Method 1: Using the Default Messaging App Follow these steps: Open the Messages app on your iPhone. Tap on the conversation you want to view. Scroll through the conversation to read the text messages.
The Messages app provides users with sent and received message history. Once you open the app, you will see the list of individual contacts that have sent you a text or that you have sent a text. In addition, you can view the text messages you sent or received when you click on the contact or conversation.
Any messages you have sent or received are present in the Messages app. There is no outbox in Messages either. You tap send and the message is sent, it does not work like mail. You open your Messages app and everything you have sent and received it there unless you have deleted something.
Long-tap on a message and tap the i (info) button at the top. You can see when the message was delivered and seen, along with the time and date details.
Contacting your cell phone provider is a good option if you want to retrieve lost text messages. Most cell phone service providers can help you get the text message logs from your account; however, some providers don't save the actual messages for privacy reasons.
Android SMS are stored in a database in the data folder located in the internal memory of the Android phone.
Can I export an entire iMessage conversation? Yes, you can export a whole iMessage conversation to a PDF file. Simply open up the conversation, select File, then Print. You can then select Export to PDF to export an entire iMessage conversation.
Go to the Messages app and click the conversation you want to download. Press and hold one of the texts and choose More. Now manually select the whole conversation and forward them via an email or message. By doing so, you can download an entire text conversation from your iPhone.
Easiest: Screenshot the message (or messages) and send them as an image file. You can also copy the text messages and paste them into a Pages document to export them as a PDF document. There is no direct way to export text messages from an iPhone.
You can choose to automatically delete your iMessages from your device after 30 days or a year, or to keep them on your device forever. For your convenience, iMessages are backed up in iCloud and encrypted if you have enabled either iCloud Backup or Messages in iCloud.
When you set up iCloud for Messages, your messages are stored in the cloud instead of locally on your device. You can see them on any device that's set up for iCloud and Messages, including your iPhone, iPad, iPod touch, and Mac.
Many people want to the answer. In fact, all text messages are saved on Android phones by default. Therefore, if you only have a SIM card, you cannot see the text messages saved on the phone. If you want to save them on the SIM card or SD card, you have to manually move them to the SIM card one by one yourself.
How to recover text messages on iPhone using iCloud.com. Log in to iCloud.com with your Apple ID and password. Go to Text Messages and look for the ones you want to restore. The Text Messages option will be visible only if you've turned on backups for your texts.
You can sync your text messages across Apple devices by enabling the iCloud messages sync feature. Synced messages will all be viewable in the Messages app, whether you're using an iPhone, iPad, iPod Touch, or Mac. You can only sync your text messages to iCloud on Apple devices.
Viewing Your iMessages (Mac)
This is the blue speech bubble icon in your dock. Select a conversation. You can do so from the left side of your Messages program. Scroll up through the conversation's contents.
Beware !! Apple iOS software stores every text message ever made on your phone. You may think you've deleted them but there still there. I found out myself when I was using spotlight search to find something and noticed that some text conversations I made months ago were showing up!
Clearing or deleting your messages on your devices doesn't mean the data is permanently gone, it's just been filed away differently.
First make sure the iCloud Messages is on: Settings > [your name] > iCloud > Toggle Messages on. Also, all your Apple devices need to log in with the same Apple ID for message syncing. Sometimes, downloading iCloud messages is stuck because of iOS bugs. So make sure your iOS is updated to the latest.
Android - Quick steps to forever save text messages
Enable the IMAP feature. Launch SMS Backup+ and select Connect. Accept the prompt to Backup. All your text messages will start backing up to Gmail and can save them forever.
Some phone companies also keep records of sent text messages. They sit on the company's server for anywhere from three days to three months, depending on the company's policy. Verizon holds texts for up to five days and Virgin Mobile keeps them for 90 days.
Delete old text messages
You'll be surprised to see how much storage space your text messages take on your smartphone. You may not even realize those messages are being saved to your phone. Don't worry, you can delete them. Be sure to delete messages with photos and videos first — they chew up the most space.