If you’ve recently got the “Messages in iCloud is not available because iCloud and iMessage accounts are different” error message, don’t worry. In this article, we’ll try to explain why this message appears and what you can do to address it.
Table of contents:
- Make sure you’re using the same Apple ID
- Enable Forwarding
- Update iOS
- Turn off Messages and turn it back on
What to do when the “Messages in iCloud is not available because iCloud and iMessage accounts are different” appears on iPhone
There are several reasons why you might get the “Messages in iCloud is not available because iCloud and iMessage accounts are different” message on your iPhone. Some of the most common are:
- You’re using a different Apple ID with iCloud and Messages
- Text Message Forwarding is disabled
- A faulty update.
Keep reading for solutions.
1. Make sure you’re using the same Apple ID
The first thing we’re going to check is if the Apple ID you used to sign in with iCloud is the same as the one connected to Messages. If these two are different, you won’t be able to sync the two services, which will cause the “Messages in iCloud is not available because iCloud and iMessage accounts are different” message to appear. Here’s what you need to do:
- Go to Settings.
- Tap [your name].
- Under your name and profile picture, you’ll see your Apple ID. Memorize it or write it down.
- Now, head over to Settings > Messages > Send & Receive.
- Find your Apple ID, it’s at the bottom of the screen.
- Make sure both emails match. If they don’t, tap your Apple ID and go to Sign Out.
- Now, sign in with the same Apple ID you’re using for iCloud, and you should be good to go.
2. Enable Text Message Forwarding
If you’re trying to get messages to sync across different Apple devices, logging in with the same Apple ID is not enough. If you don’t enable Text Message Forwarding, you’ll still get the “Messages in iCloud is not available because iCloud and iMessage accounts are different” message.
Here’s how to enable Text Message Forwarding:
- Go to Settings.
- Head over to Messages > Text Message Forwarding.
- Now, choose which devices can send and receive text messages from your iPhone.
- If you’re not using the two-factor authentication for your Apple ID, a verification code will appear on all devices that you’re trying to sync. Just enter the code and you’re good.
3. Update iOS
iOS updates are a strange bunch. Most of the time, new software releases introduce new features and improve the overall stability and security of the operating system. However, sometimes an update can cause a problem that you can’t find a solution to. There’s a chance some of the previous iOS updates disrupted the sync between iCloud and Messages, which causes the “Messages in iCloud is not available because iCloud and iMessage accounts are different” error message to appear.
If you suspect that might be the case, I can only advise you to keep checking for new iOS updates. Apple will become aware of the problem sooner or later, and it will deliver the fix in some of the upcoming updates.
To check for new iOS updates, head over to Settings > General > Software Update. If the new update is available, install it and check if the problem still occurs.
4. Turn off Messages and turn it back on
And finally, if you’re still unable to sync Messages with iCloud, let’s try the most generic solution out there. And that is to turn Messages off and then back on. Here’s how to do that:
- Go to Settings > Messages
- Toggle the iMessage option off.
- Now, head over to Settings > [your name] > iCloud.
- Toggle the Messages option off.
- Reboot your iPhone.
- Now, get back to Settings > Messages and turn iMessage on.
- And finally, go to Settings > [your name] > iCloud, and turn Messages on.
That’s about it. I hope at least one of these solutions helped you with the “Messages in iCloud is not available because iCloud and iMessage accounts are different” error message on your iPhone. If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions, feel free to let us know in the comments below.
Editor’s note: This article was initially published in May 2022. We made sure to revamp it for freshness and accuracy.
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I agree with the other commenter and wanted to thank the writer of this article for sharing this solution to this issue that I had lost a lot of time and met a lot of frustration in trying to get it all sorted out. This article was extremely helpful. Keep up the great work! 🙂
I have looked high and low for the solution as to why Apple kept insisting that my iMessage and iCloud accounts were different when they were the same. But sms texts would not come thought to my iPad until I used your fix! Thanks.