In iMessage, why does a contact name come… (2024)

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User profile for user: CindyW57

CindyW57 Author

User level: Level1

21 points

When I'm in iMessage, what does it mean when the contact name comes up red?

Posted on Jan 21, 2014 6:06 PM

Question marked as Top-ranking reply

User profile for user: BKarate

BKarate

User level: Level1

8 points

Posted on Oct 30, 2016 8:01 AM

I have a one iMessage group text going that a contact is in and her name is blue. We started another one last night and when I try to add her to that one her name turns red. We are all running ios10. One of the other ladies tried to add her and the same thing happened. Does anyone know how to fix this?

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User profile for user: BKarate

BKarate

User level: Level1

8 points

Oct 30, 2016 8:01 AM in response to azboarder23

I have a one iMessage group text going that a contact is in and her name is blue. We started another one last night and when I try to add her to that one her name turns red. We are all running ios10. One of the other ladies tried to add her and the same thing happened. Does anyone know how to fix this?

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User profile for user: azboarder23

azboarder23

User level: Level1

15 points

Feb 26, 2016 8:34 AM in response to CindyW57

So after researching this, if you get a new iPhone or do a hard true reset and erase all content, you will need to enable the text forwarding in messages on the iPhone first, then on the iPad, iPod touch, or Mac. So open settings>message>text forwarding

User profile for user: pohlcat01

pohlcat01

User level: Level1

9 points

Jun 19, 2014 8:55 AM in response to CindyW57

So I figured out that red means no iMessage, obviously, but my question is when I add the contact the mobile number and email both have iMessage next to it. I select the mobile number and the name is blue, it then turns to red after about 5-10 seconds.

The person clearly has an iCloud account and can receive iMessages. Just not from my Mac. And I am using it to send other people iMessages all the time...

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User profile for user: Thomas Maier

Thomas Maier

User level: Level1

8 points

Feb 20, 2015 2:41 AM in response to nbar

If that's true, it's a kind of bad interface design decision... 'red' means 'not working' or 'error'. It should be green, like on the iPhone, to show that it only sends sms. I thought that this was the case actually and that there is just a bug that occurred somehow...

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User profile for user: savage07

savage07

User level: Level1

9 points

Apr 10, 2017 6:15 PM in response to CindyW57

Hi, I recently had this issue after having my iPhone on airplane mode for a while. When I resumed work at my MacBook Pro a few hours later... all my "green" contact names that were SMS conversations had turned to "red" ... I could receive texts from these names, but was not able to send texts. "Blue" iMessages still worked.

Here's how I fixed the problem:

1). Reset Network settings on the iPhone... Settings > Reset > Reset Network Settings (you won't lose any data, apart from saved passwords for WiFi networks, so be prepared to re-enter needed WiFi passwords).

2). Disable iMessage on the phone under Settings > Messages > toggle the "Enable iMessage" to the off position.

3). Enable iMessages... it may take a few moments to activate... allow it to activate... you should then see "Text Message Forwarding" options... go there and toggle any listed devices to the Off position, then back to the On position.

This fixed the problem for me on my new MacBook Pro 2016 running Sierra. Hope it works for anyone else having the problem.

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User profile for user: itsolga

itsolga

User level: Level1

12 points

Nov 6, 2017 3:46 PM in response to savage07

I did exactly as you said with one exception, I cannot find where to toggle on and off forwarding. Hence, my problem still persists. Any help or ideas you can give me would be great. I have 7 and run iOS 11.0.3. Thank you so much in advance.

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User profile for user: nbar

nbar

User level: Level5

7,019 points

Jan 21, 2014 6:07 PM in response to CindyW57

It means you cannot send an iMessage to the contact. You can only send a regular SMS text message.

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User profile for user: IdrisSeabright

IdrisSeabright

User level: Level10

164,333 points

Feb 20, 2015 5:31 AM in response to Thomas Maier

At the time this thread was last active, if I've got my timeline right, you couldn't send an SMS from either a Mac or an iPad, only iMessages. Now, if you have Message fowarding enabled, you can. So, some of what was said in this thread no longer applies to people who have iPhones and have it set up to forward messages.

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User profile for user: IdrisSeabright

IdrisSeabright

User level: Level10

164,333 points

Nov 6, 2017 3:51 PM in response to itsolga

itsolga wrote:

I did exactly as you said with one exception, I cannot find where to toggle on and off forwarding. Hence, my problem still persists. Any help or ideas you can give me would be great. I have 7 and run iOS 11.0.3. Thank you so much in advance.

Are you looking, on your iPhone, in Settings>Messages for Text Message Forwarding?

