how to save text messages from iphone ios 10 to pdf

Apple has still not put together an easy and elegant solution consumers can securely use for this, despite these messages already being held in backup on their computer. So there we have it: Exporting SMS messages from your iPhone can be done, but it isn’t easy to achieve. The solution also lets you explore your Contacts, Notes, Call logs and more for export to your computer, PDF or print.įinally there's an app called SMS Export that claims to handle the same process for you, however there's a range of negative user reviews. When you do you'll be able to sift through your messages and also export these as PDFs. You'll need to enter your admin passcode. Simply plug in the device in and it will eventually show up in the PhoneView browser. First you must ensure your device is backing up to iTunes rather than iCloud. That's not to say there's anything wrong with the alternatives.

It seems logical that when choosing an app that digs deeply into your personal data you should be cautious whose software you choose. I took a brief look at PhoneView because I have been using another app from the same developer for some years. There's a range of third-party apps that should achieve the task. The complexity of the task underlines that this method doesn't offer iPhone users the seamless experience they may hope for when attempting to archive texts.

I've had little success working with the file so far. In theory, you can open this file and navigate through your messages using an SQLite application. Do not work with the file stored in your Library in case doing so damages your precious device backup.

NB: You must be using iTunes, not iCloud, to backup your device for this file to be found.Ĭopy the file and paste it to your desktop. You'll see a dizzying array of weird file names.

Once in the Library you can open the MobileSync folder. You can access this library by using Finder>Go>Home, then selecting Command-J and choosing Show View Options. Accessing the Library: To prevent users damaging their systems by deleting important data, Apple keeps your user library hidden by default.

How to save text messages from iphone ios 10 to pdf