How can I download old texts?

October 29, 2018 10:17 AM

What is the best way (or any way) to download all my texts with one person into a searchable file? This is on an iPhone (iOS 11.4.1).
posted by HotToddy to Computers & Internet (5 answers total)

I'm not aware of any way to do this on an iPhone.

If you have a Macintosh, you can run Messages on the Mac, and keep it synchronized with Messages on your iPhone. On the Mac, you can choose the message thread and then

Select All

Copy

Go to a text editor

Paste

and you have your message history with that person (or group) in a text editor window that you can search or save.

To keep your messages synchronized between your iPhone and your Mac you need to have both devices logged in with the same Apple ID and then tell iCloud on both devices to provide storage for Messages. You do this in iCloud preferences, I believe, not in Messages preferences. Doing this also has the benefit of allowing your devices to purge large attachments (copies will be kept in iCloud and brought down as needed).

posted by Winnie the Proust at 11:08 AM on October 29, 2018

Download a trial of iMazing for Mac or Windows.

Run it, plug in your device, wait for it to make a backup file on your computer, then select "messages"

iMazing organizes the messages by recipient. Select the recipient, then select all the messages. Choose "export to text."

I happily paid for iMazing. It provides backup, selective restore, and direct access to messages, voicemails, and easier file management than iTunes transfer.
posted by Jesse the K at 11:12 AM on October 29, 2018 [2 favorites]

Yeah, iMazing is great.
posted by colorblock sock at 11:17 AM on October 29, 2018

I use PhoneView.
posted by actionstations at 4:15 PM on October 29, 2018

For anyone interested in this: the free version of iMazing only lets you export ten individual text messages. If you want more than that, you have to pay at least $45.
posted by bluedaisy at 4:36 PM on November 2, 2018