KKeepsake

How to get your iMessages out

Apple doesn't provide an export button, so this is the part people worry about — and it's genuinely the hardest step. Pick the path that matches your situation. If you're reading this on your phone: the Mac path needs a computer, the copy-paste path doesn't.

Path 1 — From a Mac (best quality, includes photos)

Works if: you have a Mac signed into the same Apple ID as your iPhone, with Messages open at least once (so conversations have synced). Everything — photos, reactions, group chats — comes through.

  1. On your Mac, open Messages once and confirm the conversation you want is visible. If not, enable Settings → Apple ID → iCloud → Messages on your iPhone and give it time to sync.
  2. Quit Messages (⌘Q) so the database isn't mid-write.
  3. In Finder, press ⌘⇧G (Go to Folder), paste ~/Library/Messages and hit return.
  4. Copy the file called chat.db to your Desktop (drag with the Option key held, or copy-paste). Upload that copy on the create page.
  5. For photos: also copy the Attachments folder from the same location. After choosing your conversation you can add this folder and photos will appear in the book (JPEG/PNG — HEIC photos show as placeholders for now).
Finder — Go to FolderGo to the folder:~/Library/MessagesGoPress ⌘⇧G in Finder
Finder → Go to Folder (⌘⇧G), then paste ~/Library/Messages
Finder — Messageschat.dbcopy this →chat.db-walchat.db-shmAttachmentscopy this →
Copy chat.db (and the Attachments folder for photos) out of ~/Library/Messages

If Finder says you don't have permission: your Mac protects this folder. Open System Settings → Privacy & Security → Full Disk Access and enable it for Finder (or copy the file using Terminal: cp ~/Library/Messages/chat.db ~/Desktop/). You can turn the permission off afterwards.

Privacy note: the file is parsed inside your browser. Uploading it here does not send it over the internet — you can watch the network tab and see for yourself.

Path 2 — Copy & paste (works for everyone, text only)

Works if: you have the conversation on any iPhone or Mac, no other requirements. Photos aren't included — the book marks where they were.

From your iPhone

  1. Open the conversation in Messages.
  2. Touch and hold a message bubble, tap More…, then tick the messages you want (you can select long ranges quickly by ticking and scrolling).
  3. Tap the forward arrow at the bottom right, address it to yourself (your own number or email), and send. The messages arrive as one combined text.
  4. Copy that text and paste it on the create page — or email it to yourself and paste from there.
MessagesMore…Tap More,tick messages,forward to self
On iPhone: hold a message → More…, tick the ones you want, forward them to yourself

From a Mac

  1. Open the conversation in Messages on the Mac.
  2. Click into the conversation, select messages (⌘A selects the visible history), copy.
  3. Paste into the create page.

Formatting tips (the parser is forgiving, but this helps)

  • Lines like Name: message work best. A date line on its own (like Mar 4, 2024 at 2:15 PM) applies to the messages after it.
  • Formats like [3/4/24, 2:15:07 PM] Name: message and Name (Mar 4, 2024 at 2:15 PM): message are recognized too.
  • Messages from “Me” get blue bubbles automatically; you can also type your name on the create page so your messages are recognized.

Path 3 — From an iPhone backup (Mac or Windows, includes photos)

Works if: you can plug your iPhone into a computer (Mac or Windows) and make a local backup. This is the best option if you don't use Messages on a Mac — it reads the conversation, photos and all, straight out of the backup on your own machine.

1. Make an encrypted local backup

  1. Connect your iPhone to your computer with a cable.
  2. On a Mac, open Finder and click your iPhone in the sidebar. On Windows, open the Apple Devices app (or iTunes) and select your iPhone.
  3. Choose "Back up all of the data on your iPhone to this computer" and — this part matters — tick "Encrypt local backup". Set a password you'll remember. Encryption is what allows Messages and their photos to be included in the backup.
  4. Click Back Up Now and wait for it to finish.
Finder — iPhoneBackupsBack up all of the data on your iPhone to this computerEncrypt local backup← required to include Messages & photosBack Up Now
Tick “Encrypt local backup” and set a password — this is what lets Messages and photos be backed up

2. Find the backup folder

The backup is a folder with a long hexadecimal name:

  • Mac: ~/Library/Application Support/MobileSync/Backup/
  • Windows: %APPDATA%\Apple\MobileSync\Backup\ (or %USERPROFILE%\Apple\MobileSync\Backup\)

Open that Backup folder; inside is one subfolder per backup (most recent wins if there are several).

MobileSync — Backup00008110-001A4D2E1E88…your backup →8f1c…c2 (older)Mac: ~/Library/Application Support/MobileSync/Backup/Windows: %APPDATA%\Apple\MobileSync\Backup\
Inside MobileSync/Backup, pick the folder with the long hexadecimal name (the most recent one)

3. Load it into Keepsake

  1. On the create page, choose From an iPhone backup and select that hex-named backup folder.
  2. If it's encrypted (recommended), enter your backup password. Decryption happens entirely on your device and can take a minute — Apple deliberately makes the password hard to brute-force.
  3. Pick your conversation, name the participants, and build your book. Photos included.

Privacy: the backup — including your password and every decrypted message — is processed only inside your browser tab. Nothing is uploaded. (HEIC photos, the modern iPhone format, currently appear as placeholders; JPEG/PNG photos embed fully.)

Which path should I use?

  • You have a Mac with Messages synced: Path 1. Fastest full-fidelity option.
  • No Mac, but you can plug in to a computer: Path 3. Photos included, Mac or Windows.
  • Want it done in five minutes with just a phone: Path 2. Text only, but it always works.

Ready? Make your book