My understanding is that when I synch my iPhone7 to my Mac, it automatically/defaults to saving my text messages. But when I open iCloud on my Mac, there is no "Messages" icon to click on to see archived messages. How do I find these? Thanks
iMac, OS X El Capitan (10.11.5)
Syncing does not save messages, however if you are backing up the phone when you sync, the messages would be in your backup. If you are doing this sync to the Mac, then the backup is on the computer, not iCloud. Also, backups on the computer and in iCloud are not for you to access individual information such as messages. You cannot see this information, however it is used to restore your iOS device to this backup, and will restore all information in that backup to the device. There is no place to click and see archived messages. That capability does not exist.
Syncing does not save messages, however if you are backing up the phone when you sync, the messages would be in your backup. If you are doing this sync to the Mac, then the backup is on the computer, not iCloud. Also, backups on the computer and in iCloud are not for you to access individual information such as messages. You cannot see this information, however it is used to restore your iOS device to this backup, and will restore all information in that backup to the device. There is no place to click and see archived messages. That capability does not exist.
When you don't see the Messages icon on iCloud.com, then there are no messages backed up to iCloud.
It's important to understand that synching with iCloud and backing up are two different things. Your iMessages are backed up when you actually perform a backup to either iCloud or iTunes. SMS messages, may or may not, be backed up depending on your cellular voice provider.
Unfortunately, at this point since I don't use iCloud for backups; I use iTunes instead, I can only validate that the Messages icon is missing for me when I open icloud.com in a browser using macOS High Sierra. I had this info in my notes, but will need to verify the Apple Support article where I found that originally.
Okay. Not trying to be a stick in the mud, but I know you can do Messages on a Mac, but cannot on a Windows computer. I am not exactly sure how one accesses Messages on the Mac, but I didn't think that it was by logging into iCloud on a browser. And I know that the Messages icon has never been in iCloud when I logged in on a browser, no matter what I am using for backup. But I have been using iCloud now for almost a year for backups, and it has never been there. When you are backing up in iCloud or iTunes, it is one file, and nothing is separated to go somewhere else, such as to a Messages access.
I guess this is more for both of us to clarify what works, since I don't know Mac, and I use Windows.
ChrisJ4203 wrote:
I am not exactly sure how one accesses Messages on the Mac, but I didn't think that it was by logging into iCloud on a browser.
(for both you and Tesserax) One accesses them through the Messages app. I think where the confusion is arising is that there has been talk of "iCloud Messages". I believe it was announced at one of the keynotes but has yet to appear. 🙂
I'm using iCloud for backups, have multiple messages, and I do not see the Messages icon when I log into iCloud.com. That may be due to my using Windows, but I've never heard of the Messages icon being available that way.
Absolutely, no problem. I appreciate any and all input, information, corrections, etc. It's how I learn as things change so rapidly. I have been a stickler on keeping notes but may have entered some unverified information on this topic. 30+ years as an Aerospace Engineer, may have introduced some bad habits. 😉
Some quick research does seem to indicate, as you commented, that the Messages icon never existed on the icloud.com web interface, and it appears that it is regardless of the OS platform used.
How see messages backed up from iPhone 7 to iCloud?
