You can make a difference in the Apple Support Community!

When you sign up with your Apple Account, you can provide valuable feedback to other community members by upvoting helpful replies and User Tips.

Looks like no one’s replied in a while. To start the conversation again, simply ask a new question.

Messages app has stopped showing a list of conversations, and started showing only attached items.

The left tile in my Messages app has suddenly stopped showing a list of conversations, and started showing attached photos and links. How do I get it back to displaying what I want, which is a list of messages?

(Mac M1 Mini, Monterey 12.6)

Posted on Nov 6, 2022 2:03 PM

Reply
Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Posted on Nov 7, 2022 3:55 PM

Hi jpdemers,


Wondering if this is for recent conversations , or maybe just older conversations are being automatically deleted.


You might want to check your settings ... eg: messages may be being deleted after 30 days, if so, maybe select longer.

Change General preferences in Messages on Mac – Apple Support


ie: Messages > Preferences, > General > Keep Messages


Or, if that's not the answer for you ...


You can change what you see in the left sidebar:

eg: Try this

Click "Window" in the top menu bar, and click "Go to next conversation" in the drop-down window

The conversations should appear in the left sidebar, with a conversation open ready for use.


or experiment ...


Click the search (magnifying glass" to change the left sidebar

While there, click the small round icon on the right of the search entry-field to change again


Hope this helps put you more in control.

All the best :-)

1 reply
Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Nov 7, 2022 3:55 PM in response to jpdemers

Hi jpdemers,


Wondering if this is for recent conversations , or maybe just older conversations are being automatically deleted.


You might want to check your settings ... eg: messages may be being deleted after 30 days, if so, maybe select longer.

Change General preferences in Messages on Mac – Apple Support


ie: Messages > Preferences, > General > Keep Messages


Or, if that's not the answer for you ...


You can change what you see in the left sidebar:

eg: Try this

Click "Window" in the top menu bar, and click "Go to next conversation" in the drop-down window

The conversations should appear in the left sidebar, with a conversation open ready for use.


or experiment ...


Click the search (magnifying glass" to change the left sidebar

While there, click the small round icon on the right of the search entry-field to change again


Hope this helps put you more in control.

All the best :-)

Messages app has stopped showing a list of conversations, and started showing only attached items.

Welcome to Apple Support Community
A forum where Apple customers help each other with their products. Get started with your Apple Account.