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Keeping the messages of someone who died

Updated 30 October 2026

Messages from someone you have lost can be precious. Phones break and accounts close, so it is worth making a copy you control. These are the practical steps, at whatever pace feels right.

Short answer

Back up your phone to a computer, export the conversation (Export chat in WhatsApp, or an iPhone backup for texts) and turn it into a PDF you can keep, print or share with family. Keep the original files as well, and store copies in two different places.

Open your messages

Start with your own phone

The messages they sent you are on your phone and in your backups. Copy them before you change or reset the phone.

  1. 1Back up the phone to a computer. On iPhone, Finder or the Apple Devices app makes a full backup that includes Messages.
  2. 2On Android, the free SMS Backup & Restore app saves your texts and their photos to one file.
  3. 3For WhatsApp, open the chat and use Export chat, With media if you want their photos and voice notes.
  4. 4Open the backup folder or the export in chatview to read the whole conversation, search it and save it as a PDF.

Their phone and accounts

If you have their phone and passcode, back it up before anything is reset. For their accounts, Apple lets people choose a Legacy Contact who can request access to their data after death, and Google accepts requests about a deceased person's account from family members. Each company has its own process and proof it asks for.

Keep copies safe

  • Keep the original export or backup, not only the PDF.
  • Store copies in two places, for example a computer and an external drive or cloud folder.
  • A PDF opens on any device for years and can be printed at a copy shop or as a book.

Questions

Will the PDF include photos and voice notes?

Photos from a WhatsApp export with media, or JPEG and PNG photos from an iPhone backup, can be shown in the PDF. Voice notes are listed where they were sent; keep the original files to listen to them.

Is my chat uploaded anywhere?

No. chatview reads the files in your browser and nothing from the conversation is sent to our servers.

Sources

Checked on 30 October 2026. Prices and features change; check each site before you buy.

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