How to Print iPhone Text Messages: 4 Simple Methods for Physical or Digital Copies

Do you ever find yourself needing a tangible record of your text conversations? Whether it’s to solidify important agreements, resolve misunderstandings, or simply keep a personal archive, having a hard copy of your text messages can be incredibly useful. In situations ranging from court proceedings to personal accountability, printed text messages offer undeniable proof.

While some smartphones offer direct printing capabilities, iPhones don’t have a built-in feature to print directly from the Messages app. This might seem like a hurdle, but don’t worry! There are several effective methods to print your iPhone text messages, regardless of whether you need just a few messages or entire conversations. The best approach depends on the volume of messages you need and whether you prefer a physical printout or a digital copy.

If you are using an Android device, we also have a guide for you on printing text messages from Android phones.

Method 1: Taking Screenshots of Your Text Messages

The quickest and easiest method for printing a small number of text messages from your iPhone is by taking screenshots. This approach is ideal when you only need to print a short exchange and are comfortable with image-based copies. Here’s a step-by-step guide:

First, open the Messages app on your iPhone and navigate to the specific conversation you wish to print.
Capture a screenshot of your conversation. The method varies slightly depending on your iPhone model:
- For iPhones with Face ID: Simultaneously press the Side button (lock button) and the Volume Up button.
- For iPhones with a Home button: Simultaneously press the Home button and the Side button (lock button).

Screenshot of iPhone screen showing how to take a screenshot using side and volume up buttons

Next, access the Photos app on your iPhone.
Tap the Albums tab located at the bottom of the screen and then select the Screenshots album.
Tap Select in the top right corner and then choose all the screenshots you want to print by tapping on each one (a blue checkmark will appear on selected screenshots).
Once you have selected all the desired screenshots, tap the Share button located in the bottom left corner (it looks like a square with an upward arrow).

Screenshot of iPhone screen showing the share button in the Photos app

From the Share Sheet options, scroll down and select Print.
Ensure your wireless printer is turned on, within range of your iPhone, and properly connected to the same Wi-Fi network. Adjust printer settings such as paper size and number of copies as needed.
Finally, tap Print in the upper right corner to send the screenshots to your printer.

Screenshot of iPhone print options, highlighting the print button

Congratulations! You have successfully printed your iPhone text messages using screenshots. However, keep in mind that this method is less efficient for lengthy conversations as it requires multiple screenshots and may result in image-based printouts that are less text-searchable than other methods. For printing extensive text message histories, consider the following methods.

Method 2: Converting Text Messages to PDF Using Your Mac

If you prefer a digital copy or need to print longer text conversations, converting your iMessage chat to a PDF on your Mac is a useful option. This method allows you to save entire conversations, although it may be less reliable for extremely long message histories due to potential application limitations. Here’s how to do it:

Open the Messages app on your Mac computer.
Select the text conversation you want to save by clicking on the contact name in the sidebar.
Scroll back within the message thread to load all the messages you wish to include in your PDF. Be cautious when scrolling back excessively far, as the Messages application might become unresponsive if you attempt to load extremely long conversations at once. It’s often more stable to work in smaller chunks for very long chats.
Once you have scrolled back to the beginning of the desired section of the conversation, navigate to the top menu bar and click File.
From the File menu, select Print.

Screenshot of Mac menu bar showing the File dropdown menu with Print option highlighted

In the Print dialog box, you can preview the number of pages your text messages will occupy under the “Pages” section.
To save as a PDF instead of directly printing, locate the dropdown menu typically labeled “PDF” in the bottom left corner of the Print dialog box. Click on this dropdown menu and select Save as PDF.

Screenshot of Mac Print dialog box with the PDF dropdown menu highlighted and "Save as PDF" selected

A Save dialog box will appear. Here, you can customize:
- Save As: Enter a descriptive name for your PDF file.
- Where: Choose the location on your Mac where you want to save the PDF file.
- You can also optionally add a Title, Author, and Subject to the PDF document metadata.
Click Save to finalize saving your text conversation as a PDF.

Screenshot of Mac Save dialog box for PDF, highlighting Save As and Where fields

You should now have a PDF document containing your text message conversation, complete with texts and images. You can then print this PDF or keep it as a digital record.

Method 3: Sending Conversations to Another Phone Number for Printing

If you need to export your text thread from your iPhone but don’t have immediate access to a printer, sending the conversation to another phone number is a viable workaround. This is particularly useful if you want to share specific parts of a conversation without exporting your entire message history with someone.

Launch the Messages app on your iPhone and open the conversation you wish to save.
Tap and hold on any message bubble within the conversation.
When the options menu appears, tap More….
Select the specific messages you want to export by tapping the empty circles to the left of each message bubble. A checkmark will appear in the circle for each selected message.
Once you’ve selected all the messages, tap the Share icon located in the bottom right corner of the screen (it’s an arrow pointing upwards).
In the Share Sheet, choose Message to send the selected texts via iMessage or SMS.
Enter the phone number of the recipient. This could be your own number on another device, or the number of someone who can assist you with printing.
Tap the up arrow in the green circle to send the selected messages.

Screenshot of iPhone Messages app showing selected messages and the share icon

The selected text messages will be sent as a new message to the chosen phone number. From that device, you can then explore printing options, which might include taking screenshots or using device-specific printing features.

Method 4: Utilizing a Third-Party App Like iMazing for Comprehensive Export and Print

For users needing to print entire message threads or require more control over the export process, third-party applications like iMazing offer a robust solution. iMazing allows you to export your messages as PDF files, among other formats, which you can then print from your computer or save as digital backups. This method is particularly efficient for archiving and printing large volumes of text messages in a readable format. Here’s how to use iMazing:

First, download and install the iMazing app on your computer from the official iMazing website.

Screenshot of iMazing website download page

Once installed, launch the iMazing application on your computer.
Connect your iPhone to your computer using a USB cable.

Screenshot of iMazing interface prompting to connect an Apple device

Unlock your iPhone and, if prompted, tap Trust This Computer on your iPhone screen to allow your computer to access your device data.

Screenshot of iPhone prompt asking to trust the computer

In the iMazing sidebar, select your device from the list of connected devices. Then, click on Messages to access your iPhone messages.

Screenshot of iMazing interface with device selected and Messages option highlighted

Choose the conversation you want to export and print by clicking on it in the messages list.
In the top right corner of the iMazing interface, you can specify a date range for the messages you wish to export and print using the “from” and “to” date selectors. This is useful for filtering conversations within a specific period.

Screenshot of iMazing interface showing date range selection for messages

To print directly, click the Print button located in the toolbar.

Screenshot of iMazing interface highlighting the Print button

In the Print dialog box, adjust printer settings as needed and ensure your printer is connected to your computer. Click Print again to start printing your text messages.

Screenshot of iMazing Print dialog box with the Print button highlighted again

Alternatively, to export a digital copy as a PDF for saving or later printing:

Follow the same steps as above until step 6.
Instead of clicking “Print”, click Export to PDF.
In the Export options, click Next, and choose a file name and save location for your PDF file on your computer.
Click Export to begin exporting your messages to a PDF file.

Key Takeaways

Printing text messages from your iPhone, while not a direct feature, is definitely achievable through these methods. Whether you opt for quick screenshots for a few messages, use your Mac to create PDFs, send messages to another device, or employ a third-party app like iMazing for comprehensive exports, you have several options to obtain physical or digital copies of your conversations. Each method caters to different needs, from quick prints to detailed archiving. Choose the method that best suits your situation to effectively print your iPhone text messages.