# How to import a chat with Scroll Capture

## Quick answer

In TextPort:

1. Tap **Add Chat**. Pick the chat app at the top.
2. Tap **Import with Scroll Capture** or **On Your iPhone**.
3. Tap **Start Screen Recording**, then **Start Broadcast**.
4. Open the chat. Scroll down slowly.
5. Go back to TextPort. Tap **Stop Recording**, then **Stop Broadcast**.
6. Tap **Start Processing**.

The chat then shows in **Saved Chats**.

## What you need

- TextPort on your iPhone, with iOS 17.5 or newer
- The chat in its app, like Messages or Instagram

## Steps

1. Tap **Add Chat**

   Open TextPort. It is at the bottom of **Saved Chats**.

2. Tap the app name at the top

   It shows the app you picked last time. **Select Chat App** opens.

   Tip: If it already shows the right app, skip to step 4.

3. Tap the chat app

   Tap **Messages** or the app the chat is in. **WhatsApp** has its own import.

   Tip: To record a WhatsApp chat, tap **Other**.

4. Tap **Import with Scroll Capture**

   For apps other than Messages, the card says **On Your iPhone**. **Scroll Capture** opens.

5. Tap **Start Screen Recording**

   It is the blue button at the bottom. An iOS sheet for screen recording opens.

   Tip: Before iOS 26, the button says **Start Recording**.

6. Tap **Start Broadcast**

   A 3-second countdown runs. Then TextPort shows **Recording** and the time.

7. Tap **Open Messages**

   It names the app you picked, like **Open Instagram**. The chat app opens.

   Tip: If you picked **Other**, it says **Open Messages**. Open your chat app yourself.

8. Open the chat

   Go to the oldest message you need.

9. Scroll down slowly

   Keep each message on screen for about 1 second.

10. Tap **Stop Recording** in TextPort

    Go back to TextPort. It is the red button at the bottom.

11. Tap **Stop Broadcast**

    TextPort shows **Preparing Recording...**. Then **Trim Recording** opens.

12. Tap **Start Processing**

    It is the blue button at the bottom. TextPort shows **Processing screen recording...**.

    Tip: To cut off the start or end first, see [Trim a recording](https://textport.com/guides/trim-a-recording-before-processing.md).

13. Keep TextPort open

    Wait until **Creating new chat...** is done. Then the chat opens.

14. Wait for the text

    The chat shows **Processing your Chat**. You can leave TextPort now.

15. Read the chat

    The messages show as text. The chat is in **Saved Chats**.

## Done

The chat is saved in TextPort as real text. You can search it, fix it, and export it.

## Problems

| What you see | What to do |
| --- | --- |
| **Recording Error** shows on the **Scroll Capture** screen. | Tap the arrow next to it to read why. Then tap **Start Screen Recording** to record again. |
| There is no **Scroll Capture** at the top of the screen. | Scroll Capture needs iOS 17.5 or newer. Update iOS. Or [import from screenshots](https://textport.com/guides/import-a-chat-from-screenshots.md). |
| You picked WhatsApp, and there is no Scroll Capture card. | Tap the app name. Pick **Other**. Or [export the chat from WhatsApp](https://textport.com/guides/export-a-whatsapp-chat-to-textport.md). |
| The iOS sheet does not show TextPort. | Close the sheet. Restart your iPhone. Then do step 5 again. |
| TextPort does not show **Recording** after the countdown. | The recording did not start. Do steps 5 and 6 again. Tap **Start Broadcast**, not outside the sheet. |
| **Clip limit reached** | The recording stops by itself after 15 minutes. Tap **OK**. Process this part. Then record the rest of the chat. |
| You see **Unfinished recording** in **Saved Chats**. | TextPort kept a recording that you did not finish. Tap **Continue** to pick it up. |
| **Couldn't import this chat** | Check your internet. Tap **Retry**. If you tap **Dismiss**, the recording waits in **Saved Chats** as **Unfinished recording**. |
| **Processing failed.** | Tap **Retry**. If it fails again, record the chat again. Scroll more slowly. |
| Some messages are missing, or the text is wrong. | See [Fix wrong text, times, or missing messages](https://textport.com/guides/fix-screenshot-problems.md). |
| None of these match. | Email [support@textportapp.com](mailto:support@textportapp.com). Say which step you were on. Say what you saw. We usually reply within a day. |

## Questions

### Why scroll down?

TextPort reads a chat best from older to newer messages. Start at the oldest message you need and scroll down.

### How long can a recording be?

Up to 15 minutes. For a longer chat, make two recordings and process each one.

### Does TextPort record my whole screen?

Yes, while the recording is on. You start it and you stop it. Close other apps and turn on Do Not Disturb first, so no other messages show.

### How long does it take?

A few minutes for most chats. Once the chat shows **Processing your Chat**, you can leave TextPort.

## Next guides

- [How to record your screen with the TextPort recorder](https://textport.com/guides/record-your-screen-with-the-textport-recorder.md): You will have a screen recording of a chat, open in TextPort and ready to process.
- [How to trim a recording before processing](https://textport.com/guides/trim-a-recording-before-processing.md): You will cut your recording so it starts and ends on the chat, then send it to be read.
- [How to import a screen recording from Photos](https://textport.com/guides/import-a-screen-recording-from-photos.md): You will get a saved chat in TextPort from a screen recording that is already in Photos.
- [How to pick a way to import a chat](https://textport.com/guides/pick-a-way-to-import-a-chat.md): You will know which way to import your chat, and where to tap to start it.

TextPort guide for iPhone. Updated 2026-11-04. Web page: https://textport.com/guides/import-a-chat-with-scroll-capture