[5 Ways] How to Archive and Save Messages on iPhone Easily

Can you archive iPhone text messages?

Your iPhone may store many valuable messages including various communications with your family, friends, colleagues, and clients. In order not to lose these meaningful messages, you might want to archive and save these iPhone messages as a backup for viewing or printing them in the future. Can you archive iPhone text messages?

In fact, Apple doesn't offer a built-in functionality to archive iPhone messages directly. If you delete your messages, it means your messages will disappear forever because you don't have any archive files to save the messages. Fortunately, you can turn to some useful tools to save text messages on iPhone. Read further to learn how to archive messages on iPhone.

How to archive messages on iPhone?

In this post, we will introduce you to 5 possible methods of how to save messages in iPhone. You can choose one of them you prefer to successfully archive and save iPhone messages.

Method 1. An easy way to archive iPhone messages without data loss

It would be wise to choose a professional iOS data backup software to archive and back up iPhone messages to the computer. FoneTool is highly recommended here. With just a few clicks, you can freely select the iPhone messages you want to archive and back them up to your computer. And using advanced technology, it can ensure that the entire backup process will not appear data loss.

● It can backup iPhone text messages at an amazing speed, which is tested that backup 2000+ contacts in 20s.
● Backup messages can be restored to any iOS device without erasing existing data.
● Besides messages, it also supports contacts, photos, music, videos, and other files.
● It supports all kinds of iPhone models from iPhone 4 to the latest iPhone 14 and is perfectly compatible with the latest iOS 16/15.

Download and install the free tool on your computer and check the following steps on how to save messages on iPhone easily.

Step 1. Connect iPhone to the computer with the USB cable. Tap Trust on your iPhone.

Step 2. Click Phone Backup. Go to Selective Backup, and click Get Started.

Step 3. Check the Messages icon and select the messages you want to save to the computer. Then click OK to continue.

Step 4. Click the Backup Storage Path to choose a path to save these messages, and click Start Backup.

Step 5. After the backup is complete, you can go to Backup History to browse the backup task on the Manage Backup screen. 

Method 2. Save iPhone messages by the screenshot

Taking screenshots of your messages is the most straightforward way to archive messages on iPhone. Follow the instructions below to see how to archive iPhone messages.

☛ Note: Since it will create a new picture in the Photos app, please regularly backup iPhone photos to PC to prevent photos loss.

Step1. Open the Messages app on your iPhone > select the message you want to archive.

Step2. Capture the message screen. Due to different iPhone models, the way to take screenshots is slightly different.

For iPhones with Face ID: Press the Side button and the Volume + button at the same time.

For iPhones with Touch ID: Press the Home button and Power button at the same time.

Step 3. You can choose to delete the message that has been screenshotted. Then you can just open the Photos app to find your archived text messages.

Method 3. Save messages on iPhone in Notes

Of course, if you don't have a lot of messages to save, you can also save the text messages from your Messages app to the Notes app on your iPhone, but be aware that the details like sender or number will be missing with this method.

Step 1. Open the Messages app > select the message you want to archive.

Step 2. Tap the message you want to save > select Copy.

Step 3. Run Notes app > start a new note. Tap and hold an empty area, then select Paste. 

Method 4. Archive iPhone messages using iTunes

Using iTunes to back up iPhone to the computer is also a common way for people. Does iTunes backup messages? In general, you can save all iPhone data, including text messages, to your computer as long as the message isn't synced to iCloud. In other words, You can't choose to only backup messages.

What’s more, if you want to restore from backup to your iPhone, the original data on the iPhone will be wiped. If you don't want to lose any important data, you'd better choose method 1. Here is how to archive text messages on iPhone to PC with iTunes.

Step 1. Download and install the latest version of iTunes.

Step 2. Connect your iPhone to computer via the USB cable. Tap Trust on your iPhone.

Step 3. Click the Device icon > Select Summary > Click This Computer > Tap Backup Up Now to start backup.

Step 4. If you want to view messages that have been backed up on the computer, you can go to C:\Users\ (username)\AppData\Roaming\Apple Computer\MobileSync\Backup.

Method 5. Archive iPhone messages to iCloud

Like iTunes, iCloud can also back up your iPhone text messages, contacts, music, photos, and more. However, iCloud only gives you 5GB of free space, you have to pay for the extra space. If you have enough storage space, follow the steps below to sync iPhone messages.

Step 1. Connect your iPhone to a stable Wi-Fi network.

Step 2. Go to Settings > [your name] > iCloud.

Step 3. Find Messages and turn it on, your iPhone messages will be synced to iCloud.

Video Tutorial: How to Archive and Save Messages on iPhone

Summary

That's all about how to archive messages on iPhone. You can save messages on your iPhone via pictures or text, but there is a risk of data loss. You can also use iCloud or iTunes to create a backup of iPhone messages, but they each have many drawbacks, such as insufficient iCloud space, iTunes not being able to backup selectively, etc.

Therefore, FoneTool must be a better choice. It helps you backup messages, contacts, photos, songs, videos quickly and safely without data loss. And with a user-friendly interface, you can easily archive and save iPhone messages even if you are using this tool for the first time.