Multi-User iMessage Setup on a Single Mac

Learn how to set up multiple iMessage accounts on a single Mac using separate user profiles for cost-effective scaling with WhatSnap.

You can enable multiple iMessage accounts to operate simultaneously on a single Mac machine by using multiple macOS user profiles. This approach allows you to scale your iMessage capacity while minimizing hardware costs.

Cost-Effective Scaling: Instead of buying multiple Macs, you can run up to 4 iMessage accounts on a single Mac mini, significantly reducing your hardware investment.

🧰 Prerequisites

Before setting up multiple iMessage accounts on one Mac, ensure you have:

Hardware Requirements

iPhone & Apple ID Requirements

Software & Permissions

Not Sure About Hardware? Check our iMessage Device Specifications Guide for detailed requirements and Mac model recommendations.

🛠️ Step-by-Step Setup

1

Step 1: Create Separate macOS User Profiles

You need to create a dedicated macOS user account for each iMessage account you want to run:

Create the First User Profile:

  1. On your Mac, click the Apple menu () → System Settings (or System Preferences on older macOS)

  2. Click Users & Groups

  3. You may need to click the lock icon and enter your admin password

  4. Click the "+" button to add a new user

  5. Fill out the user details:

    • Account type: Select "Standard" (not Administrator or Guest)

    • Full Name: Use a descriptive name (e.g., "iMessage Sales", "iMessage Support", "iMessage Device 2")

    • Account Name: Will auto-fill (or customize)

    • Password: Create a secure password

    • Password hint: Optional but recommended

  6. Click "Create User"

Create Additional User Profiles:

Repeat the process above for each iMessage account you want to run:

  • 2 iMessage accounts = Create 2 user profiles

  • 3 iMessage accounts = Create 3 user profiles

  • 4 iMessage accounts = Create 4 user profiles (maximum recommended)

Naming Recommendations:

User Profile 1: "iMessage Sales"
User Profile 2: "iMessage Support"  
User Profile 3: "iMessage Marketing"
User Profile 4: "iMessage VIP"

Important: Create Standard user accounts, not Guest accounts. Guest accounts don't persist settings and won't work for this purpose.

2

Step 2: Set Up iMessage in Each User Profile

Now you'll configure iMessage separately in each user profile:

For the First User Profile:

  1. Switch to the user account:

    • Click the Apple menu () → Log Out [Your Name]

    • Or use Fast User Switching (see Step 4 for setup)

    • Log in as the first new user (e.g., "iMessage Sales")

  2. Sign into Messages:

    • Open the Messages app

    • Go to Messages → Settings (or Preferences)

    • Click the iMessage tab

    • Click Sign In

    • Enter the Apple ID for the first iPhone

    • Enter password and complete 2FA if prompted

  3. Configure iMessage settings:

    • Enable "Messages in iCloud"

    • Under "You can be reached for messages at", check your phone number

    • Under "Start new conversations from", select your phone number (NOT email)

    • Uncheck email addresses to avoid confusion

  4. Pair with iPhone:

    • On the corresponding iPhone, ensure you're signed in with the same Apple ID

    • Go to Settings → Messages

    • Enable iMessage and Text Message Forwarding

    • Select your Mac from the forwarding list

    • Enter the confirmation code that appears on your Mac

  5. Test sync:

    • Send a test message from your Mac to another phone

    • Verify the message also appears on your iPhone

    • Have someone reply and confirm it appears on both devices

Repeat for Each User Profile:

Switch to each user profile (use Fast User Switching after Step 4) and repeat the above iMessage configuration process with the corresponding iPhone and Apple ID.

Sync Verified! If messages appear on both Mac and iPhone for each profile, your iMessage accounts are properly configured.

