DanielMPCB

Q: how to recover imessage history

Hello,

 

Can you help me recover my ichat or i message history from one use only?

 

 

Thxs + Rgds,

 

DanielM.

iPhone 4, iOS 7.0.1

Posted on Sep 27, 2013 7:34 AM

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Q: how to recover imessage history

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  • by lukatibo,

    lukatibo lukatibo Dec 20, 2015 8:21 AM in response to hyq
    Level 1 (5 points)
    Dec 20, 2015 8:21 AM in response to hyq

    Thank you hyq

     

    Confirmed to be working in El Capitan from an erase and install.

  • by dolomite41,

    dolomite41 dolomite41 May 19, 2016 7:13 AM in response to DanielMPCB
    Level 1 (4 points)
    May 19, 2016 7:13 AM in response to DanielMPCB

    Hello,

     

    I started my computer up this morning and all of my Ichat messages were gone.  I am having trouble in restoring the messages.  I just got my computer about 2 months ago and do not have a time machine backup.  However i did find my chat logs in the _library folder.  I copied the messages(.Ichat) files and the attachments.  How do i restore them to put them back into my messaging app.  Any help would be appreciated. 

  • by Ralph Johns (UK),

    Ralph Johns (UK) Ralph Johns (UK) May 19, 2016 12:47 PM in response to dolomite41
    Level 9 (73,254 points)
    Applications
    May 19, 2016 12:47 PM in response to dolomite41

    Hi,

     

    iChat is pre Mountain Lion

    However Messages (Mountain Lion and later) and iChat store (if you set it to do that) .ichat files.

    These are in ~/Library/Containers/com.apple.iChat/Data/Library/Messages/Archive for Messages since Yosemite.

     

    If you had iChat before it stored the Saved Chats in ~/Documents/iChats (i.e in a folder called iChats in Documents)

     

    iMessages are stored by default in the chat.db items in ~/Library/Messages which also has the Attachments folder (for pics and files that are transferred to you)

     

    This Thread is about using Messages on the iPhone.

     

    Connecting to a person again will tend to make Saved Chats supply a "history" to connection to AIM and Jabber Buddies (also Yahoo and Bonjour actually)

    The Chat.db item do the same job for iMessages whether you Save Chats or not.

     

    Messages 9.x in El Capitan cannot open iChat 1 version of .ichat files.

     

    The exception is if you Deleted them.

    Then you cannot get them to show in the app again.

    Mousing over the Side Bar and using the x that shows up only dismisses the Conversation (iMessages) or Chat (Buddy List connections) from view.

    Reconnecting to the same person will show th "history".

     

     

     

    3Sigcopy2.png

    8:47 pm      Thursday; May 19, 2016

     

      iMac 2.5Ghz i5 2011 (El Capitan)
     G4/1GhzDual MDD (Leopard 10.5.8)
     MacBookPro 2Gb (Snow Leopard 10.6.8)
     Mac OS X (10.6.8),
     iPhone and an iPad (2)
  • by dolomite41,

    dolomite41 dolomite41 May 19, 2016 2:57 PM in response to Ralph Johns (UK)
    Level 1 (4 points)
    May 19, 2016 2:57 PM in response to Ralph Johns (UK)

    Ok thanks for the reply.  I have OS X El Capitan 10.11.5.  I have Messages i would assume.  Is there any way to restore my messages back?  i can find them in my finder.  When i reconnect to the person; it does not load the messages back up. 

  • by Ralph Johns (UK),

    Ralph Johns (UK) Ralph Johns (UK) May 20, 2016 12:29 PM in response to dolomite41
    Level 9 (73,254 points)
    Applications
    May 20, 2016 12:29 PM in response to dolomite41

    Hi,

     

    The x in this pic only dismisses the chat from view

    SIde_bar_Chat.png

    The chat will come back if it is iMessages or if you Save Chats if it is another type of account.

     

    These keystrokes or the selection of "Delete Conversation" will remove it from your records.

    Screen Shot 2016-05-19 at 21.04.17.png

     

    If...

    It is a big if as well.  If the Saved Chat is not that old then double clicking it will open it in both it's own window and the main window of Messages.

    3Sigcopy2.png

    8:29 pm      Friday; May 20, 2016

     

      iMac 2.5Ghz i5 2011 (El Capitan)
     G4/1GhzDual MDD (Leopard 10.5.8)
     MacBookPro 2Gb (Snow Leopard 10.6.8)
     Mac OS X (10.6.8),
     iPhone and an iPad (2)
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