How to archive text messages to a computer

Sure, you know how to archive your email, but are you lost when it comes to saving text messages on your iPhone to a computer? Whether you use a Mac or a PC, it can be done.

To save messages to a Mac, try Messages in iCloud. Introduced with iOS version 11.4, it syncs your text messages and iMessages across all your iOS and macOS devices. Your phones and computers must all be up-to-date on operating system software and all logged into the same iCloud account.

You enable Messages in iCloud both on the phone in the iCloud preferences and in the Messages app preferences on the Mac.

For a PC, dozens of apps claim to copy, move or backup your iPhone data to a PC without using iTunes. iExplorer ($39.99) does a good job of moving data from iPhones to Windows PCs or Macs.

With iExplorer, you connect your iPhone to the computer with a USB cable, and you'll be able to move and back up all kinds of data, including messages, music, photos and other files.

iExplorer has the added benefit of being able to read data from your iPhone's backup in iTunes.

The good thing about iExplorer is that you can download the app and try it for free in demo mode, which will let you see the messages from your iPhone. You won't be able to export them until you pay for the full version.

Android users can use the free app SMS Backup+, available on Google Play.