How to sync iCloud and iMessage?

Apple’s iCloud is an all in one repository that can store almost everything on your iPhone, including your photos, videos, documents, notes, contacts, and now even your messages.  “Messages in iCloud,” is a feature that lets you sync all your messages, whether iMessages or SMS across all Apple devices using your iCloud account. When you delete a message or a thread, it will remove it from all the synced devices. Apple users had been waiting for this feature for a long time, and finally, Apple released it with the release of iOS 11.4 in 2018.

Do you need to buy more iCloud storage?

“Messages in iCloud” stores not only your text messages but also photos or any other attachments in iCloud, giving you more local space on your iDevice. However, syncing all your messages on iCloud means that your iCloud storage will fill up very fast— especially if you are using the free 5GB storage that Apple provides. However, the good news is that a 50 GB tier is only $0.99 per month. You can always buy more storage as per your need.

To use Messages in iCloud, you’ll need to manually turn this feature on all your devices (iPhone, iPad, Mac, etc.) Here is how you can sync iCloud and iMessage on all your iOS devices.

How to Enable Messages in iCloud on Your iPhone and iPad?

To enable Messages in iCloud, you need iOS 11.4 or later on your iPhone and an iCloud account signed up with the same Apple ID on all your devices. To enable Messages in iCloud on the iPhone and iPad, you have to opt-in by going to Settings:

1. Open Settings App
2. Tap [your name]; Apple ID page.
3. Tap iCloud.
4. Turn On Messages.

For security purposes, you should enable two-factor authentication. If you don’t know how to do that, turning on Messages in iCloud will bring up a page to help you set it up.

How to Enable Messages in iCloud on Your Mac?

To enable Messages in iCloud on your Mac, head over to the Message app.

1. Open Messages from your Dock or Applications folder.
2. Click Messages in the Menu bar and go to Preferences.
3. Click the Accounts tab at the top. 
4. Select your iMessage/Apple ID account, and click the checkboxes “Enable this account” and “Enable Messages in iCloud.”

What to do if iCloud messages not syncing?

Syncing your messages across all your iOS devices is the best way to manage them. However, for some reason, if you find that something went wrong and your iMessages and texts do not sync across iCloud. Here are some useful tips/tricks that you can try to fix iMessage not syncing with the iCloud issue on iPhone, iPad, and Mac.

Note: First, make sure that you are signed in with the same Apple ID on all your iOS devices. You can do that under Settings on iPhone and iPad and System Preferences on Mac. 

Fix iMessage Not Syncing with iCloud on iPhone, iPad, and Mac.

You probably want to know how to fix iMessage Not Syncing with the iCloud issue on iPhone, iPad, and Mac? Perhaps the first and the best thing to do is to turn it off and on again. Most of the time, restarting a system can fix minor glitches.

Turn On/Off Messages in iCloud on all devices. 

Try to turn off Messages in iCloud on all the iOS devices and then turn it back on. Use the steps given above to set the Messages in iCloud on Your iPhone, iPad, or Mac. You can try it first by turning the iCloud synching off and on for one device, then the next, and so forth or turning them all off at the same time and then turning on again. Always give some time to the devices to sync before moving on further. 

Turn on/off the iOS devices.

If turning off Messages in iCloud does not work, try to completely switch off your device (iPhone, iPad, Mac) that seems to be causing the problem and turn it on again. 

Turn on two-factor authentication for your Apple ID.

Two-factor authentication is used for Apple ID to provide extra security, ensuring that only you can use your ID on a trusted device or web, even if someone knows your password. Whenever you sign in from a new device, after typing the password, a verification code will be displayed on your trusted device or sent to your phone number. Once you enter the code, you will save the device as trusted. 

Turn on two-factor authentication for your iPhone/iPad.

To turn the two-factor authentication on your iPhone or iPad with iOS 10.3 or later:

1. Go to Settings > [your name] > Password & Security. 
2. Tap Turn On Two-Factor Authentication.
3. Tap Continue.

For iOS 10.2 or earlier:

1. Go to Settings > iCloud. 
2. Tap your Apple ID > Password & Security. 
3. Tap Turn On Two-Factor Authentication.
4. Tap Continue. 

Turn on two-factor authentication for your Mac.

If you’re using macOS:

1. Choose Apple menu > System Preferences, then click Apple ID. 
2. Click Password & Security under your name. 
3. Click Turn On Two-Factor Authentication.

Set up iCloud Keychain.

iCloud Keychain remembers your details and auto-fills your passwords, usernames, and other information.

Set up iCloud Keychain on iPhone/iPad.

To set up iCloud Keychain on iPhone/iPad.

1. Tap Settings, tap [your name], then choose iCloud.
2. Tap Keychain.
3. Toggle on iCloud Keychain.

Set up iCloud Keychain on Mac.

To set up iCloud on Mac.

1. Choose Apple menu  > System Preferences. 
2. Click Apple ID, then click iCloud in the sidebar. 
3. Select Keychain.

If none of the above techniques works, you can try signing out of your Apple ID on your iOS device, and then sign back in again.

How to delete iMessages on all synced devices?

Like the iCloud Photo Library that stores and syncs all your photos and videos on iCloud, “Messages in iCloud” stores the messages in iCloud and continually synchronizes them across all your iOS devices and thus minimizing the iPhone’s storage consumption. Since the Messages are synced on all the devices, deleting a message thread from your iPhone automatically wipes it off your iPad or Mac, and vice versa. Apple’s official page describes this procedure formally as follows:

“Messages in iCloud are updated automatically, so you always have the same view everywhere you use iMessage. When you delete a message, photo, or conversation on one device, it’s removed from all of your devices. And since all of your attachments are stored in iCloud, you can save space on your device.”