Backup of iMessages from iPhone to PC

The iPhone includes since iOS 5 the free Apple Messaging Service "iMessage". iMessages are free messages, instead of SMS, between Apple iPhone and iPad device owners. iMessage supports the sending and receiving of endless text, photos and pictures, contacts, videos and other file formats. The iDevice Manager provides a function to transfer and download of the messages from the iPhone or iPad to the PC. iTunes does not support that.

iMessages backup iMessages search
Updated for Windows 10
and Windows 7, 8
For iPhone XS and Max, iPhone XR, iPhone X, iPad Pro

iPhone iMessages presentation

iPhone iMessage backup on Windows computer

  1. If the iDevice Manager is not installed yet, download the program from here.
  2. Start the iDevice Manager, click the tab "Messages" and after then click the button "iMessage".
  3. The iDevice Manager is checking at first whether the iPhone or iPad backup is up-to-date. If the latest backup date older then 3 days, should it be renewed.
    Create new iPhone backup The information message should confirmed with Yes.
  4. This is helpful to read the latest messages on your Apple device.
  5. After the messages are read from the iPhone and grouped by sender, the sender's name list will appear in the left tree structure, if the sender in the iPhone address book is available. Otherwise will be displayed the sender number.
  6. In front of the name is displayed a plus-icon.
  7. After clicking on the plus, are the numbers of the contact person are displayed. The program shows only the numbers with received or sent messages.
  8. To show messages, click the call number. Immediately are the messages displayed in the known speech bubble design.
    Show iMessages
  9. To download one or many messages of a contact onto the computer, click with the right mouse key on the contact name or the phone number of the person.
  10. Thus will opened a context menu.
    iMessages context menu
  11. Select the preferred output format TXT or CSV file format.
  12. The CSV format will be containing one message per line and the format looks like a table. CSV files can be opened e.g. with Microsoft Excel.
  13. For the text format can you choose two options. One file per message or all messages in one file.
  14. The export file contains the sender's number, sender's name (if available), the read status, whether the message was reveived or sent and the message text.
  15. If the iMessage contains attachments like photos or videos, they will be also extracted and stored on the PC.
The backup may not be encrypted with iTunes, otherwise is it not readable.
iTunes backup encryption
Depending on the iPhone or iPad version, the speed of the PC, the USB port speed and the timeliness of data backup, takes the process to be completing several minutes. Do not worry, the process will be terminate, even if it takes longer.