Formats & tips
Which file format to choose, how to turn screenshots into text, and how to share chats safely.
Best Apps to Export Text Messages on iPhone
iPhone apps and Mac or PC programs that export text messages, compared by how they read your chats, what files they make, where data goes and how you pay.
Best WhatsApp Chat Exporter Apps for iPhone
WhatsApp's own Export chat, iPhone apps that turn the file into a PDF or archive, and Mac or PC tools that read backups, compared by what each does well.
How to Blur Names in a Screenshot Before Sharing a Chat
Hide names and phone numbers in chat screenshots with iPhone's Markup, clean up an exported chat before sending it, and check what still identifies people.
PDF vs Excel vs Word: Which Format to Export a Chat To
PDF to read or print, Word to edit, Excel or CSV to sort and count, Text for a transcript, HTML for one file with photos: pick the right chat format.
How to Convert a Screenshot to Text on iPhone
Copy the words out of one screenshot with Live Text, or turn a whole chat's worth of screenshots into one document with senders, dates and times.
How to Make a Text Message Transcript
Turn an iPhone text conversation into a transcript with the date, time and sender on every line, as a plain text file, an editable Word document or a PDF.