Quick Fix for Messages Slowing a Mac

The Messages app for Mac is incredibly useful in that it allows Mac users to seamlessly communicate over iMessage with other Macs, iPhones, and iPads, and it allows Mac users to send text messages to Android users too, but the latest versions of Messages on the Mac are known for randomly using high amounts of CPU and slowing down a Mac, even if the Messages app is in the background and idle.

We’ve covered various tips for fixing high CPU use in Messages for Mac and the related sluggish performance before, but we’re going to cover another quick tip here that quickly fixes Messages when it’s using large amounts of system resources on a Mac when idle.

Quick Fix Messages Using Huge Idle CPU and Slowing Mac

If you discover that Messages on Mac is using huge amounts of system resources, slowing the Mac, and using way too much CPU while idle, try this:

1. Look in Activity Monitor to determine if Messages on Mac is using high amounts of idle CPU



2. Switch to the Messages app on Mac
3. Click on the green Close button to close all Messages windows, this will keep the Messages app open but simply close the Messages windows (all chats/threads still exist, don’t worry)



4. CPU usage will soon drop and the slow performance will cease, allowing the Mac to be used as expected again

This works in all versions of Messages for Mac, but it may be particularly effective in Messages for macOS Sonoma and Ventura, where the high idle CPU problem persists even if the Messages windows are simply containing text.

As we’ve discussed before, some of the most common reasons for Messages to be so slow and use so many resources on a Mac is because of animated GIFs, Stickers, and other Messages features being active on the Mac. If you continue to experience problems with Messages slowing down a Mac, you can use these tips to troubleshoot Messages using high CPU and causing Mac performance to be sluggish.

If you continue to experience problems with Messages on the Mac, or you don’t use the app, you can always turn off iMessage on the Mac completely, which goes beyond simply quitting the app or closing an app window.