mckenziepiping
Level 1 (8 points)
Mac OS X

Q: How long does Messages keep history for in Yosemite? I know for iDevices you can choose between 1 month or 1 year but I'm wondering about how Mac handles it....

How long does Messages keep history for in Yosemite? I know for iDevices you can choose between 1 month or 1 year but I'm wondering about how Mac handles it....

MacBook Pro, OS X Mountain Lion (10.8.4)

Posted on May 20, 2016 2:07 PM

by Georg Portenkirchner,Solvedanswer
Georg Portenkirchner Georg Portenkirchner
Level 2 (272 points)
iTunes
A:

As far as I know messages on your Mac are stored until you delete them.

Messages on Apple's servers are kept until they are delivered or expire after seven days.

Posted on May 21, 2016 8:51 AM

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mckenziepiping

Q: How long does Messages keep history for in Yosemite? I know for iDevices you can choose between 1 month or 1 year but I'm wonderin ... more

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  • Helpful answers

  • by Eric Root,

    Eric Root Eric Root May 21, 2016 7:51 AM in response to mckenziepiping
    Level 9 (70,250 points)
    iTunes
    May 21, 2016 7:51 AM in response to mckenziepiping

    Messages or e-mails?

  • by mckenziepiping,

    mckenziepiping mckenziepiping May 21, 2016 8:44 AM in response to Eric Root
    Level 1 (8 points)
    Mac OS X
    May 21, 2016 8:44 AM in response to Eric Root

    Messages are the only form of communication handled by the Messages app. If I was talking about e-mail, I would have referred to the Mail app.

  • by Georg Portenkirchner,Solvedanswer

    Georg Portenkirchner Georg Portenkirchner May 21, 2016 8:51 AM in response to mckenziepiping
    Level 2 (272 points)
    iTunes
    May 21, 2016 8:51 AM in response to mckenziepiping

    As far as I know messages on your Mac are stored until you delete them.

    Messages on Apple's servers are kept until they are delivered or expire after seven days.

  • by Eric Root,Helpful

    Eric Root Eric Root May 21, 2016 8:56 AM in response to mckenziepiping
    Level 9 (70,250 points)
    iTunes
    May 21, 2016 8:56 AM in response to mckenziepiping

    I was just checking to make sure. On the Mac, chats will be saved until you delete them from the archive. There is no comparable setting to delete them.

  • by Ralph Johns (UK),

    Ralph Johns (UK) Ralph Johns (UK) May 22, 2016 12:44 PM in response to mckenziepiping
    Level 9 (73,006 points)
    Applications
    May 22, 2016 12:44 PM in response to mckenziepiping

    Hi,

     

    I have iChat saved chats from 2004 to the present.

    Messages can open all but those save under iChat 1 (So from about may 2005)

     

    iMessages are stored by default to the chat.db databases in ~/Library/Messages

     

    You can also elect to Save Chats and these are held in ~/Library/Containers/com.apple.iChat/Data/Library/Messages/Archive by date

    a long conversation over days, weeks or longer is Saved in parts.

    The App can put this back together if you dismiss the chat then restart it. (it presents you with a "history")

     

     

     

     

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    8:44 pm      Sunday; May 22, 2016

     

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