Viewing iPhone Text Message History on PC

AntonAnton · 22 Nov 2019

Windows version: 1903 (OS Build 18362.476)

I have an iPhone 6s, and there are some very, very, long text message conversations on there that I'd like to be able to read through on my PC for the sake of convenience. I've already backed up my iPhone to the PC, but the files are stored without a file extension, so I'm not exactly sure how to view them. I've tried opening some of the files in a text editor, but they seem to be either compressed or encrypted (even though I never selected the option to encrypt the backup when backing up the iPhone from iTunes) because it's just a chaotic mess of unusual characters. I know there is software out there, which costs money and supposedly allows you to do this, but they all look sketchy af, so I thought this might be the place to post a question before taking any further action.

Does anybody know how I can view these backup files, ideally for free or with some freeware software that doesn't have malware, spyware, or any other crap built into it?

Thnq

bro67 · 22 Nov 2019

You cannot. It is done so for security reasons, why you cannot just attach to through USB, BT or Wifi and pull that encrypted data. You can always forward them to an email address.

AntonAnton · 22 Nov 2019

bro67 said:

You cannot. It is done so for security reasons, why you cannot just attach to through USB, BT or Wifi and pull that encrypted data. You can always forward them to an email address.

It's not encrypted... and it is possible. I figured out how to do it.

The files or at least the file containing every single text message is an SQLite file. You can download a free SQLite interpreter like DB Browser for SQLite, open that file up, and all of the text messages are contained and visible within a single table.

bro67 · 22 Nov 2019

Actually the data stored in iOS and iPadOS are encrypted. No you cannot use a SQLlite or other program to read that data. Apple Explains Exactly How Secure iMessage Really Is – TechCrunch
https://www.apple.com/business/docs/...rity_Guide.pdf
iMessage Security, Encryption and Attachments | ElcomSoft blog

Only if you back up your device to MacOS or Windows, then you lose the security that iOS and iPadOS offer. Those so called third party programs are doing nothing more than backing up the device to Windows to read that data. Same when you use SQL to read that data stored in Windows from iTunes/Music. Only an idiot would break the chain of security on their iOS or iPadOS device in a manner that would allow some third party to be able to gain access to that data.

AntonAnton · 23 Nov 2019

bro67 said:

Actually the data stored in iOS and iPadOS are encrypted. No you cannot use a SQLlite or other program to read that data. Apple Explains Exactly How Secure iMessage Really Is – TechCrunch
https://www.apple.com/business/docs/...rity_Guide.pdf
iMessage Security, Encryption and Attachments | ElcomSoft blog

Only if you back up your device to MacOS or Windows, then you lose the security that iOS and iPadOS offer. Those so called third party programs are doing nothing more than backing up the device to Windows to read that data. Same when you use SQL to read that data stored in Windows from iTunes/Music. Only an idiot would break the chain of security on their iOS or iPadOS device in a manner that would allow some third party to be able to gain access to that data.

Exactly, when you backup your data to your PC, you have the choice of encrypting it so that passwords, etc are also backed up, which I didn't do and I also said that in my OP. And, yes, you can read the data with an SQLite interpreter, which is what I've been doing for the last 5 hours...

Bastet · 23 Nov 2019

I believe this may be possible once the Phone app fully supports iPhones.
Currently I doubt it is possible.

Ztruker · 23 Nov 2019

Why do you say it's not possible? He's already doing it via backup and a SQLite interpreter.

Bastet · 23 Nov 2019

Ztruker said:

Why do you say it's not possible? He's already doing it via backup and a SQLite interpreter.

From what I read the OP cannot read the texts due to them appearing as random characters.
I’m glad to see he managed to find a workaround.

bro67 · 23 Nov 2019

Ztruker said:

Why do you say it's not possible? He's already doing it via backup and a SQLite interpreter.

You cannot read directly from iOS or iPadOS without making a backup through iTunes to Windows. Even with third party tools, you have to create a backup to get that information. It is ONLY if you allow access to the device, would you be able to gain access to information contained on it. If you cannot connect through USB or WIFI, you cannot get to information contained on the iPhone or iPad.

Ztruker · 23 Nov 2019

As I said, He's already doing it via backup and a SQLite interpreter. You're beating a dead horse here.