How to print iMessages from your iPhone

Choose where the conversation comes from.

If the conversation is already in Messages on your Mac, try File → Print and inspect the preview. Apple documents this in the Messages user guide.

To print messages from a local iPhone backup, open it in MessageHarvest. You can choose a date range and a PDF layout before printing. Follow the backup and import guide if you have not opened your backup yet.

1. Prepare a PDF with the right layout.

1. Select the conversation and check its participants.
2. Set the date range, keeping relevant surrounding messages.
3. Choose Export → PDF.
4. Choose a readable layout for message bubbles or a formal transcript for a structured report.
5. Enable printer-friendly mode and select A4 or Letter to match your printer.
6. Choose the report time zone and whether to include retained images or appendices.
7. Export and open the document.

Open a sample PDF ↗

2. Print the pages you need.

1. Open the PDF in Preview or your preferred PDF reader.
2. Choose File → Print.
3. Check the printer, paper size, orientation, and scale in the preview.
4. Select all pages or a page range. Long conversations can produce many pages.
5. Print a test page if you are unsure about text size or margins, then print the rest.

For a digital recipient, sending the PDF may be enough. You do not need to print and scan it again.

Before you hand over the printout

• Check the first and last messages against the intended period.
• Make sure dates, participants, and page numbers are legible.
• Check whether photos are readable in black and white.
• Keep the original PDF so you can reproduce the same document later.

A paper printout cannot play audio or video. If the conversation depends on those attachments, retain the files separately and agree on a suitable way to provide them to the recipient.

Common questions

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