Apple's Messages app still has no built-in export. You can't select a conversation and save it as a file, which is a problem if you need to archive years of texts, hand a thread to a lawyer, or keep a copy before switching phones. That gap is why a small category of dedicated message export apps exists.
The apps below all do the same core job — get your iPhone messages out as PDF, CSV, or text — but they take very different routes. Some run on a Mac or PC and read your iPhone backup directly. One runs on the iPhone itself and needs no computer at all. This guide compares seven of the most established options so you can pick the one that fits your situation.
Quick comparison
| App | Platforms | How it works | Export formats | Pricing model |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MsgKeep | iPhone, Mac, Windows | On-device (screenshots) or reads iPhone backup | PDF, CSV, Text, HTML | Free to try, subscription |
| iMazing | Mac, Windows | Reads device & backup | PDF, CSV/Excel, Text | Paid license |
| Decipher TextMessage | Mac, Windows | Reads iPhone backup | PDF, CSV, Text, HTML | One-time license |
| TouchCopy | Mac, Windows | Reads connected device | PDF, CSV, Text, HTML | One-time license |
| AnyTrans | Mac, Windows | Reads device & backup | HTML, Text, PDF | Paid license |
| iExplorer | Mac, Windows | Reads device & backup | PDF, CSV, Text | Paid license |
| CopyTrans Contacts | Windows only | Reads connected device | PDF, Text, Word, Excel | License packs |
Pricing models and exact formats change over time — check each vendor's site for current details before buying.
What to look for in a message export app
Before the list, it helps to know what actually separates these tools. Five things matter most:
- Do you need a computer? Almost every option here reads an iPhone backup, which means a Mac or PC plus a cable. Only an on-device app can export straight from the phone.
- Platform. Most run on both Mac and Windows, but a couple are tied to one operating system. If you're on a Mac, a Windows-only tool is a non-starter.
- Completeness. Backup-based tools capture the entire thread — every message, full timestamps, phone numbers, and usually attachments. Screenshot-based capture is limited to what you photograph, but needs no backup.
- Export formats. PDF for archiving and court, CSV for analysis, Text for a lightweight searchable copy. Pick a tool that supports the format you actually need.
- Pricing. Some apps are a one-time license, others a subscription, others sold in packs. A one-time export job and an ongoing archiving habit point to different choices.
1MsgKeep
MsgKeep is the one app in this list that doesn't force you to choose between "on the phone" and "on the computer" — it offers both approaches, which is why it tops the list for the widest range of users.
The iPhone app takes a different approach from everything else here: it reads screenshots of a conversation and uses AI to extract the messages, timestamps, and sender names, then exports them to PDF, CSV, or Text — entirely on the phone, with no computer, cable, or backup required. That makes it the fastest way to save a single important conversation, and the only realistic option if you don't have a Mac or PC handy.
When you need the complete thread automatically, MsgKeep Desktop (Mac and Windows) reads your iPhone backup directly — the same message database Apple stores on your device — and exports full conversations to PDF, CSV, Text, or HTML, with attachments saved to a linked folder. Encrypted backups are decrypted locally on your own computer.
Strengths: two capture methods (on-device or backup); genuinely cross-platform (iPhone + Mac + Windows); modern, simple interface; multiple export formats including court-friendly PDF. Limitations: the iPhone app captures what you screenshot rather than reading a database, so for very long threads the desktop app is the better fit. Export is a paid feature after a free trial.
Export your messages today
Save any conversation as PDF, CSV, or Text — right on your iPhone, no computer needed.
2iMazing
iMazing is a mature, well-regarded device manager that does far more than messages — backups, app management, file transfer, and more. For exporting texts, it reads your iPhone backup and saves conversations to PDF, CSV/Excel, or Text, with attachments included.
Strengths: polished and reliable; broad feature set; strong reputation; good handling of attachments and metadata. Limitations: it's a desktop-only tool, so you need a computer; the wide scope can feel like overkill if all you want is to save one conversation; pricing sits at the higher end.
3Decipher TextMessage
Decipher TextMessage is one of the longest-standing names in this niche and stays deliberately focused on saving messages: it reads your iPhone backup and exports conversations to PDF, CSV, HTML, or text, or prints them. Its PDF output is formatted to look like the iPhone Messages interface — blue and green bubbles, timestamps, and sender names — which is part of why it's often recommended for legal and record-keeping use.
