🛠️ Setting Up iMessage AI on Mac

iMessage AI requires Fractal for Mac. Your Mac hosts a local background daemon that can access your Messages database and keep it in sync with your Personal AI.

Step 1 — Open iMessage AI on your Mac

Launch Fractal for Mac.
Go to the iMessage tab.
If setup isn’t complete, Fractal will open a setup sheet automatically.

Step 2 — Grant permissions

The daemon needs a few macOS permissions to read messages and draft replies safely:

Full Disk Access — lets the daemon read the Messages database.
Contacts — shows names and avatars instead of phone numbers.
Accessibility / Automation — enables Fractal to open Messages and draft replies for you.

Fractal will deep‑link you to the right System Settings pages. After granting a permission, return to Fractal and click Refresh.

Step 3 — Enable the background helper

In the setup sheet, click Enable Helper / Login Item.

This installs a small login‑item app called FractalPersonalAi that:

Starts the Personal AI daemon at login.
Keeps syncing running even if Fractal is closed.
Restarts the daemon if it crashes or your Mac reboots.

Step 4 — Wait for initial sync

Your first sync may take a few minutes depending on chat history size. You’ll see progress and a “last synced” timestamp in the iMessage status monitor.

Once complete, your chats and Smart Replies will appear on all your devices.

If something looks wrong

Missing permission warning: reopen the setup sheet and grant the listed permission.
Helper looks stuck after an update: open Fractal again on your Mac; it re‑registers the login item and refreshes the daemon config.
Want to pause iMessage AI: disable the helper from the setup sheet or macOS Login Items settings.