What RefreshYourMac measures
Can I delete Messages attachments on my Mac?
Yes, but each one you delete leaves a blank attachment in its conversation. They are the photos and files you were sent in Messages, kept on your Mac.
What it is
Photos and files received via iMessage. Deleting these leaves blank attachments in conversations. Moved to the Trash.
Where it is on your Mac
~/Library/Messages/Attachments
The ~ is your home folder. In Finder, Go → Go to Folder… opens any of these.
Is it safe to delete?
Review before deleting. Costs a rebuild, a re-download or an app restart. Worth a look before you clean it.
What each of the four levels allows.
Doing it yourself
- Open System Settings → General → Storage.
- Click the ⓘ beside Messages, select the attachments you no longer need and click Delete.
- To keep less from now on, open Messages → Settings → General and set Keep messages to 30 days or 1 year.
If you use Messages in iCloud, deleting a message or attachment in Messages removes it from your other devices too.
What RefreshYourMac does with it
Rated Review before deleting. Clean takes it only after a confirmation that says what it will cost, and moves it to the Trash, where it stays until you empty it.
A scheduled clean never touches it.
The download edition measures it; the Mac App Store edition does not include it. In the app it is under Apps & App Data.
Other things it measures
What to do next: see these numbers for your own Mac. Download RefreshYourMac free, or get it on the Mac App Store.
What it costs to have an app do this
| RefreshYourMac | CleanMyMac | MacKeeper | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pay once | $24.99 | €119.95 on MacPaw’s store; $89.99 for CleanMyMac X on the Mac App Store | subscription only |
| Yearly | $14.99 a year, first 7 days free | $39.99/yr; €19.91/yr for the cleaning-only Essential Trio | €71.40 for the first year, 1 Mac. Their page shows it against a €119.40 list price |
| Monthly | $1.99 a month | $9.99/mo | €10.95/mo |
| Account needed | No | Yes | Yes |
Before you pay anything, both versions give you 3 free scans. CleanMyMac and MacKeeper prices read from their own pages and the Mac App Store on 27 October 2026; the full comparison is at RefreshYourMac vs CleanMyMac and MacKeeper.