Archive iPhone messages (SMS, RCS and iMessages) to your computer

Updated on Jul 16, 2026

Reading time ~3 minutes

Your iPhone stores all your text messages, including iMessages, SMS, and RCS. Apple’s built-in backup tools (iTunes, Finder, and Apple Devices) can back up your iPhone, but they don’t let you open or read messages from those backups.

iMazing keeps multiple timestamped backup snapshots on your Mac or PC. You can open any snapshot and browse its full message history directly, without connecting your iPhone.

Here's how to archive iPhone messages to your computer.

  1. Open a backup
  2. Select a snapshot
  3. Select Messages
  4. Search and browse conversations
  5. Export messages to a file
  6. What to keep in mind

Open a backup

In the Home Screen sidebar, select Backups.

Locate your device's backup in the list and double-click it to open it in Backup mode.

iMazing Home Screen with Backups selected in the sidebar showing saved device backups

Select a snapshot

In the navigation bar, click the date next to your device name (for example, My iPhone > [date and time]). This opens the Backup Snapshots dropdown, which lists all available snapshots for that backup.

iMazing navigation bar with snapshot date highlighted and Backup Snapshots dropdown menu expanded

Each entry shows the date, time, type (Manual Backup or Scheduled Backup), and iOS version. Select the snapshot you want to browse.

Tip: To access messages deleted from your iPhone, select a snapshot taken before the deletion. iMazing loads the full message history as it existed at the time that snapshot was created.

Select Messages

In the Data section of the Backup Device Screen, select Messages.

iMazing loads the full message history captured in that snapshot.

Search and browse conversations

Browse conversations by contact, or use the search field to find a specific keyword or name. You can also view photo and file attachments included in each conversation.

iMazing Messages section showing conversation list, search field, and Export button in bottom toolbar

Tip: While browsing, you can switch to another snapshot at any time using the timestamp in the navigation bar. The message list updates immediately to reflect the selected snapshot.

Export messages to a file

Browsing messages in iMazing gives you access to the full conversation history stored in a snapshot. If you need a standalone file you can share, print, or store independently, you can export conversations in several formats: PDF, Excel, CSV, Text, or as Attachments only.

RSMF (Relativity Short Message Format) is also available for legal and e-discovery use cases and requires an iMazing Business subscription.

Select one or more conversations, then click Export in the bottom toolbar. Choose a format and select a destination folder.

Tip:

What to keep in mind

  • iMazing can only show messages that were present at the time a snapshot was taken. If a snapshot predates a conversation, that conversation will not appear in it.
  • The number of available snapshots depends on your Backup Archival Options settings. The default configuration keeps a limited number of snapshots. Increase this value if you need to access older message history. See Configure backup archival options.
  • If iCloud Messages is enabled on your iPhone, Apple may remove older attachments from your device and store them in iCloud only. Text content is not affected, but attachments from older conversations may not appear in a snapshot taken after this sync occurred.
  • For forensic analysis and legal proceedings, see Use iMazing for iOS Digital Forensic Analysis and e-Discovery.

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