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Export iMessage conversations to PDF

The Messages app has no “export” button. Threadlode reads the messages from an iPhone backup (Windows or Mac) or from the Mac Messages folder and turns them into PDF, HTML, Excel or CSV.

Open Threadlode – free

Steps

  1. Make an unencrypted backup of the iPhone with iTunes or Finder – or use the Messages folder on your Mac (~/Library/Messages).
  2. Open it in Threadlode.
  3. Choose a conversation and click Print / save as PDF – or export everything as an HTML archive.

What is included

  • iMessage and SMS conversations with the same person shown together
  • Group chats with their names and member changes
  • Tapbacks (❤️ 👍 😂 …) shown under the message they belong to
  • Edited and unsent messages are marked
  • Text of newer messages that iOS stores only in a binary field (attributedBody)
  • Photos, videos, voice messages and files that are present in the backup

Not included

  • Encrypted backups
  • Messages only stored in iCloud (“Messages in iCloud” may keep older messages off the device – then they are not in the backup)
  • Stickers and app content are shown as placeholders
  • Previous versions of edited messages

Questions and answers

Why are some attachments missing?

With “Messages in iCloud” or “Optimise storage”, the phone may not keep every old attachment, so the backup doesn’t contain it. Threadlode marks these as “not in this backup”.

Last updated: 2026-10-26