Exporting from iPhone (iMessage)
Platform: iPhone (Mac or Windows)
CustodyComms imports an iMazing .csv export of your iPhone messages, the same way it imports a WhatsApp .txt chat export.
Apple does not include a way to export iMessage conversations. Use a desktop tool that reads an iPhone backup, such as iMazing (Mac and Windows), and export the conversation as a CSV file. CustodyComms does not import iMazing's PDF or TXT exports.
Export from iMazing
- Connect your iPhone to a Mac or Windows computer with iMazing installed.
- Trust the computer when your iPhone asks.
- Wait for iMazing to load the backup, then pick the conversation you need.
- Choose CSV as the export format.
- Save the .csv file to a folder on your computer.
iMazing's free trial caps a Messages export at 25 items, and iMazing is sold as a subscription. Check its current plans before you start.
Import into CustodyComms
- Open CustodyComms and click "Import Messages" in the left sidebar.
- Under "Where are your messages from?", click "Apple iMessage".
- Click "Choose File" and pick the iMazing .csv file.
- If you see "Map CSV Columns", match the columns and confirm them.
- Map the participants and complete the import.
A group chat that iMazing labels with a group name, instead of a person, may not be imported. One-to-one conversations in the same file import normally.
CustodyComms reads the file on your computer.
