Profile Pictures in Messages Disappear on MacBook Air

Hello SenseAmidstMadness,

Let's try to narrow this down and isolate it more by testing in safe mode and a new user account.

Safe mode prevents certain software from opening and also forces the computer to run some disk checks similar to First Aid. This can actually resolve some issues. More information on starting to safe mode and steps to take after starting there can be found here: How to use safe mode on your Mac - Apple Support

"Apple silicon

1. Shut down your Mac.
2. Turn on your Mac and continue to press and hold the power button until you see the startup options window.
3. Select your startup disk, then press and hold the Shift key while clicking “Continue in Safe Mode”.
4. Log in to your Mac. You may be asked to log in again."

If the issue continues after the steps from safe mode, create a new user account (administrator) to see if the behavior happens there. This will let us know if it is system-wide or something within your user account: Change Users & Groups settings on Mac

Delete a user or group on Mac (to remove the test account once completed)

Let us know what you find.

Cheers!