Messages Phone Numbers

[jparker402]

When one opens Messages and types in a name, Messages comes up with a name and phone numbers. My question is, where does the name and specifically the suggested phone numbers come from? I put in my nephew's name and two phone numbers appear. One is currently correct, and the other is a number that he no longer has. That number that he no longer has is not in my Contacts. I don't know how my 2015 MacBook Air found it and I don't know where to go to get rid of it. Assistance please!

 

[0128672]

Can you confirm that he doesn't have it in his Messages > Preferences > General > You can be reached for messages at settings?

 

[jparker402]

WildSky, are you saying that my MacBook Air somehow knows what my nephew has in preferences on his machine?

 

[jparker402]

Just got off the phone with Apple Support. After a good half hour of troubleshooting my MacBook Air, my iPhone 8 and iCloud, the problem appears to reside within the MacBook Air. And we have zero idea what to do to eliminate the incorrect phone number. (Has Monterey struck again?)

 

[chown33]

It might have found the old number if it was used in a past message you received.

That's just a guess, but I wouldn't be surprised at all if Messages maintains an index with "header" information pulled from past messages. "Header" just means info from what would be actual header fields in things like email protocols. That means stuff like To, From, Number, Name, etc.

If Messages does maintain and manage such an index, I don't know how to tell it to forget or rebuild the index. If there is a way, you'd probably first need to delete any past messages from that number, otherwise it would just find them again, and you're back where you started.

 

[jparker402]

It might have found the old number if it was used in a past message you received.

That's just a guess, but I wouldn't be surprised at all if Messages maintains an index with "header" information pulled from past messages. "Header" just means info from what would be actual header fields in things like email protocols. That means stuff like To, From, Number, Name, etc.

If Messages does maintain and manage such an index, I don't know how to tell it to forget or rebuild the index. If there is a way, you'd probably first need to delete any past messages from that number, otherwise it would just find them again, and you're back where you started.

Best explanation I've heard yet!