Change iMessage preferences in Messages on Mac
In the Messages app on your Mac, use the Settings pane of iMessage preferences to change options for your iMessage account.
To change these preferences, choose Messages > Preferences, then click iMessage. If you’re not signed in to iMessage, enter your Apple ID and password, then click Next. If you don’t have an Apple ID, click Create Apple ID.
Option | Description | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Sign Out | Sign out and stop receiving messages on your Mac. | ||||||||||
Enable Messages in iCloud | Store your messages in iCloud so that you can see the same messages on all devices if you use Messages on more than one device. For more details, see Access your messages on all your Apple devices. | ||||||||||
Sync Now | Update your Mac so that all your texts from your other Apple devices appear. When Enable Messages in iCloud is turned on, your Mac will automatically be updated. However, if you want to make sure you’re seeing the most up-to-date messages on your Mac — for example, if you just switched to a new Mac — you can click Sync Now. | ||||||||||
You can be reached for messages at | Select the email addresses and phone numbers that other people can use to send you messages. You can update this list on the Apple ID account website. See the Apple Support article Add or remove your phone number in Messages or FaceTime. | ||||||||||
Send read receipts | Turn on read receipts so that people who send you messages see when you’ve read them. You can also send read receipts for a conversation only. The per-conversation setting overrides the preferences setting. | ||||||||||
Start new conversations from | Choose the email address or phone number you want to use when you start a new conversation with someone. The person receives messages sent from the email address or phone number you choose. When someone starts a conversation with you, you send messages using the email address or phone number the person used to start the conversation. | ||||||||||
About iMessage and FaceTime & Privacy | Learn how iMessage and FaceTime are designed to protect your information and allow you to choose what you share. | ||||||||||
Blocked | Review addresses or phone numbers of people that are blocked. See Block messages for more information about how to add or remove addresses or phone numbers. | ||||||||||