Apps to Export Text Messages From iPhone (2026 Guide)

Yes, there are apps to export text messages from iPhone. The right one depends on whether you want to work entirely on your phone or connect to a Mac or PC.

The fastest on-device option: TextPort

TextPort works directly on your iPhone or iPad, no USB cable, no computer, no iTunes backup required. The workflow is straightforward: scroll through a chat while screen recording (or take overlapping screenshots), then import the footage into TextPort. The app reconstructs every message in order, preserves sender names and timestamps, and produces a clean export file.

It covers any messenger that appears on your screen: iMessage, SMS, WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, Instagram DMs, Telegram, Signal, and more. If you can scroll through it, TextPort can convert it.

For WhatsApp specifically, there's an even faster path. Open the chat, tap the contact name, scroll down and tap "Export chat," then choose "Attach media" or "Without media." Use the iOS share sheet to send the file to TextPort, and you can immediately export to PDF, CSV, or plain-text TXT. The WhatsApp chat export guide walks through every step.

Output formats from TextPort:

• PDF, formatted for printing, sharing, or filing as a business or legal record
• CSV, Excel-compatible spreadsheet, useful for searching and sorting messages
• TXT, lightweight plain-text backup

See the full step-by-step export walkthrough for all supported apps.

When desktop tools make more sense

Desktop tools like iMazing, Decipher TextMessage, and TouchCopy read directly from an iPhone backup on your Mac or PC. According to iMazing's documentation (updated March 2026), they support export to PDF, Excel/CSV, and TXT. Decipher TextMessage also offers HTML output for web-style archival.

These tools are worth considering when you need bulk exports of very long iMessage or SMS histories, or when you prefer to work from a computer. One important note: many of them require a local (non-encrypted) backup. Apple's support page on encrypted backups (updated May 7, 2026) confirms you can enable or disable local backup encryption in Finder/Apple Devices/iTunes. Some apps, like SMS Export, additionally ask you to temporarily disable iCloud before creating the backup, a setup step that can catch users off guard.

Choose mobile when you want no-computer capture and export. Choose desktop when you can use a Mac or PC and need backup-based exports for bulk or very long histories.

For a detailed look at how iMazing handles the desktop workflow, see how to export iPhone messages with iMazing.

Export formats explained

For PDF-specific workflows, the iPhone messages to PDF guide covers five methods in detail. If you need exports for legal use, the page on text messages in court admissibility explains what formatting courts typically expect.

Get started

Download TextPort from the App Store for on-device exports from any messaging app. If you need a desktop-based backup approach instead, iMazing or Decipher TextMessage are the most established options in that category.

For a broader comparison of all available tools, see the best apps to export text messages from iPhone in 2026.