Mute a Messages conversation or mark it unread
Option-Command-M hides or unhides alerts for a conversation. Shift-Command-U marks it unread or read. Notification settings and reading state are independent.
Messages · Reviewed 2026-11-05 · Review method
Platform, keyboard and verification notes
- Scope
- Messages · macOS app; Apple Mac documentation source checks on 4 November 2026 and editorial review on 5 November 2026. No running-app compatibility test is claimed.
- Keyboard and customization
- English-language Apple documentation. Modifier and punctuation keys may differ on other keyboard layouts.. Documented defaults, not a reading of your current menu. Check the app menu and custom App Shortcuts if a binding differs; focus and selected content can change its effect.
- Review basis
- Documentation reviewed 2026-11-05 by Codex — primary-documentation and editorial review; no hands-on runtime test. These bindings were not tested in a running app for this guide.
Keyboard shortcuts for this task
| Action | Keys | Context |
|---|---|---|
| Hide or unhide alerts | Option-Command-M | Changes the selected conversation’s alert behavior; inspect the result. Source ↗ |
| Mark unread or read | Shift-Command-U | Changes reading state; it does not set a reminder or modify another person’s read receipts. Source ↗ |
Choose quiet time or a reading marker
A busy group may need fewer interruptions even though you have read its messages. An individual message may need another look even when alerts should stay on. Decide whether you want to change notifications or add a reading-state marker before using either command. Marking a conversation unread is not the same as scheduling a reminder to respond at a particular time.
Check which conversation is selected
Apply the command only after confirming the conversation title and participants. If you maintain several similarly named project groups, a selection check is especially useful. After toggling alerts, inspect the conversation’s visible state rather than assuming that silence means the setting changed. Likewise, an unread marker tells you about inbox state, not whether another participant has or has not seen a message.
Build a deliberate follow-up habit
Use an appropriate low-stakes conversation to toggle read state and restore it. Separately inspect the hide-alerts setting and return it to your preferred state. If you need to take an action later, record the task in the tool you actually use for follow-up instead of relying only on a visual unread badge. The two shortcuts are useful signals, but neither creates a complete task-management plan.
Sources and corrections
- Keyboard shortcuts in Messages on Mac — Apple Support — checked 2026-11-04
Found a mismatch? Email pashaseenainc@gmail.com with your app version, macOS version, keyboard layout and the command. Please leave personal document names out.
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