Signing out of Messages on your Mac
To sign out of Messages on your Mac, open the Messages app, click Messages in the menu bar at the top left, then select Sign Out. Your account will disconnect when ready, and you will no longer receive messages on that computer. The next time you open Messages, you will see a sign-in screen.
This is different from straightforward closing the app. When you close Messages without signing out, your account stays active in the background — the app will reopen to the same logged-in state the next time you launch it. Signing out actually disconnects your account from that Mac.
You might sign out if you are selling the computer, letting someone else use it, or want to switch to a different Apple ID on that machine. Signing out does not delete your message history on that Mac — it just removes your account access.
Key Takeaways
- Open Messages, click the Messages menu at the top left, and select Sign Out to disconnect your account from your Mac.
- Signing out is different from closing the app — closing the app leaves your account active in the background.
- Your message history stays on the Mac after you sign out, but you will need to sign back in to read it.
- If you cannot find the Sign Out option, your Mac version of Messages may be older and require a different method.
Where to find the Sign Out option
The Sign Out button lives in the Messages menu, not in Preferences or Settings. Click the word Messages in the menu bar at the very top of your screen — this is the same place where you would find Quit Messages or Preferences. A dropdown menu will appear with several options, and Sign Out will be near the bottom of that list.
If you do not see Sign Out in that menu, your Mac is running an older version of macOS. Macs with macOS Big Sur (version 11) or newer have the Sign Out option in the Messages menu. If your Mac is older than that, you will need to use a different method, which is covered in the next section.
Signing out on older Mac versions
If your Mac is running macOS Catalina or earlier, the Sign Out option does not appear in the Messages menu. Instead, open Messages, then click Messages in the menu bar and select Preferences. Click the Accounts tab at the top of the window. You will see your Apple ID listed on the left side. Right-click on it and select Sign Out, or click it once and look for a Sign Out button on the right side of the window.
After you sign out this way, close the Preferences window. Your account will be disconnected from Messages on that Mac. The next time you open Messages, you will be prompted to sign in again.
What happens after you sign out
Once you sign out, Messages will no longer show new incoming messages on that Mac. If someone sends you a message, you will receive it on your other Apple devices (iPhone, iPad, or another Mac where you are still signed in), but not on the Mac you just signed out from.
Your message history does not disappear from the Mac. The conversations you had before signing out will still be stored on that computer. If you sign back in with the same Apple ID later, you will see all those old messages again. However, you will not receive any new messages while you are signed out.
Signing back in to Messages
To sign back in, open Messages and you will see a sign-in screen. Enter your Apple ID and password, then click Next. If you have two-factor authentication turned on for your Apple ID (which Apple recommends), you will need to enter a verification code sent to one of your trusted devices. After you verify, Messages will reconnect to your account and you will start receiving messages on that Mac again.
The sign-in process usually takes less than a minute. Once you are signed in, your message history will be visible again, and you will receive new messages as they arrive.
Signing out versus disabling Messages notifications
Signing out is not the same as turning off notifications. If you turn off Messages notifications in System Preferences, you will still be signed in — you just will not see alerts when messages arrive. The app will still receive messages in the background, and you can read them whenever you open Messages.
Signing out actually disconnects your account, so Messages stops working entirely on that Mac until you sign back in. Choose signing out if you want to completely disconnect your account from that computer. Choose turning off notifications if you want to stay signed in but stop seeing alerts.
Troubleshooting if Sign Out is not working
If you click Sign Out and nothing happens, try closing Messages completely and reopening it. Sometimes the app needs to refresh before the sign-out takes effect. If that does not work, restart your Mac — this clears the app from memory and often fixes stuck sign-out requests.
If you are still unable to sign out after restarting, check that you are using the correct menu. The Sign Out option is in the Messages menu at the top of the screen, not in the Messages window itself. If you are still stuck, your Mac may be running an older version of macOS that does not support this feature — in that case, use the Preferences method described earlier in this guide.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will my messages be deleted if I sign out?
No. Your message history stays on the Mac. When you sign back in with the same Apple ID, all your old conversations will be there. Signing out only disconnects your account — it does not erase anything.
Can someone else use Messages on my Mac after I sign out?
Yes. After you sign out, the next person to open Messages will see a sign-in screen. They can sign in with their own Apple ID and use Messages on that Mac. Your message history will not be visible to them unless they know your password.
Do I need to sign out of Messages before selling my Mac?
Yes. You should sign out of Messages and any other accounts (iCloud, Apple ID, email) before giving the Mac to someone else. This prevents the new owner from accessing your messages and personal information.
What if I forgot my Apple ID password and cannot sign back in?
You can reset your Apple ID password on Apple's account website or through another Apple device. Once you reset it, use the new password to sign back into Messages on your Mac. If you need help resetting your password, Apple's support website has instructions for that process.
Will signing out of Messages sign me out of other Apple apps?
No. Signing out of Messages only affects the Messages app. You will stay signed into iCloud, Mail, FaceTime, and other Apple apps on that Mac. Each app manages its own sign-in separately.