How to Report Junk Messages in macOS 13

Reporting junk messages in macOS 13 Ventura is a straightforward process designed to help Apple identify and reduce spam across the iMessage network. If you receive an unsolicited message from a sender who is not saved in your Contacts, the native Messages app provides a built-in option to report the message, send the sender's details to Apple, and permanently delete the thread from your Mac.

Using the Built-In "Report Junk" Button

When you receive an iMessage from someone not in your contacts list, macOS 13 automatically flags it with an alert at the bottom of the conversation window.

  1. Open the Messages app on your Mac running macOS 13.
  2. Select the conversation from the unknown sender in the sidebar.
  3. Look directly beneath the message text for a notice stating that the sender is not in your contacts.
  4. Click the blue Report Junk link located at the bottom of the message thread.
  5. In the confirmation pop-up, click Delete and Report Junk.

Once clicked, the conversation is permanently deleted from your Mac, and the sender's information along with the message contents are transmitted to Apple for review.

Reporting Regular SMS/MMS Spam

The native "Report Junk" link is primarily designed for Apple's proprietary iMessage platform. If you receive standard SMS or MMS spam through text message forwarding on your Mac:

  1. Open the spam message in the Messages app.
  2. Right-click (or Control-click) the specific spam message bubble and select Forward.
  3. In the "To:" field, type 7726 (which spells "SPAM").
  4. Press Return to send the message to your wireless carrier’s spam reporting service.
  5. Right-click the conversation in the left sidebar and select Delete to remove it.

Blocking the Sender

To ensure an offending number or email address cannot contact you again:

  1. Click the conversation thread.
  2. Select the Info button (the "i" icon) in the top-right corner of the Messages window.
  3. Scroll down and click Block this Caller or right-click the sender’s contact detail and select Block Contact.