How do I export iMessages to PDF?
Last reviewed 1 November 2026
The iPhone Messages app has no export button that we know of. Export the conversation as CSV with the iMazing app on a computer, then open that file in VaultXT.
It makes dated, numbered PDFs of the messages you pick, on your own device, so your messages aren't uploaded.
What do I need?
Messages are easy to send and surprisingly awkward to get out.
- An iPhone (or a backup of it) and a computer.
- The iMazing app. Its free trial limits Messages to 25 items, so a long thread needs the paid version.
- A browser. VaultXT runs in it.
What are the steps?
- In iMazing, choose Messages, pick the conversation, click Export, then choose the Excel or CSV option.
- Open Make a pack and choose the CSV.
- If the file holds several conversations, pick the one you want. The others stay out.
- Pick the first and last message of each moment that matters, and add one line saying what it shows.
You get three PDFs: the selected messages, a timeline, and the complete record, with page numbers and bookmarks.
What does it read, exactly?
| From the CSV | What happens |
|---|---|
| Date and time | Shown as written. They must be year-month-day. If not, you're told. |
| Text | Copied exactly, line breaks and quotes included |
| Sender | Your messages show as "Me" |
| Photos and voice notes | Listed by file name only |
| Edited messages | Marked as edited, if iMazing's file says so |
Times are the ones in iMazing's file, so check a few against your phone. iMessages and SMS texts in the same file are both read. iMazing can also save a PDF itself; VaultXT adds selection, numbering and a quote check.
What if I only need a few messages?
Screenshots may do: print text messages for court. For a long thread, an export is easier to number and search. See screenshot or export.
What does a PDF prove?
It makes messages easy to read and point to. It doesn't prove who sent them or that nothing was edited, so keep the phone and the original CSV. Courts differ, so ask before you rely on it.
Questions people ask
Can I do this without a computer?
Not with VaultXT. It reads a file, and we know of no way to make one on the iPhone. Screenshots are the phone-only route.
Does it work for WhatsApp too?
Yes, separately. See WhatsApp to PDF with dates.
General information only, not legal advice. VaultXT is not a law firm and can't promise any court will accept a document.