Strengths: simple and focused; trusted for court and archival use; one-time license rather than a subscription. Limitations: desktop and an iPhone backup required; it handles messages only, not broader device content; the interface is functional rather than modern.
4TouchCopy
TouchCopy is another veteran tool that copies content from a connected iPhone to a computer — messages, photos, music, and more. For texts, it can save conversations to PDF, CSV, Text, or HTML and print them directly.
Strengths: handles many content types beyond messages; multiple export formats; established and widely used; one-time license. Limitations: desktop-only; the broad feature set adds complexity; licensing can be tied to a number of activations.
5AnyTrans
AnyTrans (by iMobie) is a general iOS data manager that includes message backup and export among many other transfer features. It can read your device or backup and export conversations, typically as HTML, Text, or PDF.
Strengths: versatile all-in-one transfer suite; good if you also move photos, music, and files; familiar if you already use iMobie tools. Limitations: message export is one feature among many rather than the focus; desktop-only; licensing leans toward higher-tier bundles.
6iExplorer
iExplorer (by Macroplant) lets you browse an iPhone's files and data like a disk, and includes a message viewer that exports conversations to PDF, CSV, or Text. It appeals to more technical users who like direct access to what's inside a device or backup.
Strengths: deep access to device and backup contents; flexible export; useful beyond just messages. Limitations: more technical than the average user needs; desktop-only; the file-browser approach is less guided than a dedicated message exporter.
7CopyTrans Contacts
CopyTrans Contacts is part of the Windows-only CopyTrans suite and manages contacts, calendars, and messages. It can export iPhone conversations to several formats including PDF, Word, Excel, and plain text.
Strengths: handles contacts and messages in one place; several export formats; sold as license packs you can buy as needed. Limitations: Windows only — not an option for Mac users; the licensing can be confusing; the interface shows its age.
Which app should you choose?
- You don't have a computer, or just want one conversation fast — use MsgKeep for iPhone. It's the only on-device option here.
- You want every message in a thread, on Mac or Windows — a backup-reading app is the way. MsgKeep Desktop covers both platforms with modern PDF/CSV/Text/HTML export; iMazing and TouchCopy are strong, broader alternatives.
- You need a clean PDF or print-out for court — MsgKeep, Decipher TextMessage, and TouchCopy all produce readable, timestamped records. See our guide to printing texts for court.
- You want analysis in a spreadsheet — choose a tool with CSV/Excel export: MsgKeep, iMazing, TouchCopy, iExplorer, or CopyTrans.
- You're on Windows and also manage contacts — CopyTrans Contacts keeps it all in one Windows app.
For most people, the deciding factor is simply whether you want to involve a computer. If not, an on-device iPhone app is the obvious pick. If you want the complete, automatic export of an entire conversation history, a backup-based desktop tool wins — and a cross-platform one saves you from being boxed into a single operating system.
Frequently asked questions
What is the easiest way to export text messages from an iPhone?
If you don't want to connect to a computer, the easiest route is an on-device app like MsgKeep for iPhone, which captures a conversation from screenshots and exports it to PDF, CSV, or Text directly on the phone. If you want every message in a thread automatically, a desktop tool that reads your iPhone backup — such as MsgKeep Desktop, iMazing, Decipher TextMessage, or TouchCopy — pulls the full conversation from the message database.
Can I export iPhone messages without a computer?
Yes, but only with an on-device app. Most message export tools (iMazing, Decipher, TouchCopy, AnyTrans, iExplorer, CopyTrans) run on a Mac or PC and read an iPhone backup, so they require a computer and a cable. MsgKeep's iPhone app is the exception — it works entirely on the phone by reading screenshots of a conversation.
Which export format is best — PDF, CSV, or Text?
PDF is best for archiving, printing, and legal use because it preserves a readable, hard-to-alter layout with timestamps. CSV is best for analysis in Excel or Google Sheets, with one message per row. Plain Text is the most lightweight and universally readable. Most of the apps in this comparison support PDF and at least one data format.
Are message export apps safe and private?
The desktop tools in this list process your iPhone backup locally on your own computer. MsgKeep's iPhone app sends your screenshots to a secure server only to recognize the text in them; the conversations and the files you export are kept on your device. Always check each vendor's privacy policy to see how your data is handled, especially for any feature that involves cloud processing.