Back up your iPhone and find the backup folder

Your text messages are copied into a backup when you back up your iPhone to a computer. Here's how to make one and where it ends up. It takes 10–40 minutes, depending on how much is on the phone.

Windows

Install Apple Devices from the Microsoft Store (or use iTunes if you already have it).
Plug in the iPhone with a cable, unlock it, and tap Trust on the phone if asked.
In Apple Devices, select the iPhone. Under Backups, choose Back up all of the data on your iPhone to this computer.
Make sure Encrypt local backup is not ticked, then click Back Up Now.
When it finishes, open File Explorer and paste this into the address bar:
```
%USERPROFILE%\Apple\MobileSync\Backup
```
If that folder doesn't exist (older iTunes), try:
```
%APPDATA%\Apple Computer\MobileSync\Backup
```
Inside is a folder with a long name like 00008110-001A2B3C4D5E6F7G. Copy it to your Desktop.

Mac

Plug in the iPhone, unlock it, and open Finder. Select the iPhone in the sidebar.
Choose Back up all of the data on your iPhone to this Mac. Leave Encrypt local backup unticked, then click Back Up Now.
When it's done, click Manage Backups…, right-click the backup, and choose Show in Finder.
Copy that folder (the long name) to your Desktop.

Why copy it to the Desktop?

Browsers aren't allowed to open the system folders where Apple keeps backups, so the copy on your Desktop is the one to choose. Nothing about the backup is changed, and you can delete the copy afterwards.

If the backup is encrypted

An encrypted backup's messages can't be read without its password. To make an unencrypted one, untick Encrypt local backup. Apple asks for the backup password to do this, then back up again. If you've forgotten the password, on the iPhone go to Settings → General → Transfer or Reset iPhone → Reset → Reset All Settings. This clears settings like Wi-Fi passwords and wallpaper, not your messages or photos. Then back up again.

If no messages show up

With Messages in iCloud turned on, your iPhone may leave messages out of computer backups. On the iPhone go to Settings → [your name] → iCloud → Show All → Messages in iCloud and turn it off. The phone then downloads every message onto itself, which can take a while on Wi-Fi. Then make a new backup. You can turn it back on afterwards.

Choose your backup