Top 4 Ways to Fix Share Name and Photo Not Found on iPhone

Previously, iMessage users could not change their display name or picture. That changed with the release of iOS 13 for the iPhone. Now users can personalize their iMessage profile with a name, picture or a Memoji of their choice. Customization is pretty straightforward, but some iOS users are presented with an error message when they try to edit their iMessage name and image.

This issue is common with new iPhones. Some users who also recently updated their iOS 13 also experienced this problem. The problem could be due to an iOS 13 bug or some conflict in your device’s Apple ID setup.

Fortunately, the problem is fixable and we have listed four (4) troubleshooting methods to help you get everything back in order on your device.

1. Use Multiple Addresses for iMessage

Stage 1: Launch the iOS Settings menu and select Messages.

Step 2: Next, tap on ‘Send & Receive’.

Stage 3: Tap on ‘Use your Apple ID for iMessage’.

This will ask you to sign in to your Apple ID.

Step 4: Select “Sign in” in the drop-down menu to use the Apple ID (email) displayed for iMessage.

Otherwise, tap “Use Other Apple ID” to sign in with a completely different Apple ID.

If the Apple ID credentials are saved on your device, iOS will connect the device to iMessage in a few seconds. Otherwise, you have to enter the password manually.

After logging in, you should see the new Apple ID addresses from which you can receive iMessages.

Now go back to the Messages menu and tap on ‘Share Name and Photo’. You should now be able to configure your iMessage name and photo.

2. Relink Apple ID

Sometimes, this name and photo sharing error may appear on your device if your device fails to initiate a connection with the Apple ID server. In this case, signing out of the Apple ID and signing back in can help.

However, before continuing, it is important to check what happens when you sign out of Apple ID on your iPhone or iPad. Follow the steps below to sign out of Apple ID on your device.

Stage 1: Launch the iPhone settings menu at the top of the page and your device profile.

Step 2: Then tap the Sign Out button at the bottom of the screen.

Stage 3: Enter your Apple ID account password and tap Turn Off.

Step 4: Select the (iCloud) data you want to keep on your device and tap Sign Out.

Sign in to your Apple ID and check if name and photo sharing in iMessage now works.

3. Remove Devices from Apple ID

If you have multiple phone numbers or devices associated with your Apple ID, iMessage may cause the ‘Share Name and Photo not available’ error to pop up. For example, if you share your Apple ID with friends or family members, you will receive an error message when you try to use the feature.

To fix this, you need to remotely disconnect other devices associated with your Apple ID.

Stage 1: Open your iPhone settings menu and tap the device name.

If you have multiple devices in your Apple ID, you should see them listed on the page.

Step 2: Tap the device you want to remove.

Stage 3: Select ‘Remove from account’ and tap Remove at the confirmation prompt.

Go back to your iMessage, enable name and photo sharing and see if it works.

4. Update iOS

This issue can also be caused by some kind of bug in the version of iOS you have installed on your device. Some users reported that this issue occurred right after they updated to a new iOS version. You can fix this by updating your iPhone or iPad’s iOS to the latest version available for your device. If you are already using the latest iOS version, you may have to wait for Apple to release a new iOS version that includes the bug fix.

Go to Settings > General > Software Update and install all available updates to the page.

Redefine Your iMessage Experience

Customizing your iMessage’s name and profile picture helps your contacts (and the people you message) get to know you faster and better. Use any of the methods mentioned above to remove the ‘Name and Photo Cannot Be Shared’ error on your iPhone or iPad. And if none of them work, you can turn iMessage off and then back on. You can also restart your device after following any of the troubleshooting tips.

Next: Is your iPhone not sending pictures via iMessage or MMS? We have listed six (6) ways to fix the problem in the guide linked below.