Download Texts From Iphone To Mac

By Vernon Roderick, Last updated: July 26, 2021

Although messages are but tiny pieces of data, they are quite important to most users. They are what we use to communicate with our loved family and friends. That is why it is very crucial to know how you can manage them more effectively.

If you have mistakenly deleted messages on your iPhone, you can go to this article to get the deleted text messages back.

One way to effectively manage your files is by always having access to such files in your Mac. Your messages are no different. This article will show you how you can transfer iPhone messages to Mac so that you easily access them on both platforms. Let’s start with the most effective method.

This could be the easiest and safest way to view iPhone text messages on PC or Mac. Now, let's have a brief look on the key features of iPhone SMS Exporter: Preview detailed text conversation on PC before exporting as you like. Export and backup iPhone text messages in 4 different formats, including HTML, CSV, Text, DB. On your Mac, open the Messages. From the menu bar, click on Messages Preferences. Now select iMessage. Enter the Apple ID and password of the account that you are using on your iPhone. After logging in to your account, select Enable Messages in iCloud, only for good measure, though this is not exactly necessary.

#1 Transfer iPhone Messages to Mac through Messages App

Most Mac and iPhone users have probably heard of the term “iCloud”. This is only natural since iCloud is a product of the Apple Company themselves. iCloud is basically the place where users can store their files for free. Files contained within this place can be accessed on any platform. That is why it is one way to transfer iPhone messages to Mac.

However, you can’t access your iPhone messages using your Mac just by knowing that. You will have to use the Messages app on your Mac. To use the iCloud feature to transfer iPhone messages to Mac, here’s what you need to do:

  1. On your iPhone, open the Settings
  2. Tap on your Apple ID which should have your profile picture and name at the top.
  3. Select the iCloud
  4. There should be a list of apps at the bottom. Simply make sure that the option for Messages is green or turned on.

Once you have done the previous steps, your iPhone messages should now be getting synced into the iCloud Drive. All you have to do now is access them on your Mac.

  1. On your Mac, open the Messages

Note: The Messages app is a default feature on Mac computers so there is no need to install them as it should be on the system long before you purchased it.

  1. Login using the same Apple account that you use for your iPhone.
  2. You can now find the messages that were once only on your iPhone using your Mac.

Once you have done this, all the conversations on your Messages app will be available on the iCloud and it will be easy to transfer iPhone messages to Mac. Since that’s the case, the conversations will also be available on the Messages desktop app. The first thing to do on your Mac is to check if it is logged in to the same Apple ID as your phone.

Now all you have to do is to access iCloud on Mac with these steps:

  1. On your Mac, download the Messages app.
  2. Launch the Messages app on your Mac.
  3. Go to the Preferences tab on the window.
  4. On the Preferences settings, click on the iMessage
  5. Now make sure the box for Enable Messages in iCloud is checked.

With this, you can access the messages that you have on your iPhone using the Messages app on Mac. It’s not exactly a way to transfer iPhone messages to Mac but to simply access the messages. If you’d like, you can download them.

Either way, you now have access to the messages in two ways and that would be through your iPhone and through your Mac.

#2 Transfer iPhone Messages to Mac through iCloud.com

The previous section involves one way to access iCloud. What you need to know is that there are actually many ways to access iCloud, and this section will talk about one of them. You may have an idea of what the iCloud.com website is. It is basically the website where you go to using your browser to access the iCloud platform, and that would be what we will be doing.

In order to use this method, you have to go to the iCloud website and transfer iPhone messages to Mac, you have to follow these steps:

  1. Go to the icloud.com website with your browser.
  2. Enter your Apple ID and password. Make sure this is the same login credentials as the one that you are using on your iPhone device.
  3. On the website, there will be tons of options. All you have to do is find the option for Messages and click on it.
  4. Once you are on the Messages platform, you will get a list of conversations on the left side of the platform. Simply right-click on the one you want to transfer and select the option that corresponds to download.

That’s pretty much how you can transfer iPhone messages to Mac through the iCloud.com website. Compared to what you did in the previous section, this is actually a lot easier since you don’t have to download the Messages app. However, you have to visit the website often to get notifications and updates, unlike with the app which is basically open every time.

#3 Transfer iPhone Messages to Mac with iTunes File Sharing

If you are familiar with iCloud, then maybe you also have an idea what iTunes is, since it is a bit similar to what iCloud is and it’s not only in a way that it both ahs the capability to transfer iPhone messages to Mac.

Download Sms From Iphone To Mac

iTunes is a built-in function on every Mac computer just like iCloud. It was originally a multimedia player, but major updates turned it into a multipurpose tool. One of its functions is iTunes File Sharing which allowed users to add and manage files from their iPhones, which is why we will be using this for our goal.

Here’s how you can transfer iPhone messages to Mac with this function:

  1. Make sure the iPhone is connected to the Mac computer.
  2. Open iTunes on your Mac.
  3. Click on the device that corresponds to your iPhone from the left side of the iTunes window.
  4. Click on Apps from the left sidebar.
  5. Now scroll down until you see the File Sharing
  6. Under the Apps, select Messages.
  7. Now you will get a list of conversations on the right side of the window. Select the one you want to transfer and save it.

