How to export text messages from iPhone to PDF files.
Turn your iPhone conversations into a PDF document with these tools and tips.
There are a number of reasons why you may need to export text messages from iPhone to PDF if you haven’t needed to before. Sometimes it’s good to have a paper trail for reference, documentation, or even legal purposes. With an iPhone and Adobe Acrobat, you can convert your conversations to secure documents in a snap. Learn how.
Is it possible to save text messages as a document on an iPhone?
You can export your text messages from your iPhone into a document to save them for later reference. While you cannot directly save text messages as PDF files using your iPhone, you can convert them to PDF by opening Messages on your Mac and exporting them from there.
Why convert text messages to PDF files?
You may want to export text messages from your iPhone to convert to a PDF to free up the amount of storage space that messages can take up. For work-related matters, you may need to refer back to a series of texts for context about a project or meeting details. Perhaps addresses and contacts were shared over Messages with you and you don’t want them to get lost. When you export text messages from iPhone to PDF, you can quickly glance at important conversations.
Is formatting retained when I convert text messages to PDF?
The format of the text messages should remain the same when you convert your text messages to PDF. The text bubbles, contact names, and other details will all be visible in your newly saved PDF.
How to export text messages to a PDF
Whether it’s as simple as upgrading your phone and wanting to keep your favorite conversations, or a more serious situation like saving conversations for legal documentation, getting messages off your phone and into a secure and shareable PDF can give you peace of mind. Here’s how to do it.
- Open iMessage on your Mac. First, use the message app to sync your iPhone and Mac. Then, open the app on your computer, and it should load all conversations from your iPhone.
- Choose your conversation. Select the conversation you're trying to export by clicking on the name of the group or sender.
- Let the conversation load. Be sure to give the entire thread time to load — or at least as far back as you want to save.
- Export away. With the conversation loaded and group selected, navigate to File, select Print, and choose the Save As PDF option. Save to your desktop, to the cloud, or wherever you typically securely store your files.
How to print a text message from an iPhone.
- Open Messages on your Mac. First, use the app to sync your iPhone and Mac. Then, open the app on your computer, and it should load all conversations from your iPhone.
- Choose your conversation. Select the conversation you’re trying to export by clicking on the name of the group or sender.
- Let the conversation load. Be sure to give the entire thread time to load — or at least as far back as you want to print.
- Export away. With the conversation loaded and group selected, navigate to File and select Print.
- Choose the Print button in the lower-right corner.
Other ways to save text messages on an iPhone.
While exporting directly as a PDF is a simple, organized way to view and store text messages, there are other options for saving your messages.
- Screenshot messages by pushing the Volume Up and Power buttons at the same time.
- You can convert the images to PDF using the Adobe Acrobat Reader iPhone app. After taking a screenshot of your text conversation, tap the Export icon in the lower-left corner below your photo and select Import to Acrobat.
- Copy and paste messages by selecting the message content you want to save by pressing and holding individual messages, hitting the copy option, then pasting into a document.
Can I export text messages from an iPhone to PDF and then email them?
You can easily export messages from your iPhone to a PDF and then email them by screenshotting the messages and using the Acrobat Reader app.
Here’s how to export iPhone messages as shareable PDFs directly from your iPhone:
- Go to the Messages app.
- Find and choose the messages you want to save.
- Take a screenshot of the message by pushing the Volume Up and Power buttons at the same time.
- Find the screenshot in the Photos app.
- Tap the Export icon button in the lower-left corner.
- Select Import to Acrobat.
- After your screenshot opens in Acrobat, tap Create PDF.
- Tap the Export icon in the upper-right corner to create a shareable link and specify the name and email of your intended recipient.
- You can also email the PDF by tapping the three dots in the upper-right corner, selecting the option labeled “Send a copy,” and choosing the Mail app.
More resources to work with your PDFs.
Now that you know how easy it is to convert text messages to PDF files, here are other guides to help you work with PDFs on your iPhone:
- Learn how to scan documents into PDF files on your iPhone.
- Discover how to translate PDF documents into any language.
- Is your PDF too large after exporting? Learn how to compress a PDF to 200KB or less with Acrobat or use our online PDF compression tool.
- Learn how to find PDFs on an iPhone.
- Learn how to convert a picture to PDF on an iPhone.
Learn what more you can do with Acrobat to convert, share, and send PDFs. And while you’re at it, explore how you can access these features on the go with Adobe Acrobat online services.