What if a chat shows Show photos and attachments?

Click Choose Attachments Folder… on that card. In the picker, click Choose Attachments. Closed the card? See how to show photos and names.

What if a chat shows Show names instead of numbers?

Click Allow Access on that card. If it says Open System Settings…, click it and turn on Contacts for TextPort. Closed the card? See how to show photos and names.

What if Your chats didn’t load comes back after Try Again?

Restart your Mac. If it still shows, click Email us on that screen. It adds the details we need.

What if chats from your iPhone are missing?

TextPort shows only chats saved on this Mac. Turn on Messages in iCloud on your iPhone and your Mac. Wait for the chats to sync.

What if TextPort says it can no longer open the folder I chose before?

Click Allow Access. In the picker, click Choose Folder without opening anything. Do not pick a folder inside Messages.

What if the picker opened in a different folder?

Press Command-Shift-G. Type ~/Library/Messages and press Return. Then click Choose Folder.

What if none of these problems match mine?

Email support@textportapp.com. Say which step you were on. Say what you saw. We usually reply within a day.

Why did access stop working?

macOS can drop the folder access TextPort saved. Picking the folder again fixes it.

Do I need to turn on Full Disk Access?

No. TextPort does not use Full Disk Access. It only needs the folder you pick.

Can TextPort for Mac read chats from an iPhone backup?

No. It reads Messages on this Mac. To get iPhone chats on the Mac, turn on Messages in iCloud on both.

How to fix “TextPort can’t read your Messages” on Mac

Mac 2 steps · Updated Nov 5, 2026

Quick answer

Match the title TextPort shows:

Almost ready: click Allow Access or Choose Again, then Choose Folder.
One last thing: click Open Messages and turn on Messages in iCloud.
Your chats didn’t load: click Try Again.

On iPhone: How to fix a stuck or failed Shortcut import
On Windows: How to fix an iPhone not showing up on Windows

What you need

✓TextPort for Mac
✓Messages signed in on the same Mac

Steps

Almost ready

Click Allow Access

It is on the step Allow access to your messages. A folder picker opens.

If the step says Choose the folder called Messages, click Choose Again.
Click Choose Folder

The picker is already in the Messages folder. Do not open anything in it.

If the picker shows your Library folder, click Messages once first.

One last thing

Click Open Messages

TextPort can read the folder, but it has no chats. Messages opens.
Turn on Messages in iCloud

In Messages, open Settings, then iMessage. Check Enable Messages in iCloud.
Wait for your chats

Keep Messages open until your chats show in it. Then go back to TextPort.

Your chats didn’t load

Click Try Again

TextPort reads your messages again. Your chats show.

If you see the same screen, quit TextPort and open it again.

Done

TextPort shows your chats in the list on the left, with photos and names.

Problems

What you seeWhat to do

A chat shows Show photos and attachments.: Click Choose Attachments Folder… on that card. In the picker, click Choose Attachments. Closed the card? See how to show photos and names.
A chat shows Show names instead of numbers.: Click Allow Access on that card. If it says Open System Settings…, click it and turn on Contacts for TextPort. Closed the card? See how to show photos and names.
Your chats didn’t load comes back after Try Again.: Restart your Mac. If it still shows, click Email us on that screen. It adds the details we need.
Chats from your iPhone are missing.: TextPort shows only chats saved on this Mac. Turn on Messages in iCloud on your iPhone and your Mac. Wait for the chats to sync.
Almost ready says TextPort can no longer open the folder you chose before.: Click Allow Access. In the picker, click Choose Folder without opening anything. Do not pick a folder inside Messages.
The picker opened in a different folder.: Press Command-Shift-G. Type ~/Library/Messages and press Return. Then click Choose Folder.
None of these match.: Email [email protected]. Say which step you were on. Say what you saw. We usually reply within a day.

Questions

: macOS can drop the folder access TextPort saved. Picking the folder again fixes it.
: No. TextPort does not use Full Disk Access. It only needs the folder you pick.
: No. It reads Messages on this Mac. To get iPhone chats on the Mac, turn on Messages in iCloud on both.