3

Step 3: Install WhatSnap Gateway in Each User Profile

The WhatSnap Gateway app must be installed and configured separately in each user profile:

For Each User Profile:

  1. Download WhatSnap Gateway:

    • While logged into the user profile, go to your WhatSnap Dashboard in GoHighLevel

    • Navigate to Connected Accounts → Add Account → SMS/iMessage (P2P)

    • Download the WhatSnap Gateway App for Mac

    • The download works the same for all profiles

  2. Install the app:

    • Unzip the downloaded file

    • Move the app to your Applications folder

    • Right-click the app and select "Open" (first time only)

    • Click "Open" in the security warning

    • Or go to System Settings → Privacy & Security → click "Allow" if blocked

  3. Grant necessary permissions:

    • Full Disk Access: Settings → Privacy & Security → Full Disk Access → Enable for WhatSnap

    • Accessibility: May be requested for typing simulation

    • Automation: To interact with Messages app

    • Grant any other permissions the app requests

  4. Authenticate the app:

    • Open WhatSnap Gateway app

    • Read and agree to the Terms of Use

    • Go to WhatSnap Dashboard and copy the authentication token

    • Paste the token into the WhatSnap Gateway app

    • Click "Connect" or "Log In"

    • Wait for confirmation that the device is connected

  5. Configure app to auto-start:

    • Go to System Settings → General → Login Items

    • Click the "+" button

    • Navigate to Applications → select WhatSnap Gateway

    • Click "Add"

    • Verify it appears in the "Open at Login" list

  6. Keep the app running:

    • Don't close the app

    • It should show "Connected" status

    • The app must remain open for messages to send/receive

Repeat for Each User Profile:

You must repeat the entire installation and authentication process in each user profile. Each profile gets its own instance of the WhatSnap Gateway app connected to a different WhatSnap device/account.

Critical: Each user profile is completely separate. You must install and configure WhatSnap Gateway individually in each one.

4

Step 4: Enable Fast User Switching

Fast User Switching allows all user profiles to remain logged in simultaneously, which is essential for multiple iMessage accounts to run in the background:

Enable Fast User Switching:

  1. From your admin account, go to System Settings (or System Preferences)

  2. Click Control Center

  3. Scroll down to find "Fast User Switching" or "User & Groups"

  4. Set the dropdown to:

    • "Show in Control Center", or

    • "Show in Menu Bar"

  5. Close System Settings

How to Use Fast User Switching:

Method 1: Menu Bar

  • Click the user icon in the top-right menu bar

  • Select the user account you want to switch to

  • Enter that user's password

  • You're now in the new user session

Method 2: Control Center

  • Click Control Center icon in top-right

  • Click Fast User Switching button

  • Select user account

  • Enter password

Critical: Use "Switch User" NOT "Log Out"

  • ✅ Fast User Switching: Keeps all profiles logged in simultaneously (correct)

  • ❌ Log Out: Closes the profile completely (wrong - will stop iMessage)

For multiple iMessage accounts to work, ALL user profiles must remain logged in at the same time. Only use Fast User Switching to change between profiles.

Verify All Profiles Are Active:

After switching between all profiles and starting WhatSnap Gateway in each:

  1. Use Fast User Switching to view the login screen (don't log in)

  2. You should see all user accounts listed

  3. Accounts with active sessions show a checkmark or indicator

  4. All profiles should show as logged in

5

Step 5: Prevent Mac from Sleeping

To ensure all iMessage accounts remain active 24/7, configure your Mac's power settings:

Configure Energy Settings:

  1. Go to System Settings (or System Preferences)

  2. Click Energy (or Battery on MacBooks)

  3. Configure these settings:

For Mac mini / Desktop Macs:

  • ✅ "Prevent automatic sleeping on power adapter when display is off" → ON

  • ✅ "Put hard disks to sleep when possible" → OFF

  • ✅ "Wake for network access" → ON

  • ✅ "Start up automatically after a power failure" → ON

  • ✅ Set "Turn display off after" to Never or 1 hour (display can sleep, Mac stays awake)

For MacBooks:

  • Under "Power Adapter" tab:

    • ✅ "Prevent automatic sleeping when the display is off" → ON

    • ❌ "Enable Power Nap" → OFF (can interfere)

  • Keep MacBook plugged in at all times

Disable Power Nap:

  • Power Nap can interfere with continuous operation

  • Ensure it's disabled in Energy settings

Note: The WhatSnap Gateway app includes features to prevent sleep, but configuring system settings provides additional insurance.

