![](https://help.apple.com/assets/62266682DA672F7D3957F27E/6226668DDA672F7D3957F286/en_AU/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 or a person’s name, or use a suggested search category. Results are organised into links, and photos and matching terms are highlighted.
![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, Links and Photos.](https://help.apple.com/assets/62266682DA672F7D3957F27E/6226668DDA672F7D3957F286/en_AU/b70b5b1ab7de653785c05ab8d8d4bd88.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 category: Select a conversation, photo, location and more to quickly find a conversation.
Enter search criteria: Enter what you’re searching for (such as a word or phrase), then select a suggestion or press Return.
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 in the search field.