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

You've got lots of text messages - iMessages, SMSs, and MMSs - on your iPhone, and you may want to save copies them in an archive to view them later. Apple doesn't offer any way to do this, but iMazing can archive all of your messages in backups so you can access them at any time. This is especially useful if you want to delete messages from your iPhone to save space - such as messages with photos - but still be able to read these messages later, or view the photos they contain.

Here's how to archive messages on your iPhone:

1. Download and install iMazing. Launch the app, and connect your device to your Mac or PC.
2. Select your device in iMazing's Devices section, then click Back Up.
3. Set Archival Backups Options.
4. Back up your device.
5. To view archived messages, load a backup, then select Messages.

Before you begin

Always make sure you are running the latest iMazing version, to do so select Check for Updates from the iMazing menu, or just download the latest available version for your computer below.

Instructions

To back up your iPhone, iPad or iPod touch:

1. Launch iMazing and connect your device.

   

2. If this is your first time connecting your device, you will need to pair it to your computer.

   

3. Click on Devices list on the left sidebar to reveal your connected device(s). Select your device from the list.

   

4. From the device's overview screen, select Backup.

   

5. You will be prompted to enter your device passcode to initiate a backup, enter it on the device as requested.

   

6. Carefully review backup options and click the Back Up button.

   

7. You will see a notification once the backup is completed successfully.

   

Backup Options

The Backup Options for the device can be accessed anytime by clicking on Settings in the left sidebar. They allow access to the following backup options:

• Configure Automatic Backups Scheduling
• Change Backup Location
• Change Backup Archiving Options
• Enable or disable Backup Encryption

For a more detailed break down of backup options, see Backup Options in iMazing.

Going further

Access archived messages

Now that you’ve backed up your device, you can access messages and other content from that backup. To do this, click the Backups button in the iMazing toolbar (this button will display the name of your device, followed by the word Backups). You’ll see your device, and its backups, with the date and time of each one.

Select a backup, then click View. iMazing loads the backup. Click Messages, and iMazing loads all the messages from that backup. You can then view them, or transfer them to your Mac or PC.

iCloud Messages

One of the biggest features which iOS 11.4 has brought is the ability to sync all of your attachments and text messages via iCloud. If you would like to use this feature, you simply have to enable iCloud Messages. You'll still be able to display and extract your messages in iMazing as you did before, but some older attachments may be removed by iOS from your device and kept in the cloud. Text content is not affected.