Optional: Use Amphetamine App

For extra protection against sleep:

  1. Download Amphetamine (free) from Mac App Store

  2. Set it to keep Mac awake indefinitely

  3. Particularly useful for Mac mini with no display connected

  4. Provides menu bar control and scheduling options

6

Step 6: Verify All Accounts Are Working

Test each iMessage account to ensure everything is functioning:

For Each User Profile:

  1. Switch to the user profile (using Fast User Switching)

  2. Check WhatSnap Gateway status:

    • App should show "Connected"

    • Check WhatSnap Dashboard shows device as "Active"

    • No error messages in the app

  3. Check Messages app:

    • Open Messages app

    • Verify signed in with correct Apple ID

    • iMessage should show as enabled

    • Phone number should be visible

  4. Send test message from GoHighLevel:

    • In GHL, open or create a test contact

    • Add the appropriate account tag for this iMessage device

    • Send a test message from GHL conversation tab

    • Verify message appears in Mac Messages app

    • Confirm message delivers to recipient

  5. Test receiving messages:

    • Have someone send a message to this iPhone number

    • Verify message appears on iPhone

    • Verify message appears in Mac Messages app

    • Verify message appears in GoHighLevel conversations

    • Check that all three are synced

Repeat for All Profiles:

Test each user profile individually to confirm all iMessage accounts are operational.

All Systems Go! If all profiles are sending and receiving messages successfully, your multi-user iMessage setup is complete.

⚠️ Important Considerations

💻 System Performance

Performance depends heavily on Mac hardware:

RAM
Recommended Max Accounts
Performance

8 GB

1-2 accounts

Adequate for basic use

16 GB

2-3 accounts

Good performance

32 GB

3-4 accounts

Excellent performance

Monitor system resources regularly:

  • Open Activity Monitor (Applications → Utilities)

  • Check Memory Pressure (should stay green)

  • Monitor CPU usage (shouldn't consistently max out)

  • Watch for thermal throttling on Intel Macs

Performance Degradation: If your Mac becomes slow, laggy, or unstable, you may have too many accounts running for your hardware. Reduce the number of active profiles.

🚫 Maximum Recommended Limit

Critical Limit: Maximum 4 iPhones per Mac

Running more than 4 iMessage accounts on a single Mac:

  • ⚠️ Increases risk of detection by Apple

  • ⚠️ May trigger account flagging or bans

  • ⚠️ Causes system instability and performance issues

  • ⚠️ Violates Apple's intended use of iMessage

Stay at 4 or fewer accounts per Mac to minimize risk and ensure reliability.

📊 Volume Distribution

Even with multiple accounts on one Mac, respect Apple's per-account limits:

Per Account Limits:

  • Maximum 50 unique contacts per day per iMessage account

  • Spread messages throughout the day

  • Don't send all messages at once from all accounts

Example with 4 Accounts:

  • 4 accounts × 50 contacts/day = 200 contacts per day total

  • Each account stays compliant individually

  • Total volume scales across accounts

  • Risk is distributed, not concentrated

🔄 Account Assignment in WhatSnap

Assign each iMessage device to a different GHL user:

In your WhatSnap Dashboard:

  1. Navigate to Connected Accounts

  2. For each iMessage device, assign it to a unique GoHighLevel user

  3. This enables proper routing based on contact assignments

Example Assignment:

Mac User Profile "iMessage Sales" → WhatSnap Device 1 → GHL User "Sales Rep"
Mac User Profile "iMessage Support" → WhatSnap Device 2 → GHL User "Support Agent"
Mac User Profile "iMessage Marketing" → WhatSnap Device 3 → GHL User "Marketing User"
Mac User Profile "iMessage VIP" → WhatSnap Device 4 → GHL User "Account Manager"

See: Multiple iMessage Accounts Guide for routing and assignment details.

