Messages won't start anymore, it tries to start (icon jumping) for long time and after that it just freezes and comes unresponsive. Is there workaround to kick it up alive again?
Big Sur - Messages not starting
It seems that same time Spotlight is not doing any search. Search toolbar will pop up but it don't do anything. Messages is able to receive messages (number on icon of unread messages) and will also notify about new messages on notification center. Actual Messages window is unresponsive and won't open up.
After a few days of running Big Sur, Messages insta-crashed on launch for me reliably and this failure continues after installing Update 2. Have stopped using Big Sur because I need Messages to work.
Underlying error is a divide-by-zero failure.
Underlying error is a divide-by-zero failure.
Hello, I have the same problem on big on beta 2 and I can't find any solutions
I was experiencing this today. I used "Applejack" to remove all caches and rebooted. I then sent myself a message from my iPhone, and after that, Messages on my Big Sur instance started to work again.
I am having the same issue as mpeltomaa on Big Sur 11.0.1. Both messages and Spotlight are not working properly. Messages fails to launch and immediately becomes unresponsive. Spotlight pulls up a search bar, but doesn't do anything after typing.
This is still an issue as of 11/23/20... Come on Apple!
Just have the same issue for the first time on MacOS 11.1 Beta
I'm having this issue as well. Would love to see a fix soon.
This just happened to me. I opened a terminal window. Then in Finder, I went to Application>Messages, right click and select "Show Package Contents". Then Contents>MacOS, from there I dragged Messages executable on to Terminal window and hit Enter. The Messages app opened immediately. Closing Terminal window closed Messages app but after this it opened normally. I don't know why it worked and I don't know if it'll work for you, give it a shot.
I had the same issue on an M1 MacBook Air--Messages refused to launch and Spotlight showed no results. Running CleanMyMac and rebooting fixed the issue for me.
14/12/20
Same problem on Big Sur 11.1
Unable to even launch the app.
iMessage not even launch, immediately crashes.
Funny I still can recieve pop up notifications
Same problem on Big Sur 11.1
Unable to even launch the app.
iMessage not even launch, immediately crashes.
Funny I still can recieve pop up notifications
This started happening today for me for the first time.
Found a work around on the web that recommended starting Mac Calendar before Messages. Gave it a go and it seems to be working. Obvs not an ideal solution but at least a work around for now.
Found a work around on the web that recommended starting Mac Calendar before Messages. Gave it a go and it seems to be working. Obvs not an ideal solution but at least a work around for now.
Still an issue, didn't have a problem until after the 12/15/20 update. Incredibly frustrating as it messes with my entire work flow.
I just upgraded to Big Sur 11.1 on WED 16-dec-2020 .. and was facing this issue as well. When I launched iMessage and FaceTime from the dock, they just wouldn't start and had to be killed via "Force Quit Applications". I even tried to launch iMessage via Terminal (as mentioned by someone else on this thread), but that also did not work.
Then I fixed it : I clicked on : (apple) > System Preferences > Internet Accounts > and then click on each account listed there.
Turns out, when my MBA rebooted after the upgrade, it also logged out of my Google account. For some strange reason, that was impacting the launching of iMessage and FaceTime. After I re-logged into my Google account (via 2FA in my case), then it all started working fine again.
Then I fixed it : I clicked on : (apple) > System Preferences > Internet Accounts > and then click on each account listed there.
Turns out, when my MBA rebooted after the upgrade, it also logged out of my Google account. For some strange reason, that was impacting the launching of iMessage and FaceTime. After I re-logged into my Google account (via 2FA in my case), then it all started working fine again.
I have same problem since updating to macOS 11.1... Message need apple id and password... i enter them then app logged in successfully then it automatically quit and again need apple id and password
I have the same problem like amirqasemi74. I tried to reset Messages and bring it to a clean state, but nothing worked for me.
Code Block
Facetime and Messages also stopped working on my MacBook after I updated to Big Sur 11.1 on 12/22/2020. I tried this fix found online and it worked. Now my Facetime and Messages are working again on my MacBook.
