How to export text messages from iPhone to PDF?

As cited by one most famous cinematic character: “Life is a box of chocolates: you never know what you are going to get”. As a rule, your text messages are stored safely on your iPhone, but there might come a time when you want your text messages off your device in printable or readable format. Maybe you have an upcoming legal case and you want to know how to print your messages for court, or maybe you just want to create an archive of your business conversations.

If you are here searching for a way to export your SMS, iMessages, WhatsApp, Viber or Line chats, CopyTrans Contacts is right here for you. Whether you want to print your conversations or just be able to browse through them – CopyTrans Contacts will come in handy and help you export messages in PDF and RTF formats.

Follow the steps below to save iPhone text messages in PDF so that you can print, share or view them even if you are away from your device. Let’s get started.

• Export text messages from iPhone to PDF
• BONUS: how to get messages from iPhone without iPhone in PDF?

Steps to export text messages as a PDF document

1. To get started, download CopyTrans Contacts from the page below:

   Download CopyTrans Contacts

2. Install the program. If you need help installing CopyTrans Contacts, please refer to this article.

3. Run CopyTrans Contacts and connect the iPhone which contains the messages you want to export. The program will start loading your messages and you will wee the loading icon. IMPORTANT: please do not cancel the process or disconnect your device, as during this time the app is forming a set of all your messages and attachments. This is important if you want your message history to display correctly.

4. When the loading process is complete, choose Messages by clicking on the bubble icon on the left. Then choose a source (“SMS/iMessage”, “WhatsApp”, “Viber” or “Line”) from the “Sources” pane on the top. Select the conversation threads you wish to export. To export all theconversations, check the box next to “Messages” on top of the list. To begin the transfer, click on “Export selected”.

   Note: If you don’t see the messages in the main program window, please have a look at this article.

5. To export messages for a specific period, click on a cogwheel symbol under a list of services and choose the exact time frame.

6. In the popup window, choose “PDF”.

7. Choose a folder on your PC: this is where your messages will be exported. Press “OK”.

8. When you want to archive or print your SMS, PDF format is the best. On top of that, PDF allows for exporting conversations with emojis (like in the screenshoot below).

9. Your iPhone messages are now saved in PDF format.

Export iPhone messages | YouTube tutorial

BONUS: how to get messages from iPhone without iPhone in PDF?

If you need your iPhone messages urgently but no longer have the device (because, for instance, it was lost or broken) you still have a chance to recover your messages in PDF. All you need is a PC with iPhone backups on it and CopyTrans Backup Extractor:

Download CopyTrans Backup Extractor

1. Install and run the program. It will automatically find and display all iPhone backups on your computer, sorted by date. PLEASE NOTE: If you can’t see the backup you need, it may be stored in iCloud. Let CopyTrans Backup Extractor сheck it for you: just click on “iCloud Backups”.



2. Select the backup you need.



3. Click on “Messages” and press “Extract”.



4. Select the destination folder.

Here you go! Your messages are waiting for you in the chosen folder.
Read more about how to use CopyTrans Backup Extractor here: getting started with CopyTrans Backup Extractor