Mac OS Message App is used to send /receive the messages. So, we all comfortable with sharing information through the Message App. Suddenly, Message app is not responding don’t know what to do we get confused, collapse and so on. Sep 27, 2019 Send new messages Click New Message in the Mail toolbar, or choose File New Message. Enter a name, email address, or group name in the 'To' field. Mail gives suggestions based on your contacts and messages on your Mac and devices signed into iCloud.
Hi, (Edit 2)
- May 22, 2015 There are two ways to quickly clear out a chat transcript in Messages app of MacOS and Mac OS X, perhaps the easiest is directly from an active conversation with a contextual menu: Open the Messages app if you haven’t done so yet, and then select the contact or conversation you’d like to delete the chat transcript for.
- Apr 01, 2020 Download Messenger for macOS 10.12 or later and enjoy it on your Mac. Made for big screens and close connections. Get access to free. texting, and high-quality voice & video chat built specifically for desktop.
- Mac App Store is the simplest way to find and download apps for your Mac. To download apps from the Mac App Store, you need a Mac with OS X 10.6.6 or later.
Messages is one of Apple's communication apps (the other being FaceTime).
It can have 5 types of Accounts.
When you open it for the first time it will ask you for an Apple ID.
Once this is set up the Messages app > Preferences > Accounts show two default accounts (you can never delete these one Disable or remove the Apple ID in the case of the iMessages one). These are the Bonjour account which by default is disabled and the iMessages account. Bonjour works to other Macs on your LAN.
After that you can add AIM/AOL accounts, Jabber accounts via the 'Other' option and Yahoo.
The Choice dialogue box also offers Google. This is a Jabber server but it does not conform to the standard Server naming protocol so it gets it's own choice.
Some History to explain a little further.
Previously (before Mountain Lion) the App was called iChat.
iChat 1 was a Text only app which worked with AIM and Bonjour (although it was called Rendezvous back then). It was not actually called iChat 1 either.
iChat 2 brought Video and Audio only chat abilities.
iChat 3 added Jabber. (some resetting allowed it to work with Google).
iChat 4 adds 4 way (you are 1) Video chats and 10 Way Audio Chats and Screen Sharing in AIM, Jabber and Bonjour.
At this point Bonjour, AIM and Jabber accounts can Video or Audio Only to other Mac. The AIM account can also Video to AIM on PC users.
At iChat 6 a Text Only Yahoo option is added. This is in Lion (OS X 10.7.x)
The Numbering continues in Mountain Lion when the App becomes Messages (version 7) and adds the iMessages account.
SO that is:-
AIM,
Bonjour,
Jabber (including Google and Facebook Chat)
Yahoo and
iMessages
iMessages is Text only in Mountain Lion and Mavericks. (when you can see the Video icon when chat to a Contact it invokes the FaceTime App).
You can send certain files and Pic-in-chats.
In Yosemite it can Screen Share but unlike the AIM, Bonjour and Jabber accounts it invokes another app like it does for Video and Audio Chats.
In this case it is the Screen Sharing app which needs System Preferences > Sharing > Screen Sharing to be Enabled.
With iOS 8 the iMessages account can sync iMessages to and from iOS devices.
It can be set up on the iPhone to 'Text Forward' SMS messages to the Mac (the Mac and iPhone need to be on the same LAN. Starting the process on the iPhone causes a code to appear on the Mac which needs entering back on the iPhone). The Text Forwarding effectively Syncs SMS Messages as well.
Bonjour is Text, Video, Audio Only and Screen Sharing to LAN based Macs at your location that are using Messages or iChat. If you LAN is divided into Subnets then only your subnet can be seen.
AIM is Text, Video, Audio Only and Screen Sharing to other Macs using Messages or iChat. Certain Apple IDs ending in @mac.com @me.com if linked to iCloud and @icloud.com will also work as valid AIM names if the password is 16 characters or less.
It can Text to several other Mac based AIM clients and to PC version of AIM and web based AIM Logins.
An AIM account can also do SMS but ONLY to certain Carriers in the United States.
Messages Os X
Jabber including Google and Facebook Chat is Text, Video, Audio Only and Screen Sharing to other Macs. Again it will Text to various other logins for those servers. There was a PC app called GoogleTalk that you cannot Video to but you can text chat. The same as you can text chat to someone with Facebook Login and the Chat part enabled.
Yahoo must use a Yahoo ID. (The server works with several different type of valid ID not issued by Yahoo)
It is Text only (not even File Transfers that applies to the others).
Video chat can be up to 4 people in the Bonjour, AIM and Jabber accounts.
As I mentioned early it invokes FaceTime in the iMessages account to Video and Audio Chat and invoke Screen Sharing app to Share Screens and the Yahoo account is Text only.
Best Os X Apps
Audio Only chats can be up to 10 people in those same three account types.
Screen Sharing is only 1-1 but works in the AIM, Jabber and Bonjour Accounts. It include an Audio Only chat along side the Screen Sharing.
NOTE AS of August 2015 there appears to be a problem with this service (it is run though an Apple Server called SNATMAP) and a 'fix' is being looked for.
