Pro Max
Mac Mini M1

Findings…

  1. Overall sluggishness of the iMessage (and iCloud system) - Tested multiple times, I have all the devices in front of me. I will ask my wife to send me a message and the difference in time is crazy. The slowest device is my WIRED mac mini (for reference, internet home speed wired is 1Gb down, 100Mb up). Same thing when sending a message
  2. Photos, Files, etc when shared via iMessage have differing results in terms of chronological order of the conversation.
  3. My iPad Pro and iPad Mini seem to believe that I have 10 ‘unread’ messages somewhere, whereas the Mac Mini and Phone do not have this issue. I have wasted lots of time of going through threads, marking ‘all read’, etc. The only temporary fix for this has been to just hard restart my iPad Pro and iPad Mini.
  4. Overall sync among devices is bad. Example, My phone and Mac Mini may have a whole message thread between myself and family/friends intact. Whereas, on the iPad Pro/Mini when comparing the messages, whole chunks of conversation are missing.

I am always on the fence of going ‘all-in’ for iCloud Drive with my documents, but then I am still skeptical based on what I see happening regarding my messages staying in sync.

9

Apple’s cloud services are known to be unreliable for some people (many?) with no clear “knobs” to turn to fix.

I sympathise. But best to move on where possible.