Text message timestamps on Macs are automatically hidden. Unless you know how to see timestamps on a Mac, you're stuck guessing when you last texted someone or heard back from them! We'll show you how to view text times on Mac, and how to hide them again if you choose to. Here's how to tell when a text was sent in the Messages app on Mac.

Why You’ll Love This Tip

Verify when you actually received information that was sent to you, or when you gave it to others.
See how long ago someone texted you to gauge how urgently you want to reply.
When someone texted that they’ll see you in an hour, check when exactly they said that.

How to Show Text Timestamps on Mac in Messages App

It can be frustrating if you're not able to tell when you received a text in Messages for macOS. Here is how to quickly display a text timestamp for each message in a thread in Messages on Mac.

Open the Messages app.
Click to select a conversation.
Right-click anywhere within the message thread.
Click on Show Times.
Timestamps will now display next to all messages in the thread.

Now you know how to find timestamps for texts on Mac. If you want to hide them, just right-click again and click Hide Times. Keep in mind you'll need to do this for each thread you're curious about.