How Do I Delete All Messages From My Mac Messages App At Once?

Comments: One Response to “How Do I Delete All Messages From My Mac Messages App At Once?”

Gary Rosenzweig

2 years ago

First, realize there are two different things in the Messages app: messages and conversations. A conversation is a list of messages from one person, or a group conversation.

It is easy to delete multiple messages in a conversation. Just select the first message in the conversation. Then scroll to the last messages and Shift+click it to select the range of messages. So now all are selected. Then press the Delete key and it will ask you to confirm that you want to delete those messages.

But if what you actually want to do is to delete conversations, not just the messages inside a single conversation, then it is harder to do.

One option is to do it on an iPhone or iPad. As long as you have "Enable Messages in iCloud" turned on in Messages, Preferences, iMessage, then you should see the same messages across your devices. You'll need to the equivalent setting turned on of the iPhone or iPad too. Then you can use the iOS version of Messages to choose Edit, then select the conversations you want, then the trash/bin button to delete multiple ones. Then wait for that to update across iCloud so those conversations are gone on your Mac too.

If you need to do this on a Mac, you have to do them one at a time. But they only take 1-2 seconds per conversation. Select the conversation from the list on the left, choose File, Delete Conversation, then confirm by clicking the Delete button that appears. Then next.

You can speed this up a bit by adding a keyboard shortcut for Delete Conversation... in System Preferences, Keyboard, Shortcuts. See https://macmost.com/create-your-own-custom-mac-keyboard-shortcuts.html

If you have let a lot of old spam conversations remain, then it may take you a few minutes to clear them out. But after you do that, just make it a point to clear them when you get them, or at the end of the day or something.

Another option is to not clear them at all. There's no real reason you need to. They don't take up any real space and should all fall to the bottom of the list as your active conversations with real people would be at the top.