Need help with Messages app on MacBook Air

So I really like the Messages app as I like getting my text messages on my MacBook Air screen instead of reaching for my phone all the time. The problem I have is my MacBook seems to have attached itself to my daughters iPhone and not mine.

When I go into the Messages app and click preferences is lists the numbers associated with my iTunes account minus hers, I assume since it's already attached. I can click to add my number, but that's all it does is add my number and not replace it with hers.

I have four iPhones on the iTunes account so I'm wondering why it randomly chose hers to sync with instead of mine and how I can change that?

Simply adding my number is OK, but I still get all her texts on my screen and if you didn't know, teenage girls get a lot of texts and it's driving me nuts.

I know I can just turn it off but I'd like to use the app just with my phone number. How can I change it?

thanks for any help you can be.

The problem may be that all your iPhones and the MacBook Air are listed under your Apple ID? If they are, get a separate Apple ID for your daughter and then register her phone under her own ID.

Does she not lose the ability to have iTunes from that account, though? I also don't wan't to lose the "find my iPhone" function, which I believe has to have all iPhones on one account, does it not?

AtGame7 said:

Does she not lose the ability to have iTunes from that account, though? I also don't wan't to lose the "find my iPhone" function, which I believe has to have all iPhones on one account, does it not?

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As I understand what you're saying, your daughter is using your iTunes account? You of course may want it that way, but a separate iTunes account for her would not remove the find my iPhone ability.

As I bump around the internet I think I see where I made my mistake. I have each phone under the same Apple ID and I don't really need that. I believe I can get them each their own Apple ID and set it up through Family Sharing that they can still share the iTunes account and work with the "Find My iPhone" app.

Does that make more sense?

AtGame7 said:

As I bump around the internet I think I see where I made my mistake. I have each phone under the same Apple ID and I don't really need that. I believe I can get them each their own Apple ID and set it up through Family Sharing that they can still share the iTunes account and work with the "Find My iPhone" app.

Does that make more sense?

Click to expand...

That's exactly what I was getting at. Give that a try, and hopefully the extra messages you're receiving will stop. Let us know how it works out for you.

Just take care when migrating. Lots of people seem to have hiccups when transitioning phones over from one iTunes account to another. Make sure you check and note the iMessage, iTunes and iCloud setting on every device before making any changes.