Summary
This article covers what to do if your iMessage archiving disconnects, and answers common setup and capture questions. For first-time setup, see the iMessage archiving setup guide.
Unlinking and reconnecting
What is an unlink?
An unlink happens when your device loses its connection to MirrorWeb's archiving system. When this happens, your iMessages and SMS messages can't be captured until you reconnect. Any messages sent during that period won't be archived, but once you reconnect we'll backdate capture to the point your last message was captured, so there won't be any gaps in your history.
When we detect a disconnect, you and your admin will both receive an email notification. Your connection will show as disconnected in your company's archive portal.
See our MirrorWeb Mobile Capture: Device Unlinking Management article for more information on this.
Why disconnections can happen
Most disconnections are caused by one of the following:
Your iCloud password was changed. Any change to your Apple ID password will invalidate the existing session and trigger a disconnect. If you change your password, expect to need to reconnect.
iCloud account changes. Changes to your Apple ID security settings (including two-factor authentication changes or account verification prompts) can break the connection.
App or iOS updates. Sometimes iOS updates or phone restarts reset iCloud connections without warning. This is more common after major iOS version updates.
iCloud authentication token expiry. If your organisation uses federated login (Azure AD or Okta), the authentication tokens that keep your session alive have a limited lifespan. When they expire, a disconnect can follow.
iCloud storage full. If your iCloud storage fills up, messages stop syncing, which can trigger a disconnection. See the iCloud Storage section of the setup guide for how to manage this.
How to reduce disconnections
You can't eliminate disconnections entirely, but these will help:
Keep your iCloud password stable. If you do need to change it, reconnect to MirrorWeb promptly afterwards.
Keep your iOS and apps updated, but be aware that updates may occasionally cause a temporary disconnection.
Don't ignore iCloud prompts on your phone. If Apple is asking you to verify your account or re-enter your password, act on it quickly.
How to reconnect
When we detect a disconnection, you'll receive an email from MirrorWeb with a link to reconnect. The reconnection process is exactly the same as your initial setup:
Open the reconnection email from MirrorWeb and tap Reconnect.
Enter the 6-digit verification code sent to your email.
Sign back into iCloud and complete MFA if prompted.
Enter your device passcode.
Complete the SMS forwarding step if prompted.
Once the onboarding site confirms your connection is active, you're done.
If you want to check everything is working, send a test message after reconnecting and ask your admin to confirm it appears in the archive within a couple of hours.
Troubleshooting
I didn't receive the activation email.
Check your spam or junk folder. If it's not there, contact your IT admin or MirrorWeb support at support@mirrorweb.com.
I've forgotten my Apple ID password.
You'll need to reset it before you can complete setup. Follow Apple's steps here. Note that resetting your password after you've connected will trigger a disconnection, so try to do this before starting the activation.
If Apple asks for a device passcode and it’s not working, try this:
Apple may request the passcode of a current or previously trusted Apple device. Consider any passcodes from your past or current devices.
Open the Find My app and remove any old devices that you no longer use.
Then retry entering the appropriate passcode.
If you still have trouble, reset passcode: Follow Apple's steps here
If issues continue, you can follow Apple’s official account recovery steps. For more on Apple’s security practices, see their iCloud security guide.
The MFA step isn't working.
Make sure your authenticator app (Microsoft Authenticator, Okta Verify, or Duo Mobile) is installed and up to date. If you're not receiving push notifications, check your phone's notification settings for the relevant app. If the issue continues, contact your IT admin. They manage the MFA configuration.
I don't know what MFA method my organisation uses.
Contact your IT admin. They'll be able to confirm which method you should expect and help if authentication fails.
The SMS forwarding step says my device isn't ready.
This means the MirrorWeb Mac is still registering with Apple's servers and hasn't yet appeared as an available forwarding destination on your iPhone. It's not something you've done wrong. You'll receive an email from MirrorWeb once the device is ready, and you can return to the onboarding site to complete this step. Don't skip it. SMS archiving won't work without it.
My iCloud storage is full.
If iCloud is full, messages won't sync and won't be captured. You'll need to either free up space or upgrade your storage plan. See the iCloud Storage section of the setup guide for guidance. Once resolved, contact support@mirrorweb.com if capture doesn't resume.
My messages aren't appearing in the archive.
It can take a short time for messages to begin appearing after first connection. If after 24 hours messages still aren't showing, check your iCloud storage isn't full, and if not, contact MirrorWeb support at support@mirrorweb.com.
I keep getting disconnected.
If you're experiencing repeated disconnections, contact MirrorWeb support at support@mirrorweb.com with details of when disconnections are occurring. Repeated disconnections on the same account may indicate an underlying issue that needs investigation.