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User profile for user: CindyW57

CindyW57 Author

User level: Level1

21 points

Jan 22, 2014 11:46 AM in response to nbar

Thanks! Do you know when a contact is able to receive an iMessage?

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User profile for user: MacBookBear

MacBookBear

User level: Level1

24 points

Oct 14, 2016 8:05 AM in response to azboarder23

azboarder23, your solution solved this problem for me, thanks.

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User profile for user: gwendolyn152

gwendolyn152

User level: Level1

9 points

Dec 18, 2016 8:01 AM in response to IdrisSeabright

Thank you. The response solved my problem.

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User profile for user: IdrisSeabright

IdrisSeabright

User level: Level10

164,333 points

Dec 18, 2016 12:28 PM in response to gwendolyn152

Glad it helped.

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User profile for user: dhbball

dhbball

User level: Level1

4 points

Apr 18, 2017 7:58 AM in response to savage07

That did it for me as well. Thank you!

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User profile for user: savage07

savage07

User level: Level1

9 points

Apr 18, 2017 8:10 AM in response to dhbball

no problem!

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In iMessage, why does a contact name come up red?

In iMessage, why does a contact name come… (2024)

FAQs

Why is someone's name not showing up on iMessage? ›

If in case the contact aren't syncing properly with the any 3rd-party accounts, for example, Yahoo, Google, Outlook, and so on, you will face "iMessages not showing names on iPhone" issue.

Why don't some contact names show on iPhone? ›

To fix contacts not showing up on your iPhone, try restarting your phone or showing all contacts. You can also try to sync your contacts with connected email accounts or your iCloud contacts. Disabling Short Name, updating your iPhone, and contacting Apple Support can help.

How does the iPhone suggest contact names? ›

Suggestions are based on a variety of signals related to your contacts and interactions, such as a contact being starred or if you've emailed a contact recently. Suggested contacts include people you've added to your contacts.

Why is contact name not showing in text? ›

Turn Off/On "Hide Contacts Without Numbers" It is also possible that 'Hide Contacts Without Numbers' functions have been enabled after the Android update. It happens sometimes, and due to the activation of this option, Android not showing contact names. So, you have to just disable this option from the settings.

Why do my contact names disappear on iPhone messages? ›

Check iCloud Settings. One of the easiest ways to bring back your missing names is to turn on contacts in iCloud. To do this, go to Settings > iCloud and make sure that Contacts toggle is on. If it's not, turn it on.

Why is number showing instead of contact name? ›

You may have accidentally turned off the “Show contact names” in your phone's contact list. To check this setting, go to your phone's Settings app, tap “Contacts,” and finally, “Show contact names.” Make sure that the switch next to this setting is turned on.

Why have my contact names disappeared? ›

So, if your contacts disappeared from your Android phone, first check if you've selected the appropriate settings from your Contacts app. Tap the 3 horizontal lines at the top corner of the screen to open the side menu. Select Settings from there. Finally, ensure you set the option to display All contacts.

Why doesn't my name show up on text messages? ›

Why Contact Names Disappear. Contact names can disappear from text messaging apps for multiple reasons. Sometimes, it can be directly related to the app you're using. But it can also be attributed to issues with the operating system or settings you might have changed accidentally.

How does iMessage know someone's name? ›

When you receive an iMessage from an unknown party, how does Messages identify that person for you if they're not already in your contacts? Apple has a backchannel in its proprietary multimedia texting system that transmits your name and image to the recipient based on settings you can control.

How does Apple determine suggested contacts? ›

Where are you seeing "Suggested Contacts"? If you swipe to the left most screen, where you can access Siri, you'll see "Suggested Contacts". They are people who you've contacted previously at similar times and locations which the software thinks you might want to contact now.

How do I change the name of a contact in iPhone messages? ›

In the Contacts app , assign a photo to a contact, add a pronunciation and pronouns, change a label, add a birthday, and more.
  1. Tap a contact, then tap Edit.
  2. Enter or update their contact information.
  3. When you're finished, tap Done.

Why are iMessage notifications not showing name? ›

In case of iMessage notifications not showing names, it could be due to unsynced or improperly synced contacts.

Why are my contacts showing up as numbers? ›

You may have accidentally turned off the “Show contact names” in your phone's contact list. To check this setting, go to your phone's Settings app, tap “Contacts,” and finally, “Show contact names.” Make sure that the switch next to this setting is turned on.

Why can't I mention people on iMessage anymore? ›

If you can't mention someone in iMessage, verify that you're at least running iOS 14, iPadOS 14, or macOS 11 on your devices.

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