✅ Multi-Account Best Practices

Setup Best Practices

Do:

  • ✅ Use Mac mini M1/M2 for optimal 24/7 performance

  • ✅ Install adequate RAM (16-32 GB for multiple accounts)

  • ✅ Use wired Ethernet connection (more stable than Wi-Fi)

  • ✅ Keep all user profiles logged in simultaneously (Fast User Switching)

  • ✅ Configure each account to auto-start on login

  • ✅ Monitor system resources regularly

  • ✅ Use separate GHL users for each iMessage account

  • ✅ Give each user profile a descriptive name

Don't:

  • ❌ Log out of user profiles (use Fast User Switching instead)

  • ❌ Run more than 4 iMessage accounts on one Mac

  • ❌ Use underpowered Macs for multiple accounts (minimum 8GB RAM per 2 accounts)

  • ❌ Mix personal and business accounts on same Mac

  • ❌ Neglect system maintenance and updates

  • ❌ Exceed 50 contacts/day per account just because you have multiple accounts

  • ❌ Allow Mac to sleep (configure energy settings properly)

Operational Best Practices

Daily Monitoring:

Weekly Maintenance:

Monthly Review:

🔧 Troubleshooting Multi-User Setup

Common Issues and Solutions

One or more profiles stop working after Mac restart

Problem: After restarting Mac, only some user profiles' iMessage accounts work.

Cause: Not all user profiles are logged in after restart.

Solution:

  1. Use Fast User Switching to log into each user profile

  2. Enter password for each profile

  3. Verify WhatSnap Gateway auto-starts in each profile

  4. Check Login Items in System Settings for each profile

  5. Ensure all profiles remain logged in (don't log out)

Mac becomes slow or unresponsive

Problem: Mac is laggy, slow, or freezing with multiple accounts running.

Symptoms:

  • High CPU usage

  • Memory pressure in yellow or red

  • Mac overheating

  • Applications crashing

Solutions:

  1. Check Activity Monitor:

    • Open Activity Monitor

    • Click Memory tab

    • If Memory Pressure is yellow/red, you have too many accounts for your RAM

  2. Reduce number of accounts:

    • Remove one or more user profiles

    • Or upgrade Mac's RAM (if possible)

  3. Close unnecessary applications:

    • Don't run resource-heavy apps alongside multiple iMessage profiles

    • Close browser tabs, design apps, etc.

  4. Upgrade to M1/M2 Mac:

    • Better performance per watt

    • More efficient memory management

    • Runs cooler

Fast User Switching not working or not showing

Problem: Can't see Fast User Switching option in menu bar or Control Center.

Solution:

  1. Go to System Settings → Control Center

  2. Scroll to Fast User Switching (or Users & Groups)

  3. Set dropdown to "Show in Control Center" or "Show in Menu Bar"

  4. If still not visible, restart Mac

  5. On older macOS: System Preferences → Users & Groups → Login Options → Enable "Show fast user switching menu"

WhatSnap Gateway won't connect in one user profile

Problem: WhatSnap Gateway works in some profiles but not others.

Symptoms:

  • Shows "Disconnected" or "Error" in one profile

  • Other profiles work fine

  • Can't authenticate

Solutions:

  1. Check Full Disk Access:

    • In the affected profile: System Settings → Privacy & Security → Full Disk Access

    • Ensure WhatSnap Gateway is enabled

    • Toggle off and back on if needed

  2. Re-authenticate:

    • Get a fresh authentication token from WhatSnap dashboard

    • Sign out of WhatSnap Gateway in the affected profile

    • Sign back in with new token

  3. Reinstall app in that profile:

    • Delete WhatSnap Gateway from Applications folder

    • Re-download and install

    • Grant permissions again

    • Authenticate with new token

  4. Check Messages app:

    • Ensure Messages app is signed into correct Apple ID

    • Verify iMessage is enabled

    • Test sending a message directly from Messages app

Messages sending from wrong account

Problem: Messages are sending from the wrong iMessage account in GoHighLevel.

