Imessage which address

First, go narrow: Choose a single address or phone number to hand out to everyone. Consolidate all your iMessage delivery from colleagues, friends, and others to a single address or phone number that you enable on every device.

That can be a problem if people have multiple addresses for you, because Messages in iOS and OS X let people attempt to contact you at any email address or phone number. Second, go wide: Pick a common set of addresses and numbers where you can be reached.

Finally, go specific: Set up a different set of delivery options on each device. You might want to use your phone number only with your iPhone, and different combinations of addresses and numbers on your various other devices. You can then ask those who use iMessage to reach you to pick specific methods to find you.

The choice of phone number on an iPhone and email addresses on other devices is an easier split, of course. Some iMessage users prefer to have their phone number shown to the other side, instead of their E-Mail adress. As an email address especially private ones is not necessarily recognized at first sight.

Maybe you also want to make sure that your counterpart is aware of your number, right from the first message. Starting new conversations in iMessage means that your current settings will be used with respect to your identification. On that prompt, tap on the Settings button. Click on the blue Verify Now button. Note: If you have two-step authentication enabled, you will be unable to add email addresses to iMessage from the Settings app on your iOS device and will have to do it online from the Apple ID management web page instead.

Because people often have multiple email addresses, this is a great way to keep people from getting your most personal contact information. Do you have a reason to use multiple email addresses with your iMessage account?