![](https://help.apple.com/assets/65A999AC13B61AFE4806A611/65A999AE157993C0D60EEF70/en_US/ae8d596d44d76eddfb1ea9eb4772e949.png)
Search for a conversation in Messages on Mac
You can easily find the exact conversation you’re looking for—search for specific text, items in images, or a person’s name, or use a Smart Search suggestion. Results are organized into conversations, collaborations, links, photos, locations, and documents. Matching terms in a conversation are in bold.
![The Messages window with search criteria entered in the search field in the top-left corner. Search results are organized below that by categories such as Conversations, Messages, and Photos.](https://help.apple.com/assets/65A999AC13B61AFE4806A611/65A999AE157993C0D60EEF70/en_US/b234a2b7435d86c9a4656b3a4affa820.png)
In the Messages app
on your Mac, click in the search field in the top-left corner of the sidebar.
Do one of the following:
Choose a Smart Search suggestion: Select a conversation, photo, location, and more to quickly jump to a conversation.
Enter search criteria: Enter what you’re searching for (such as a word or phrase), then select a filter—they appear below the search field—or press Return.
To combine search criteria, add another search term or filter.
Tip: You can also search for text or objects (such as “car” or “school”) inside an image.
When you select a result, the conversation’s transcript opens at the location of the search result.
To start a new search, delete the text from the search field or click the Delete button .