Find Messages Faster in macOS Using Search Filters - MacRumorsOpen MenuShow RoundupsShow Forums menuVisit ForumsOpen Sidebar
Skip to Content

Find Messages Faster in macOS Using Search Filters

by

In macOS Sonoma, Apple has improved the search function in its stock Messages app for Mac, which now allows you to combine search queries and narrow down results to quickly find the messages that you're looking for. This article explains how it works.

Apple WWDC23 macOS Sonoma hero
Previously in macOS, you could type a word or phrase in the search field of Apple's Messages app and it would return matching results, but there was no way to filter messages to more easily find what you were looking for.

For example, if you were looking for a message from a friend called "John" that had the word "dinner" in it, you would have to search for "dinner" and then scroll through a bunch of messages from anybody and everybody containing that word.

Thankfully, that's changed in macOS Sonoma, and now you can combine multiple filters. If you're looking for images from a certain person, for example, you can type in "photos" and then the person's name, clicking to select each search filter to narrow down your search results.

messages search
It's simple tweaks like this that make the Messages app in macOS Sonoma a lot more convenient to use. For other features and improvements Apple has brought to macOS 14, be sure to check out our new features roundup.

Popular Stories

Four iPhone 18 Pro Colors Mock Feature

iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone Ultra: Pre-Orders and Release Date

Thursday July 30, 2026 6:12 am PDT by
Apple has yet to reveal when the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone Ultra will be announced and released, but the dates usually follow a familiar pattern. Labor Day is September 7 this year. The last time the holiday fell on that day was in 2020, but the iPhone event that year was delayed until October due to the COVID-19 pandemic. So, the last time Labor Day was on September 7 in a normal year was in ...
Apple Event Logo

Apple Working on All-New Operating System

Wednesday July 29, 2026 11:39 am PDT by
Apple is developing an all-new operating system that is essentially a mix of tvOS, watchOS, and iOS, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. In a report this week, he said the operating system will feature a grid of icons, widgets, and apps, along with customizable clock faces. The new software platform is intended for Apple's long-rumored smart home hub. With built-in facial recognition,...
Dynamic Island iPhone 18 Pro Feature

iPhone 18 Pro: Twelve Changes Coming to Apple's Next Flagship

Thursday July 30, 2026 3:43 am PDT by
We're less than two months out from the launch of Apple's premium next-generation smartphone lineup, and while we're not expecting a dramatic change in terms of functionality, there are still several enhancements rumored to be coming to the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max. One thing worth noting is that Apple is reportedly planning a major change to its iPhone release cycle this year,...

🔗 Related Apple News & Rumors

Stay updated with the latest Apple ecosystem news and verified rumors