Single-thread export
Exports one Messages conversation at a time, rather than producing a full-device backup. The archive includes both sides of the thread, timestamps, and sender names where they can be resolved.
Message Album
Message Album is a native macOS app that exports one Messages conversation at a time into a private, searchable offline archive. It helps people keep a readable local record of iMessage threads, attachments, and checksummed exports without sending anything off their Mac.
Private, searchable Messages exports for macOS
Message Album is a native macOS app for exporting one Messages conversation at a time into a private offline archive. It captures both sides of the thread, the attachments stored on the Mac, and a checksum manifest, then packages them into a folder that opens in a browser.
The export is designed to stay readable without the app or Apple’s services. Message Album writes HTML, JSON, and Markdown files plus media assets, so the archive can be searched, viewed, and kept as a self-contained record long after the original Messages context changes.
What Message Album does
Attachment preservation
Copies photos, videos, voice notes, stickers, and documents at original quality into the archive’s attachments folder. Items that were never downloaded to the Mac are flagged instead of silently omitted.
Multiple output formats
Builds a self-contained offline website plus transcript files. The archive includes HTML for browsing, JSON for structured data, Markdown for reading in plain text, and optional CSV for analysis.
Immutable, checksummed archives
Ships each export as a timestamped folder with SHA-256 checksums in manifest.json. Re-exporting a conversation creates a separate archive rather than overwriting the earlier one.
Local-only source access
Reads either the Mac’s Messages library or an iPhone/iPad Finder backup stored on the Mac. Encrypted backups are handled locally, and the app says it uses read-only/query-only access when reading the Messages database.
Offline browser reader
Uses a browser-based reader that does not depend on a server, CDN, external font, or framework. The archive opens from index.html in a browser without needing the app installed.
Common ways to use Message Album
Keep a long-term conversation record
Export a single thread when you want something you can read later without opening Messages, signing into Apple, or keeping the app installed. The folder can be stored as a personal record and searched in a browser.
Produce a shareable PDF from a thread
Create a PDF by opening the exported website in Safari or Chrome and using Print › Save as PDF. This is useful when you want a printable copy of a thread, while still retaining the richer archive on disk.
Export from an iPhone or iPad backup
Recover a conversation that exists only in a Finder backup on the Mac. The app can read encrypted or unencrypted backups and export just the thread you need.
Check what your local library actually has
Review whether a thread is complete before paying. The free version exports the last 7 days, marks missing attachments, and shows what is present in the archive so you can see what your library contains.
Keep an offline copy for future access
Preserve a conversation as a stable record when you plan to leave the platform, hand off a Mac, or simply keep a local archive that does not depend on Apple’s services.
Pros and Cons
Pros
- Exports a readable offline archive instead of a device backup.
- Includes both message history and original-quality attachments in one folder.
- Records missing attachments and other gaps in the manifest instead of silently dropping them.
- Works with either the Mac’s Messages library or a Finder backup stored on the Mac.
- Creates immutable, checksummed snapshots that can be reopened later without the app.
Cons
- It only exports one conversation at a time, so it is not a bulk archive tool.
- It can only copy attachments that are already on the Mac; items kept only in iCloud are reported as missing rather than retrieved.
- The app cannot recover messages or attachments that have already been deleted beyond Apple’s recovery windows.
FAQ
Is there a free version, and what does it include?
Yes. Without a licence, Message Album exports the last 7 days of a conversation in the same format used by the paid version. The limit is measured from the thread’s newest message, not from today.
Does buying Message Album expire or require a subscription?
No. It is a one-time purchase, and updates within the current major version are included. The exported albums remain usable even if you never buy, because they are plain HTML, JSON, Markdown, and media files in a normal folder.
Why does Message Album need Full Disk Access?
Message Album needs Full Disk Access on macOS because it reads the Messages library and, if present, Finder backups stored under the user Library. The app says the permission is only for reading those files; it does not send them anywhere.
Can it export a conversation that only exists on my iPhone or iPad?
Yes, if the conversation is in an iPhone or iPad backup on the Mac. Message Album can read encrypted and unencrypted Finder backups and export the thread from that backup.
Can I open the archive outside macOS?
Yes. The export is an ordinary folder containing HTML, JSON, Markdown, and media files, so the archive can be opened in any modern browser on systems such as Windows, Android, Linux, or macOS.
Quick Facts
- Category
- Productivity
- Platform
- macOS
- Source domain
- messagealbum.com
- Pricing model
- One-time purchase; free version exports the last 7 days
- Primary output
- Offline browser archive plus JSON, Markdown, CSV, and media files
- Target user
- People who want an offline record of a single Messages conversation
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