How to Clear iMessage Cache on Mac

To quickly clear iMessage Cache on Mac:

1. Go to Finder and press Shift/Command/G simultaneously.
2. Enter /System/Library/Messages.
3. Hit the Return key.
4. Find the chat.db, chat .db-shm, and chat.db-wal files in the Finder app.
5. Move all the chat files to your Trash, empty the folder, and close/reopen iMessage.

Important: 

 

Sometimes, the folders may not drag and drop into your Trash. While this could be due to them not being removable, it might also signal an issue with your Mac. Learning how to refresh your MacBook and trying again is a good idea.

Why clearing iMessage cache on Mac

When you delete the iMessage cache on your Mac, you should notice that the app works more effectively. Your messages should no longer have bugs or other annoyances, nor should there be issues with the app crashing—as can often occur when you haven’t cleared the cache in a while.

A note from our experts:

 

Manually searching for iMessage files is time-consuming, and you may not even find the caches you need to delete. For example, when trying to do so for this article, it took me a couple of attempts. Using a third-party tool, such as MacKeeper’s Safe Cleanup solution, is a more efficient way to remove iMessage caches. Moreover, you can delete any other caches that you don’t want—without needing to manually search for those as well.

 

Follow these instructions to use MacKeeper’s Safe Cleanup:

1. Download MacKeeper.
2. Navigate to Cleaning and select Safe Cleanup.
3. Click on Start Scan at the bottom of your screen.
4. Wait for the scan to complete and then tick the Caches box. You can tick the others if you also want to remove these, but it’s not mandatory.
5. Select Clean Junk Files and wait for MacKeeper to complete the process.

How to delete iMessage cache on Mac

You have a handful of options for removing the Mac iMessage cache, and your choice will depend on your own individual preferences. The best way to do so is via MacKeeper, but removing it via Finder is also possible.

Below, you’ll find out how to clear your cache via the following means—whether iMessage isn’t working on Mac or something else has gone wrong:

• How to remove iMessage cache on Mac manually
• How to get rid of iMessage cache on macOS with a third-party tool

1. How to remove iMessage cache on Mac manually

Follow these steps in particular if Mac iMessage isn’t syncing:

1. Open Finder and select Go > Go to Folder at the top.
2. Search for ~/Library/Caches.
3. Hit the Enter key.
4. Move your iMessage cache folders to the Trash when you see them.
5. Go to your Trash folder and empty it.

Manually getting rid of your cache is ideal if you don’t mind spending the extra time to ensure that you delete the specific files required. You’ll need to use Finder, which is an in-built Mac app. However, there’s one more way we’ll share with you below.

2. How to get rid of iMessage cache on macOS with a third-party tool

In addition to clearing out your iMessage cache from the Finder app, you can use a third-party tool. Though other options exist, MacKeeper’s Safe Cleanup solution is the best option. Note that clearing the cache won’t do anything if you’re wondering how to clear all notifications on Mac.

A quick reminder:

 

To clear out your iMessage cache with MacKeeper, you’ll need to go to Cleaning > Safe Cleanup. Once you’re here, you can then tick the Caches folder and move to User Caches. Make sure that the folders associated with your Messages app are specifically chosen.

Everything you need to know about clearing your Mac’s iMessage cache

If you want to delete the iMessage cache on your Mac, you can either do so manually or with a third-party app. The latter is much more effective, and besides deleting the caches associated with Messages, you can remove those from other apps. So, you don’t need to worry about manually typing different pathways and hoping that you don’t accidentally delete something important.

When choosing a third-party solution, MacKeeper’s Safe Cleanup is the best option. Besides removing your cache, you can also delete mail attachments, logs, and any other junk files that you want to remove. So, you can completely clean up your Mac in just a single session, allowing you to focus more on being productive and other important tasks.