Is it safe to delete Signal Desktop messages and attachments?
Signal Desktop's encrypted message history, attachments and settings on this Mac.
Review first
It's your own data, or hard to recreate. Decide item by item.
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What it is
Signal Desktop keeps its own encrypted copy of your messages, attachments and settings here. If it's removed, you need to link Signal Desktop to your phone again, and only the message history still on your phone can be transferred. The folder grows with every photo, video and file in your chats.
If it's removed
Deleted chats and their attachments are removed from this Mac and can't be restored from Signal.
What to do instead
In Signal, delete chats you no longer need. Signal removes their messages and attachments from this Mac.
The free analyzer finds it and explains it, with these steps. The app doesn't remove it for you.
Sources
- support.signal.org/hc/en-us/articles/9045714156314-Can-t-Open-Signal
- github.com/Homebrew/homebrew-cask/blob/master/Casks/s/signal.rb
Last checked on 26 Sep 2026. Every entry is written and checked by hand; the app and the command-line tool use the same words.