The fastest way to sign out of iMessage

Open Messages on your Mac, then go to Messages > Sign Out in the menu bar at the top of the screen. You'll be asked to confirm — click Sign Out again. Your Mac will stop sending and receiving iMessages immediately, though your phone number and email address will remain associated with iMessage on your other Apple devices until you sign out there too.

If you don't see a Sign Out option, you may already be signed out, or you might be using an older version of macOS that uses different steps (see the section below on older Macs).

Signing out removes your account from that specific Mac. It does not delete your message history on that device — the conversations stay in the Messages app until you manually delete them.

Key Takeaways

  • The Sign Out option is in the Messages menu at the top of your screen, not in Settings or Preferences.
  • Signing out of iMessage on your Mac does not sign you out on your iPhone, iPad, or other Macs — you must do each device separately.
  • Your message history remains on your Mac after you sign out unless you delete the conversations manually.
  • If you're selling or giving away your Mac, signing out of iMessage is one of several steps needed to fully remove your account from the device.

Why you might need to sign out of iMessage

You may want to sign out if you're selling or giving away your Mac, switching to a different Apple ID, or troubleshooting a problem where messages aren't sending or receiving correctly. Signing out and back in can sometimes fix sync issues between your devices.

If you're no longer using a Mac but haven't signed out, your phone number or email may still be registered to receive iMessages on that device. This means if someone sends you an iMessage, it could go to the old Mac instead of your active devices. Signing out prevents this.

Steps for older versions of macOS

On macOS versions before Big Sur (released in 2020), the process is slightly different. Open Messages, then click Messages in the menu bar and select Preferences. Click Accounts on the left side, select your iMessage account, and click Sign Out.

If you're unsure which version of macOS you have, click the Apple menu in the top-left corner, select About This Mac, and look at the version number. If it says Big Sur, Monterey, Ventura, or Sonoma, use the first method in this article.

What happens after you sign out

Once you sign out, your Mac will no longer send or receive iMessages. Text messages sent to your phone number will still come through as regular SMS texts if you have an iPhone, but iMessages sent to your email address won't reach this Mac anymore.

If you sign back in later using the same Apple ID, your message history will still be there. The conversations don't disappear when you sign out — they only disappear if you manually delete them or erase the Mac entirely.

Signing out across all your devices

If you want to completely remove your Apple ID from iMessage, you'll need to sign out on every device where you're signed in. This includes your iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch, and any other Macs. Signing out on one device does not affect the others.

On an iPhone or iPad, go to Settings > Messages > iMessage and toggle it off, or go to Settings > [Your Name] > Sign Out. On an Apple Watch, open the Watch app on your paired iPhone, go to Messages, and toggle off iMessage.

If you can't find the Sign Out option

If Messages doesn't show a Sign Out option, you may already be signed out. Open Messages and check the menu bar — if you see "Sign In" instead of "Sign Out," your account is not currently active on this Mac.

Another reason Sign Out might not appear is if you're using a very old version of macOS (before 10.10). In that case, iMessage may not be installed or may work differently. You can check your macOS version by clicking the Apple menu and selecting About This Mac.

If you're still having trouble, try restarting your Mac and opening Messages again. Sometimes the menu options don't load properly until the app is fully refreshed.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will my messages be deleted if I sign out of iMessage?

No. Your message history stays on your Mac after you sign out. The conversations only disappear if you manually delete them or erase your entire Mac. If you sign back in with the same Apple ID later, you'll see all your old messages.

Do I need to sign out of iMessage before selling my Mac?

Yes. You should sign out of iMessage, and also sign out of your Apple ID entirely and erase the Mac using the Erase Mac option in System Settings. This removes all your personal data and accounts from the device before it goes to someone else.

If I sign out on my Mac, will I still get iMessages on my iPhone?

Yes. Signing out on your Mac only affects that device. Your iPhone will continue to send and receive iMessages normally. You would need to sign out separately on your iPhone if you want to stop using iMessage there.

What's the difference between signing out and turning off iMessage?

Signing out removes your Apple ID from iMessage on that Mac. Turning off iMessage (in older versions) disables the service but keeps your account signed in. Signing out is the more complete option and is what you should do before giving away or selling your Mac.

Can I sign out of iMessage without signing out of my Apple ID?

Yes. You can sign out of iMessage specifically while staying signed into your Apple ID for other services like the App Store or iCloud. The Sign Out option in Messages only affects iMessage, not your overall Apple ID account.