How to Delete Messages on Mac [4 Methods]

Apple’s iMessage is one of its most prolific applications due to its ease of use and interoperability with other apple devices. It allows you to seamlessly sync all your messages and conversations across all your devices without doing anything manually. However, if you are looking to get rid of all these messages that might be taking up space or any other reason, you can follow a few simple steps.

To delete messages on Mac, you can use the iMessage app directly on the system. Open the Messages app, and then on the top-left corner, click on Message. Now, open Preferences from the list and click on the iMessage tab. Simply uncheck the box beside Enable messages in iCloud. Also, in the next window, choose to Disable This device to stop receiving further messages. Now, lastly, select the conversation or the messages you want to delete, make right-click, and select Delete to get rid of all the messages.

This article guides you on how you can delete messages on your Mac. Keep reading to find out more.

Table of Contents

How to Delete Messages on Mac

You can remove messages and conversations from your Mac while still keeping them on other devices using the same Apple ID. To do this, you need to disable the Messages application in iCloud.

If you delete the messages without disabling this option, the messages will be removed from all the devices synced with the current Apple ID. Refer to the steps given below to see how it is done.

Power on your Mac and sign in to it.
Open the Messages application from the dock or use a Spotlight search.
Head over to the Menu bar and click on Messages.
Select Preferences from the list.

Click on the iMessage tab.
Uncheck the box next to the Enable messages in iCloud option.

In the next pop-up window, click on Disable This Device.

Now, close the preferences menu and select the conversation or message you want to delete.
Use the two-finger gesture to display the contextual menu and select Delete from the list.
You can also use the clear transcript function to delete the conversations.
To do this, click on the conversation that you want to delete.
Head over to the Menu bar and click on Edit.
Click on Clear Transcript from the list and select Clear.

Since you’ve disabled the messages application from iCloud, the messages you delete on your Mac will still be available on other devices.

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How to Delete Messages on Mac Using Terminal

Messages on your Mac can also be deleted using Terminal. Refer to the steps given below to see how it is done.

Power on your Mac and sign in to it.
Launch a Finder window and head over to the Applications tab from the menu on the left-hand side
Now, look for the Utilities folder and open it.
Double-click the terminal application to launch it.
Type in: rm–r~/Library/Messages/chat
Press the return key, and all the messages will be deleted from your Mac.
Moreover, if you want to remove all the associated attachments along with the messages as well, you can use the following command: rm –r ~/Library/Messages/Attachments/??

How to Delete All Messages on Mac using Finder

You can use Finder to delete multiple messages at once; the Messages application only allows you to delete one message at a time. Furthermore, using Finder is a much better option if you need to delete multiple messages. Refer to the instructions provided below to see how it is done.

Power on your Mac and sign in to it.
Open a Finder window from the dock.
Head over to the Menu bar and click on Go.
Select Go to Folder from the list.
Type in: ~/Library/Messages

Click on Go.
Select the following files and delete them by moving them to the trash; chat.db, chat.db-wal, chat.db-shm.

Now, open the trash bin and click on Empty to permanently delete the files.

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How to Permanently Remove Messages From Mac?

You can permanently delete messages from your Mac by signing out of the Messages application. Furthermore, it will delete all the present messages while preventing new ones from being received. Refer to the instructions provided below to see how it is done.

Power on your Mac and sign in to it.
Find and open the iMessage app. The app should already be present on your dock. If you can’t find it on the dock, open the Finder and click on Applications in the menu on the left-hand side. Scroll down till you find Messages, and open it.
Now with the app open, click on Messages on the Menu Bar. It should be to the right of the Apple Logo.
Select Preferences from the drop-down menu. Alternatively, you can use the Command-Comma shortcut to open Preferences too.
Select the tab which says iMessage.
You can disable the iMessage temporarily by unchecking the box that reads Enable this account.
Press on Sign out right beside your Apple ID to log out of iMessage on your Mac, and you’re done.

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How to Remove Phone Number From the Messages Application?

You can remove your phone number from the Messages application so that you won’t receive any notifications for messages on your Mac. Refer to the instructions provided below to see how it is done.

Power on your Mac and sign in to it.
Open the Messages application from the dock or use a Spotlight search.
On the Menu Bar right beside the Apple logo, select Messages.
Select Preferences from the drop-down menu.
Click on the iMessage tab.
You will see a You can be reached for messages section; uncheck your phone number beside it.

Conclusion

That’s it for this article, folks; now you know how to delete messages and conversations on your Mac. Remember that you need to remove the Messages application from iCloud before deleting any messages and conversations if you still wish to keep them on other devices.

Furthermore, if this option is not turned on, all of the messages you deleted on your Mac will be reflected across all the devices using the same Apple ID.

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Carissa

I am Carissa Gudinoa, a technology buff, and Office online and Apple expert with over 9 years of experience. I am passionate about helping others get the most out of their Apple devices. I have written extensively about Apple products and technologies. I am committed to providing my clients with the best possible service and am always up-to-date on the latest Apple products and features. I also write extensively on other software available for use at minimal cost or free. This includes Word Online, Outlook Online, Excel Online, and other Office online programs… Check out more.