Deleting Multiple Conversations on Big Sur

Just found Apple has a Messages User Guide online ... this is the page that tells how to delete multiple messages. Hope it works for you

https://support.apple.com/en-gu/guide/messages/icht1035/14.0/mac/11.0

That guide is wrong. You can't select more than one conversation in Big Sur, you can't hit delete to delete a conversation. And they killed all the key strokes that worked in Catalina.

Instead to delete a message or conversation you have to click on each one, right click, select "delete", confirm (they got rid of the do not confirm option). and then it's gone.

Four clicks to delete each message. It's barbaric, dumb, and bad design.

Seriously, what are the two most used features in messaging? Send, and delete. They now made one of the most common functions take 4 clicks.

I have turned off messaging on my Mac now since this sucks so very badly.

Short form answer: there isn't one. Weirdly, there is no key stroke to delete, you can't select and delete multiple conversations, and you can't use, you know, the delete key.

It's truly bizarre given that delete has to be in the top three or four functions in a messaging app. On the mac it takes a minimum of three mouse clicks/movements, four if you want to select one from a list.

I've turned off cloud sync on my Mac, they have made deleting conversations so painful it's not worth using on this platform.

That guide is wrong. You can't select more than one conversation in Big Sur, you can't hit delete to delete a conversation.

The Guide doesn't say you can delete multiple conversations or select multiple conversations. It only says that for messages.

And they killed all the key strokes that worked in Catalina.

Make your own.

Delete key does not delete conversations in Big Sur. Neither does Command+Delete. You cannot select multiple conversations. So yes, everything in the guide is a big ol' lie.

The problem is "delete multiple conversations" in iMessage on Big Sur. I haven't found a way to do this.

I get text message alerts forwarded to me from various automated systems, and I need a way to dispose of them once reviewed. Swiping and clicking delete on each one individually (because each is in its own conversation) is an enormously time-consuming and painful experience.

I'd appreciate any suggestions. And, really, Apple needs to fix this. It was much easier before Big Sur.

This bothers me as well. I get so many notifications that deleting the converstaions one at a time takes WAY to long. I submitted a product feature request. Maybe apple will fix this. It's a huge hindrance for a business person that is all mac. The lac of this feature takes away the benefit of being all Apple for convenience. Submit a feature request like I did. It's the only way to get them to realize they made a mistake.

If you have an iPhone and they are linked through iCloud, delete them there.

Otherwise, there is no way to do it in Big Sur.

Hey folks, submitted a product feature request. It's the only way this annoying problem will get fixed.

The problem is "delete multiple conversations" in iMessage on Big Sur. I haven't found a way to do this.

Yes, but there isn't a solution to that.

I didn't answer that question, but a couple of ancillary questions, so I'm not sure why you directed your post at me.

and you can't use, you know, the delete key.

I use my delete key along with the command key to delete the selected conversation.

It's truly bizarre given that delete has to be in the top three or four functions in a messaging app. On the mac it takes a minimum of three mouse clicks/movements, four if you want to select one from a list.

I only need the one to select the conversation.

That guide is a big ol' lie. None of those work in the app.

I couldn't find anything wrong with the guide. Everything works exactly as specified.

Note, when you enable iCloud conversations, it doesn't actually sync across devices either, e.g. if you delete on your iphone you still have it on the Mac, which defeats the entire purpose of iCloud messages.

So instead now all of your messages are copied to your mac where you have do hold down control and click, select the message, select delete, confirm delete, for...every...message... .... .... .... ....

Note, when you enable iCloud conversations, it doesn't actually sync across devices either, e.g. if you delete on your iphone you still have it on the Mac, which defeats the entire purpose of iCloud messages.

That's not true. I don't know why yours doesn't work.

Unfortunately that does not work even though the devices are linked through the same ICloud account (Iphone and MacBood Pro).

Daleparker1953 has this problem too. Unfortunately no solutions yet.

https://discussions.apple.com/thread/252282870?answerId=254323230022