Symptoms:

  • Contact assigned to User 1, but message sends from User 2's number

  • Inconsistent routing

Solutions:

  1. Verify contact has correct tag:

    • Check contact's tags in GHL

    • Should have specific account tag (e.g., whatsnap-account-imessage-1)

    • Remove wrong tags, add correct tag

  2. Check user assignments in WhatSnap:

    • Go to WhatSnap Dashboard → Connected Accounts

    • Verify each device is assigned to correct GHL user

    • Ensure no duplicate assignments

  3. Check default account:

    • WhatSnap Dashboard → Settings

    • Verify default account setting

    • Unassigned contacts will use default account

  4. Use #switch command for testing:

    • Manually specify account: #switch|whatsnap-account-imessage-2 Test message

    • Confirms which account is working

See: Multiple iMessage Accounts - Troubleshooting

🎯 Use Cases for Multi-User Setup

Use Case 1: Department-Based Separation

Scenario: Separate iMessage numbers for different departments

Setup:

  • Sales Team: User Profile 1 → +1-555-0101

  • Support Team: User Profile 2 → +1-555-0102

  • Billing Team: User Profile 3 → +1-555-0103

Benefits:

  • Clear departmental communication

  • Customers know which number to contact for what

  • Volume distributed across departments

  • Professional organization

Use Case 2: Volume Scaling (No Team)

Scenario: Solo operator wanting to scale iMessage capacity

Setup:

  • Volume Account 1: User Profile 1 → 50 contacts/day

  • Volume Account 2: User Profile 2 → 50 contacts/day

  • Volume Account 3: User Profile 3 → 50 contacts/day

  • Volume Account 4: User Profile 4 → 50 contacts/day

  • Total: 200 contacts/day capacity

Benefits:

  • 4x messaging capacity

  • Stay within Apple limits per account

  • Cost-effective (one Mac vs. four Macs)

  • Risk distribution across multiple numbers

Use Case 3: Geographic Distribution

Scenario: Multiple locations or area codes

Setup:

  • East Coast: User Profile 1 → +1-212-xxx-xxxx (NYC area code)

  • West Coast: User Profile 2 → +1-213-xxx-xxxx (LA area code)

  • Central: User Profile 3 → +1-312-xxx-xxxx (Chicago area code)

Benefits:

  • Local presence in multiple regions

  • Higher trust with local area codes

  • Regional campaign management

  • Geographic targeting

📚 Related Documentation

For more information about multi-account iMessage setups:

📌 Key Takeaways

Multi-User Setup Summary:

  1. ✅ Create separate macOS user profiles (one per iMessage account)

  2. ✅ Configure iMessage separately in each profile with corresponding iPhone/Apple ID

  3. ✅ Install and authenticate WhatSnap Gateway in each profile

  4. ✅ Enable Fast User Switching (keep all profiles logged in simultaneously)

  5. ✅ Configure energy settings to prevent sleep

  6. ✅ Maximum 4 iMessage accounts per Mac recommended

  7. ✅ Each account stays under 50 contacts/day limit

  8. ✅ Assign each device to a unique GHL user in WhatSnap

Benefits:

  • 💰 Cost savings: One Mac vs. multiple Macs

  • 📈 Scalability: 4x messaging capacity (200 contacts/day)

  • 🛡️ Risk distribution: Spread volume across accounts

  • ⚡ Efficiency: Centralized management

Remember: Even with multiple accounts, each individual account must follow Apple's 50 contacts/day guideline. The benefit is cumulative capacity, not permission to exceed limits on any single account.

Questions? Contact WhatSnap support at support@whatsnap.ai for help with multi-user iMessage setup or hardware recommendations.

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