The iTunes File Sharing feature was created so you can transfer files from specific apps. Since Messages is basically an app, you can transfer iPhone messages to Mac with this feature.

#4 Transfer iPhone Messages to Mac using Text Message Forwarding

One method to transfer iPhone messages to Mac than not many know about is the Text Message Forwarding feature in the Messages app settings. Since only a handful of iPhones has this feature, it’s understandable why it’s not a very popular method. Either way, here’s how you can use this feature:

  1. On your iPhone, go to the Settings app.
  2. Scroll down and tap on the Messages
  3. You should now be on the Messages app settings.
  4. Here, look for Text Message Forwarding. Tap on this option.
  5. There should be a list of devices here. Make sure your Mac is included. That way, you can access the Messages normally, and it’s up to you whether you want to download them.

Either way, you should now be able to transfer iPhone messages to Mac more easily from now on. Just make sure that you are careful so as to avoid data loss on your messages.

Alternative to Transfer iPhone Messages to Computer with Software

Normally, we will use a tool to do the job for us. This guide to transfer iPhone messages to Mac is no exception. However, as unfortunate as it may be, the software that I normally recommend, FoneDog Phone Transfer, doesn’t support Mac.

In that case, you may want to look elsewhere. But if you happen to enter a situation where you need to transfer files that don’t involve Mac, FoneDog Phone Transfer would be your best bet.

FoneDog Phone Transfer is a tool that specializes in transferring all kinds of files from one device to another. It supports iOS, Android, and Windows PC. The best thing about this is that unlike other tools, it is capable of transferring messages. Nonetheless, you should look into it if you want a reliable tool always available to you.

Phone TransferTransfer files among iOS, Android and Windows PC.Transfer and backup text messages, contacts, photos, video, music on computer easily.Fully compatible with iOS 13 and Android 9.0.Free Download

Conclusion

No one wants their messages to be inaccessible to their devices. That is why Mac users tend to look for ways to transfer iPhone messages to Ma cwhen they don’t use their iPhones often. Fortunately, Apple answered them with these five methods.

Although you can now transfer iPhone messages to Mac, you should still be cautious when handling your messages. After all, they are still vulnerable to data loss even if you can access them through your iPhone and Mac.

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>Transfer >4 Different Ways to Transfer iPhone Messages to Mac for Free [2021 Updated]
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Data loss? Impossible with Get Backup Pro on Mac.

Just a few years ago, knowing how to backup iPhone to computer hardware was common. Now, with iCloud, most of us back our iPhones up to the cloud, and the days of iTunes and iPhone backups are behind us.

But you can still backup your iPhone up to your Mac! It’s still possible in macOS 10.15 Catalina and above. The option is a bit hidden and quite basic, but it can be done.

We’ll show you exactly how to backup iPhone on Mac computers Apple’s way, and show you how to make the process much, much better!

How To Download Text Messages From Iphone To Mac

We’ll show you exactly how to backup iPhone on Mac computers Apple’s way, and show you how to make the process much, much better!

How to backup your iPhone, iPad to Mac in macOS Catalina and Big Sur

Backing up an iPhone is the absolute best way to make sure you avoid data loss. If you never backed your iPhone up, you run a huge risk of losing all of your important data like photos, notes, reminders, and calendar appointments. You may even lose access to apps no longer available in the App Store that you’ve already downloaded.

Iphone

The old method for creating backups involved iTunes. You’d plug your iPhone into the Mac, spin up iTunes, and start the process of backing your iPhone up. When Apple ditched iTunes, it left many users asking “how to backup my iPhone to my computer?”

Well, you still plug it in, and you still create a backup – it’s just a lot more basic, now. Here’s the default method for how to backup iPhone to computer hardware like a Mac:

  1. Connect your iPhone to your Mac
  2. Open Finder
  3. On the left-hand side, select your iPhone under “Locations” (Note: If it’s your first time connecting your iPhone to your computer, select “Trust”)
  4. In the button bar, select “General”
  5. Under “Backups,” select “Back up all of the data on this iPhone to this Mac”
  6. Select “Back Up Now”

The good news is knowing how to backup iPhone to Mac is still as simple as plugging it in! You can also choose to encrypt the backup, if you like.

How to backup iPhone to iCloud on Mac

First, know there’s no need to use your Mac to backup your iPhone to iCloud; you can do it on your iPhone without plugging it in! Just follow these steps:

  1. On your iPhone, open Settings
  2. Select your Apple ID banner at the top
  3. Select “iCloud”
  4. Select “iCloud Backup”

From here, you can select “Back Up Now.” If you don’t want to manually back your iPhone up, make sure the “iCloud Backup” option at the top of the screen is toggled on. This will back your iPhone up automatically and periodically when it’s charging.

