How to delete messages on Mac?

How to delete messages on Mac? The fact that you can use iMessage on any Apple device, including your Mac, is a huge advantage of the Apple ecosystem. However, if you believe it is causing clutter, privacy concerns, or taking up too much storage space, there are several ways to delete messages on Mac.

I have several options for deleting large attachments, single or multiple messages, or entire conversations. Simply scroll down to find one that fits your needs.

How to delete messages on Mac?

Here is the list of 4 methods to delete messages on Mac:

Method #1. Using Terminal

Launch Terminal from:

1. Launchpad – Look for Terminal and click the app
2. Spotlight – Look for Terminal and select it.
3. Finder – Navigate to Applications Utilities Terminal.

To delete:

Chat – Use the command: rm –r ~/Library/Messages/chat

Attachments – Use the command: rm –r ~/Library/Messages/Attachments/??

Method #2. Delete all messages via Finder

1. Go from the menu bar in Finder.
2. Choose Go to Folder or press (Shift)+ (Command)+ G.
3. Copy and paste /Library/Messages into the window.
4. Select and move the following files to the Trash:
   • chat.db
   • chat.db-wal
   • chat.db-shm
   • Attachments (For delete all attachments)
5. Open the Trash and empty it.

Method #3. Sort and delete message attachments

1. Select About This Mac from the menu by clicking the Apple icon.
2. Navigate to the Storage tab and select Manage.
3. Select Messages from the sidebar.
4. All message attachments are displayed here.
   • Select
   • One: Click it.
   • Multiple: Click and drag or press and hold Shift (⇧)/Command (⌘) and click.
   • All: Press Command (⌘) + A or click and drag from the first to the last.
5. Click Delete → Delete again to confirm.

Method #4. Auto-delete text messages on Mac

Once you’ve cleaned out your Messages app of unwanted messages, you can set them to delete automatically so you don’t have to go through this process again.

1. In the Messages app, click Messages → Preferences or type ⌘ + ,.
2. Navigate to the General tab.
3. Select either option from the Keep Messages menu:
   • 30 Days
   • One Year
   • Forever

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