Mac Messages users face phantom unread message badges

Users of the Messages app on Mac are experiencing issues with phantom unread message badges. The app shows a red badge indicating a new message, but no new messages appear when opened. Restarting the Mac usually resolves the issue temporarily. An initial workaround involved right-clicking the app icon to find and delete a blank conversation that triggered the badge. However, this method has stopped working for some users. A new solution involves syncing Messages with iCloud. Users can do this by going to System Settings, selecting their Apple Account, and clicking on iCloud to sync Messages. This should help clear the phantom badge until a permanent fix is released.