Send and receive iMessages via the imsg CLI. macOS only — requires Messages.app with
an active Apple ID.
Prerequisites
brew install steipete/tap/imsg
After install, grant Full Disk Access to Terminal (required to read the Messages database): System Settings → Privacy & Security → Full Disk Access → add Terminal (or iTerm2).
Commands
| Command | Description |
|---|---|
imsg list |
List all conversations (contact + last message preview) |
imsg history "<contact>" |
Show recent message history with a contact |
imsg history "<contact>" --limit 20 |
Show last N messages |
imsg send "<contact>" "<message>" |
Send an iMessage via Messages.app |
imsg send "+1XXXXXXXXXX" "<message>" |
Send by phone number |
Usage Examples
List all conversations:
imsg list
Read history with a contact:
imsg history "Alice"
imsg history "Alice" --limit 30
Send a message:
imsg send "Alice" "Hey, are we still on for lunch?"
imsg send "+18005550100" "Your order is ready."
Rules
- Always check if CLI is installed first:
which imsg - If not installed, show the brew install command and stop
- macOS only — if not on macOS, inform the user and stop
- If Full Disk Access is not granted, the CLI will fail with a permissions error; instruct the user to add Terminal in System Settings
- Never display raw phone numbers or contact details in final response — reference by name only
- When displaying history, keep output to last 10 messages by default unless the user requests more
- Confirm sends with a single line: "Message sent to "
- Never send a message without explicit user confirmation of the recipient and content