On your iphone:
1) Go to Settings - Messages app – Preferences – uncheck iMessage on icloud
2) Sign out of your Apple ID account
3) Sign back in with your Apple ID & password
4) Go back to Settings - Messages app - Preferences - enable iMessage on icloud again.
Then try to open Facetime or Messages on your MacBook. They should work again. Mine did, not sure why or how but they did.
Good luck!
On your iphone:
1) Go to Settings - Messages app – Preferences – uncheck iMessage on icloud
2) Sign out of your Apple ID account
3) Sign back in with your Apple ID & password
4) Go back to Settings - Messages app - Preferences - enable iMessage on icloud again.
Then try to open Facetime or Messages on your MacBook. They should work again. Mine did, not sure why or how but they did.
Good luck!
I simply force-quit Messages and then restarted my MacBook from the Apple menu, and my Messages started working again.
I too had this happen. I tried everything I could find on the web and had no luck. I finally broke down and called Apple Support. Apparently in my case, there was a block placed on my account. It seems to have happened at the same time I updated to Big Sur. I asked how it happened and was told it could have been my number was reported by spam or something. Oddly enough, it only happened on my macbook and my iPad, not my iPhone. So when in doubt and you find nothing that fixes the problem.. Give em a call! :)
I had this issue as well. Icon jumping, but then not opening. Still received notifications of messages but app would not open. I tried deleting plist files, starting in safe mode, opening the calendar first, and eventually reinstalled Big Sur. Nothing worked. I called apple support and they recommended holding the option key while clicking on the icon to open. It worked.
Netsmith's method of opening calendar first and then opening messages worked for me. What a weird bug and fix...
I also have been experiencing this issue after updating to macOS 11.1.
Launching the Mac Calendar application first before messages also worked for me.
Launching the Mac Calendar application first before messages also worked for me.
I followed these steps:
On your iphone:
1) Go to Settings - Messages app – Preferences – uncheck iMessage on icloud and Forward Messages to my Mac.
2) Sign out of your Apple ID account
3) Sign back in with your Apple ID & password
4) Go back to Settings - Messages app - Preferences - enable iMessage on icloud and Forward Messages again.
5) Rebooted Mac...SUCCESS!
On your iphone:
1) Go to Settings - Messages app – Preferences – uncheck iMessage on icloud and Forward Messages to my Mac.
2) Sign out of your Apple ID account
3) Sign back in with your Apple ID & password
4) Go back to Settings - Messages app - Preferences - enable iMessage on icloud and Forward Messages again.
5) Rebooted Mac...SUCCESS!
There is an unnecessary and confusing step in the solution below, which warrants a correction.
Namely: there is no Preferences option on iPhone for the messages APP
Here is the correct process: (this is for BIG SUR ONLY, though the instructions are for iOS 14)
On your iPhone:
1) Go to Settings - Messages APP
2) Uncheck iMessage - this automatically unchecks what is called Send & Receive, NOT "Forward Messages to my Mac."
3) Then, recheck it back to Green
This technically resets the synch between the iPhone and your recently updated machine to Big Sur, making the steps below unnecessary.
3) Sign back in with your Apple ID & password
4) Go back to Settings - Messages app - Preferences - enable iMessage on icloud and Forward Messages again.
5) Rebooted Mac...SUCCESS!
Namely: there is no Preferences option on iPhone for the messages APP
Here is the correct process: (this is for BIG SUR ONLY, though the instructions are for iOS 14)
On your iPhone:
1) Go to Settings - Messages APP
2) Uncheck iMessage - this automatically unchecks what is called Send & Receive, NOT "Forward Messages to my Mac."
3) Then, recheck it back to Green
This technically resets the synch between the iPhone and your recently updated machine to Big Sur, making the steps below unnecessary.
************
3) Sign back in with your Apple ID & password
4) Go back to Settings - Messages app - Preferences - enable iMessage on icloud and Forward Messages again.
5) Rebooted Mac...SUCCESS!
I followed what mbwins10 said. I opened messages, then force quit. I shut down my computer and then booted it up again. All the messages that had appeared in messages on my iPad now appeared in messages on my MacBook air - big sur as well. Thanks to mbwins10!