# Can I delete Messages attachments on my Mac?

- URL: https://moreroom.app/folders/messages-attachments
- Item: Messages attachments
- Location: `~/Library/Messages/Attachments`
- Verdict: Keep — your data — Your data. Shrink it from its app; don’t delete the folder.
- Comes back on its own: no
- From the app: System Settings > General > Storage > Messages: review large attachments.
- Source: MoreRoom rules catalogue (2026-10-17), by Yando Pte. Ltd.

## What is it?

Photos, videos, voice messages, stickers and files from your iMessage and SMS conversations, in `~/Library/Messages/Attachments`. After years of conversations it commonly reaches tens of GB.

## What happens if you delete it?

Attachments deleted from Messages do not come back. With Messages in iCloud on, copies are also kept in iCloud, and macOS can keep older attachments only in iCloud when space is low.

## How to remove it properly

Never delete files in this folder in Finder; it breaks the conversations that point to them. Open System Settings › General › Storage and click the info button next to Messages to review and delete large attachments, or set Messages › Settings › General › Keep messages to 1 Year or 30 Days.

## Before you delete it

With Messages in iCloud, deleting an attachment or shortening Keep messages removes it from all your devices, permanently.