How to download saved messages from icloud?

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Level 1

6 points

How to download saved messages from icloud?

I am missing some messages from a couple of years back. Have icloud turned on for messages and message history set to "forever".

icloud storage shows 1.74GB used for backed up messages.

I need to download all messages stored on icloud into my device. I have used "Delete and Disable" setting which states that messages will be downloaded and deleted from icloud after 30 days. Its been 2 days and still can't see any messages downloaded

I have seen similar questions being asked on this forum with no clear answer.

Posted on Feb 23, 2023 11:22 AM

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Answer 1

muguy

Level 10

82,321 points

Feb 23, 2023 12:10 PM in response to Sam7669

iCloud syncs messages across your devices. It does not backup messages over time. Any message available to you in iCloud is also already on your device.

If you delete and disable, you are effectively turning off iCloud and erasing all of your message data that resides in iCloud to allow syncing to happen.

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Answer 2

Sam7669 Author

Level 1

6 points

Feb 23, 2023 12:34 PM in response to muguy

Shocking to know that messages are not backed up over time.

But I have seen first hand over time that older messages on my device disappear. Meaning last year I could go back up to May 2020 to review messages from a specific contact and this morning I can only go back as far as July 2020, meaning as time progresses older messages are either being saved on iCloud, which from what you stated is not true or even with enough memory on device they are being discarded.

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Answer 3

Feb 23, 2023 12:55 PM in response to Sam7669

What device are you looking at messages on? It can be very hard to look at older messages on an iOS device, even though they are there.

If you want to archive messages from an iOS device, try the application iMazing. It's available for both Mac and Windows. You should be able to download everything and review it easily.

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Answer 4

Feb 23, 2023 1:55 PM in response to Sam7669

What I'm saying is we don't know if they're missing or if you simply can't access them. It has been my experience that the Messages app stalls out if you try to go back too far.

If they are there, which I think is possible if you've got it set to "Forever", then an application like iMazing will be able to download them from your phone. I don't think there's any way to know until you try, though.

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Answer 5

Sam7669 Author

Level 1

6 points

Feb 23, 2023 1:09 PM in response to IdrisSeabright

Device is iPhone 12.

So what you are stating is that even though messages which were on the iphone a few months back and are now missing, will show up or will be able to retrieve them using iMazing?

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How to download saved messages from icloud?

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