How to export iMessages from a Mac to PDF

If you use Messages on your Mac, the whole history is already on it: every iMessage, and your ordinary texts too if your iPhone forwards them to the Mac. You don't need an iPhone backup.

Why "File → Print" in Messages isn't enough

It prints only what has loaded on screen, so long conversations come out cut short.
Dates appear only now and then, not on every message.
There's no way to choose a date range or get a spreadsheet.

Where the Mac keeps your messages

In your user's Library folder, in ~/Library/Messages:

chat.db: the message database (the same kind an iPhone uses).
chat.db-wal: the newest changes, waiting to be saved into chat.db. Keep it with chat.db.
Attachments: the photos and files that were sent.

Chrome and Edge won't open anything in your Library folder, so you first copy the Messages folder somewhere else, such as the Desktop.

Step 1: copy the Messages folder to your Desktop

Quit Messages (Messages → Quit Messages). This makes sure the newest messages are saved.
In Finder, choose Go → Go to Folder… (or press Shift-Command-G), type ~/Library and press Return.
Right-click the Messages folder and choose Copy “Messages”.
Click an empty part of the Desktop and choose Edit → Paste Item. A big message history can take a few minutes to copy.

If the Mac says you don't have permission (Full Disk Access)

macOS protects the Messages folder, and on some Macs Finder can't copy it, or the copy comes out empty. Then copy it with Terminal after giving Terminal "Full Disk Access":

Open System Settings → Privacy & Security → Full Disk Access. On macOS Monterey and older it's System Preferences → Security & Privacy → Privacy → Full Disk Access (click the padlock first).
Turn on Terminal. If it isn't in the list, click +, go to Applications → Utilities, choose Terminal, and enter your Mac password if asked.
Open Terminal (Applications → Utilities → Terminal), paste this line and press Return:
```
cp -R ~/Library/Messages ~/Desktop/Messages
```
When it finishes (the prompt comes back), you can turn Full Disk Access for Terminal off again.

This only copies your messages. Nothing in the original folder is changed.

Step 2: make the PDF

Open iPhone Texts to PDF in Chrome or Edge, choose Mac, then Choose Messages folder and pick the Messages folder on your Desktop. Nothing is uploaded: it all runs in your browser.
Pick the conversation. iMessages and texts with the same person are shown together, as on your Mac.
Set the dates and time zone you need, and check the preview.
Click Save as PDF and choose "Save as PDF" as the printer. Or save a spreadsheet (CSV).
Delete the copied Messages folder from your Desktop when you're done.

The PDF starts with a summary (who, which period, how many messages, and a SHA-256 fingerprint of chat.db) and then lists every message by day, with its time and sender, photos in place, and reactions, replies, edits and unsent messages marked.

Things to know

Missing older messages? With Messages in iCloud on, a Mac may keep only recent messages. Open the conversation in Messages and scroll up to load more, or turn on "Keep messages: Forever" in Messages settings, then copy the folder again.
Names: the Mac's message database stores phone numbers and email addresses, not contact names, so the PDF shows numbers. That's often what a lawyer wants anyway.
Photos appear in the PDF as JPEG/PNG. Apple's HEIC photos are listed by file name.
Not using Chrome or Edge? The Mac tab also lets you choose the folder with Safari or Firefox's file picker.

Make a PDF from your Mac's messages: the preview is free