NOTE.
In System Preferences > Sharing the Screen Sharing and Remote Management cannot be Enabled at the same time.
Both use the Apple Remote Desktop engine (as does the Screen Sharing in the AIM, Bonjour and Jabber accounts).
This form of Screen Sharing can be started from the Finder > Go Menu > Go to Server and starting the link VNC:// rather than SMB (Windows) or AFP (Apple File Protocol).
This Starts the Screen Sharing app that is actually in Hard Drive name/System/Library/Core Services/Applications in Yosemite.
In the iMessages account it includes an Audio chat.
Editted 9:31 p.m. Wednesday; September 9, 2015
G4/1GhzDual MDD (Leopard 10.5.8)
MacBookPro 2Gb (Snow Leopard 10.6.8)
Mac OS X (10.6.8),
Couple of iPhones and an iPad
Messages User Guide
You can send messages with text, photos, and other files to your friends. If you’re using macOS Catalina or later, iOS 13 or later, or iPadOS, you can send messages to businesses.
Note: Before you can send messages, you need to set up your Mac to send text messages.
Ask Siri. Say something like: “Message Mom that I’ll be late.” Learn more about Siri.
Send texts to people
In the Messages app on your Mac, click the Compose button to start a new message (or use the Touch Bar).
Do one of the following:
Send a message to one person: Type a name, an email address, or a phone number in the To field. As you type, Messages suggests matching addresses from your Contacts app or from people you’ve previously sent messages to.
You can also click the Add button to the right of the To field. Click a contact in the list, then click the email address or phone number.
Send a message to more than one person: See Send a text to a group.
If you’re restricted to sending and receiving messages with only certain people, an hourglass icon appears next to those people you can’t text.
Enter your message in the field at the bottom of the window. You can include any of the following:
Text: Type text in the message field. You can use typing suggestions, if available.
Tip: Press Option-Return to insert a line break in a message.
Photos or videos on your Mac: Drag photos (including Live Photos) or videos to the message field, or copy and paste them.
Note: If you drag a Live Photo to your message, friends see only a still photo. If you want friends to be able to see the Live Photo play, share it from the Photos app. See Use Messages and Mail to share photos from Photos.
Photos or videos directly from your iPhone or iPad camera: Choose File > Insert from iPhone or iPad, then choose Take Photo or Scan Documents to take a picture or scan a document with your iPhone or iPad and insert it in your text. (Available if you have macOS Mojave 10.14 or later, iOS 12 or later, or iPadOS.) See Insert photos and scans with Continuity Camera.
Sketches directly from your iPhone or iPad: Choose File > Insert from iPhone or iPad > Add Sketch to draw a sketch using your finger or Apple Pencil on your iPad and insert it in your note. (Requires macOS Catalina or later, and iOS 13 or iPadOS or later.) See Insert sketches with Continuity Sketch.
Files or web links: Drag or copy and paste files or web links.
Audio clips: If you want to record an audio clip in your message, see Send audio clips in a text.
Emoji: Click the Emoji button to add emoji to your message. If you add three or fewer emoji, they appear as large emoji.
Press Return on your keyboard to send the message.
When a message contains a request where you provide an answer, you can create a reminder. For example, if someone texts you, “Can you get milk tomorrow?” after you reply “Yes” (or something similar), a suggested reminder appears in the Reminders app under Siri Suggestions. See Add, change, or delete reminders.
Send texts to a business
If you’re using macOS Catalina or later, iOS 13 or later, or iPadOS, you can send texts to some businesses. Business Chat helps you get answers to questions, resolve issues, get advice on what to buy, make purchases with Apple Pay, and more.
On your Mac, search for the business you want to chat with using Maps or open an email from the business.
See Find a location in Maps.
To start a conversation, click Message in the Map Info screen or click a link from the email.
If this is the first time you’ve messaged this business, a new conversation is created. Otherwise, you can continue your conversation.
You can’t send a message to a business that’s restricted by communication limits in Screen Time.
Enter your message in the field at the bottom of the window. You can include any of the same content as you can when you send texts to people.
Note: Business chat messages you send appear in dark gray, to distinguish them from iMessage text messages (in blue) and SMS or MMS text messages (in green).
See the Apple Support article How to use Business Chat.
Forward a message or attachment
You can forward a message (or an attachment such as a photo or video) from a conversation.
Jar launcher app for mac. In the Messages app on your Mac, Control-click the message or attachment, then choose Forward.
You can repeat this to forward multiple messages from multiple conversations at one time.
Add a recipient, then press Return.
All messages and attachments are sent.
You can’t forward a message to someone who’s restricted by communication limits in Screen Time.
Your Mac can receive and send SMS and MMS text messages through your iPhone when you set up text message forwarding. For example, if a friend sends you a text message from a phone other than iPhone, the message appears on your Mac and iPhone in Messages.
Note: To receive and send SMS and MMS messages on your Mac, your iPhone must have iOS 8.1 or later, and your iPhone and Mac must be signed in to iMessage using the same Apple ID. Additionally, you must set up your iPhone.