Copy message history without restoring from a backup

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Level 1

29 points

Copy message history without restoring from a backup

I bought an iPhone X today to replace my iPhone 6S. For various reasons, I decided to set it up as a new device and not restore from an iTunes backup.

However, I DO want to copy all of my old Messages history -- iMessages, embedded photos, and regular SMS messages.

Is there any way to do this without restoring from an iTunes backup?

A few points:

My messages are stored in iCloud. And yes, I can see them all in the Messages app on my laptop. But I want to copy all of them to the new iPhone.
I do have the PhoneView software on my laptop and desktop, but if I'm not mistaken, it only lets me archive copies of the old messages within the software, and export it to a PDF or similar format -- not option for copying them into the Messages app on the new phone.
I do have iTunes backups, and they are encrypted (I do have the password). As an alternative, is there any way to extract from these backups just the text messages and their associated photos and copy them into the new phone?

dt

iPhone X, iOS 11.4.1

Posted on Jul 22, 2018 9:59 PM

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Answer 1

Jul 23, 2018 9:02 AM in response to dantrimble

When you say your messages are stored in iCloud, I take it that you enabled Messages in iCloud on your Mac and iPhone 6s and synced them up for that's the only way your messages can be stored in iCloud. In which case I would think your Messages in iCloud library would sooner or later appear on your iPhone X after you sign into Messages and enable Messages in iCloud on the iPhone X.

Restoring an iOS device backup is an all-or-none proposition. Neither Messages nor anything else can be cherry-picked from such. Furthermore, iOS excludes iCloud-stored data from backups including Messages when Messages in iCloud is enabled.

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Answer 2

dantrimble Author

Level 1

29 points

Jul 23, 2018 3:29 PM in response to dantrimble

Hmm, well, as it seems, toggling the Messages on iCloud setting on iPhone X off and then back on again caused iOS to hiccup out all the messages it wasn't downloading. The usual kind of weird sync problems easily solved by forcing it stop and then start again, I guess.

Also a nice reminder of why I don't use iCloud for my files 🙂

At any rate, problem solved by turning it off and then on again. Thank you for the efforts to help.

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Answer 3

dantrimble Author

Level 1

29 points

Jul 23, 2018 3:25 PM in response to Toot Uncommon

That is correct. I do, however, have Messages in iCloud enabled on the iPhone X, but nothing has downloaded to the device. I also read a couple (non-Apple but reputable) sources online that indicated it doesn't actually download anything to the device, except on macOS desktops/laptops -- not on mobile devices. That seems silly, stupid, and not particularly Apple-like, but I haven't figure out a fix nor found any Apple-official means of transferring all my old messages except for restoring from a backup.

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Copy message history without restoring from a backup

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