But if you want to know how to backup iPhone on a computer to the cloud, here’s how:

  1. Connect your iPhone to your Mac
  2. Open Finder
  3. On the left-hand side, select your iPhone under “Locations” (Note: If it’s your first time connecting your iPhone to your computer, select “Trust”)
  4. In the button bar, select “General”
  5. Under “Backups,” select “Back up your most important data on your iPhone to iCloud”
  6. Select “Back Up Now”

This will begin an immediate backup of your iPhone to iCloud, much as you would on your iPhone without plugging it in.

How to restore your iOS device backups on a Mac

Now that we know how to backup iPhone to computer hard drives – how can we restore our iPhone from a backup?

First things first: to do this, you will have to back your iPhone up to the Mac you’re plugging it into. If you don’t have a backup on your Mac, the only other way is to use iCloud. But if you followed the first set of instructions and have a backup of your iPhone on the Mac, here’s how to restore it:

  1. Connect your iPhone to your Mac
  2. Open Finder
  3. On the left-hand side, select your iPhone under “Locations”
  4. In the button bar, select “General”
  5. Under “Backups,” select “Restore Backup”
  6. Select the backup you want to restore from the drop-down list
  7. Enter your password
  8. Select “Restore”

Deleting old iPhone, iPad backups on Mac

Now that we’ve answered the burning question “how do I backup my iPhone to my Mac computer?” let’s discuss how to manage those backups!

Download text messages from iphone to macbook pro

The process will feel very familiar to our other instructions, but there are some subtle differences. Here’s how it’s done:

  1. Connect your iPhone to your Mac
  2. Open Finder
  3. On the left-hand side, select your iPhone under “Locations”
  4. In the button bar, select “General”
  5. Under “Backups,” select “Manage Backups”
  6. Select the backup you want to remove from the list
  7. Select “OK”

This only deletes backups which are stored on the Mac. It's also really binary; Apple lets you store backups of your iPhone, but the purpose is to have a backup to restore to. What if you only want to backup data? We suggest Get Backup Pro.

One of the best features of Get Backup Pro is that it allows you to create backups of the data you want, not an entire iPhone’s worth of stuff! Maybe you only want to back up a few folders or files on your iPhone to your Mac, not an entire hard drive. The app also categorizes data, and tells you exactly when your stuff was last backed up. It’s a great option for those who want to backup photos or files more often than other categories of data, for instance.


Get Backup Pro also compresses backups by up to 60%, and allows you to store your backups on any drive. We really like the idea of having an external drive with the iPhone data you’ve backed up instead of relying on the Mac.

But if you do want to keep your iPhone data on the Mac, Get Backup Pro excels at backing up Macs, too! It can even be set to backup a Mac on a schedule, and in the background. Simply put, backups are better with Get Backup Pro!

Syncing your iOS device with ease

Yes, backups are important – but what about syncing data? iCloud can help, but it’s not always reliable. There are many instances iCloud data doesn’t show up on a device because your Mac or iPhone lost connection to iCloud and your computer didn’t tell you.

Download Text Messages From Iphone To Mac

Instead, we recommend using AnyTrans to sync iPhone data to your Mac. AnyTrans unashamedly picks up where iTunes left off; iOS users who remember iTunes will love AnyTrans!

AnyTrans lets you transfer files and folders to a Mac with a few clicks. Once you plug your device in, AnyTrans shows you exactly what’s on your device, right down to any downloaded media, and lets you sync it to your Mac in a snap. Instead of hoping that the movie you downloaded syncs using iCloud (or any cloud service!) make sure it syncs with AnyTrans.

AnyTrans also categorizes your data. Photos, audio, videos, messages, apps, and other data types all have a unique category in AnyTrans, allowing you to pick and choose what you want to sync, and what may not be critical. We really like the photos feature, which categorizes the type of images you have on your phone. It’s great for those of us who take a ton of screenshots but would rather manage them before syncing to our Macs!

Download Texts From Iphone To Mac

AnyTrans can also manage backups, and has a really handy tool that lets you plug in a new iPhone and migrate data straight from your old device. There’s also a really awesome media downloader if you’d like to download videos from YouTube or another source and load it straight to your iPhone or iPad!

Conclusion

Backups are critical to the long-term security of your data. Syncing is great, too, but is only a representation of the data you have in realtime.

It’s difficult to imagine losing some data. Important files, images, or videos may not need to live on your device forever, but you’ll want to make sure it’s safe and secure.

For syncing and backups, we can’t think of a better tandem than AnyTrans and Get Backup Pro. These apps make short work of data security and sync, and are native to the Mac.

Best of all, both apps are free as part of a 7-day trial of Setapp, the world’s best suite of productivity apps for the Mac. During the free trial period, you’ll also have unlimited access to nearly 200 other excellent Mac apps. And when the trial is over, continued access to the full Setapp catalog is only $9.99 per month, or $19.99 per month for the family plan, which grants full access to Setapp on up to four Macs. It’s an incredible deal we know you’ll love, so what are you waiting for? Give Setapp a try today!

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