How to fix a stuck or failed Shortcut import
You will get a Messages import that finishes, or know exactly what to send support.
What you need
- ✓TextPort on your iPhone
- ✓Apple's Shortcuts app
Most stuck imports come from one thing: Shortcuts went to the background. Try the fixes in order. The first two solve it most of the time.
Steps
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1
Check the progress screen
Open TextPort. Look at the Importing messages card. If the count is still going up, it is working. Leave it alone. It is only stuck if the count has not moved for three minutes.
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2
Tap Open Shortcuts
Shortcuts must stay open on screen while it works. Tap Open Shortcuts and leave it in front.
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3
Close and reopen Shortcuts
Only do this if the count has not moved for three minutes. Swipe up from the bottom and hold to see your open apps. Swipe Shortcuts away. Open TextPort again and tap Open Shortcuts.
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4
Restart your iPhone
If Shortcuts keeps searching with no update, or says Messages quit, restart your iPhone. Hold the side button and a volume button. Slide to power off. Turn it back on.
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5
Try a shorter date range
Start the import again. Pick 1 Week (1) instead of a month, then tap Continue (2). Small imports are much less likely to stall.
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6
If it says No messages found
The chat has no messages in the dates you picked. Tap Change dates and pick a wider range.
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7
Tap Import not working?
It is under the progress card. It lists the same fixes and a Contact support button.
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8
Contact support
Still stuck? Tap Contact support. Say which step you were on and what you saw. We reply within a day.
Done
Your import finishes. If not, support has what they need to help.
Tips
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Do not lock your phone while Shortcuts runs. Set Auto-Lock to Never in iOS Settings for the import.
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Very big group chats are slower. As long as the count moves, it is fine. Only call it stuck after three minutes with no change.
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You can always fall back to Scroll Capture. It works for any chat.
Questions
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Open TextPort, tap Add Chat, then Import from Messages, then Add Shortcut. This installs it again.
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That is normal for old attachments. TextPort shows a Recover attachments step after the import. Follow it. You can also add a photo by hand from the chat.
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Yes. Tap Stop import under the progress bar. TextPort then asks what to do with the messages it already got. Tap Keep … messages to save them. Tap Discard imported messages to throw them away.
Start exporting your messages
Available for iPhone, Mac, and Windows. No computer required.
