Help
Help & FAQ
Guides for setting up and using Text2Store, and quick answers to the questions we hear most. Can't find yours? Email hello@text2store.com.
Getting started
Install the app, connect your iPhone or iPad, and make your first backup.
Read the guide →Encrypted backups
What the backup password is, where to enter it, and what to do if it's lost.
Read the guide →Device not detected
A short checklist that fixes almost every connection problem.
Read the guide →Using AI Summary
Plain-language recaps of long conversations, included in your subscription.
Read the guide →Quick answers
Does Text2Store upload my messages anywhere?
No. Backups, archives, search, and exports all happen on your own computer. The only content that ever leaves it is the single conversation you explicitly send when you use the optional AI Summary feature, and you confirm that each time. Signing in sends your email address and an anonymous computer identifier, never your messages. The details are in our Privacy Policy.
Do I need iTunes?
On a Mac, no. On Windows, Text2Store needs Apple's device drivers, and the installer sets those up for you; there is no need to install or run iTunes itself.
Which devices and computers does it work with?
It backs up iPhones and iPads. The app runs on Apple silicon Macs (M1 or later) and 64-bit Windows 10 or later. There is no Android version.
What can I do without paying?
Back up any number of iPhones and iPads in full, preview each archive (contacts, message counts, date ranges), and read one full conversation of your choice, end to end. A subscription unlocks reading everything, search, attachments, AI summaries, and export; see pricing.
Are encrypted backups supported?
Yes, fully. If your device has backup encryption turned on, Text2Store asks for the backup password you set on the device, keeps it in memory only for the session, and stores the archive encrypted on disk. More in the encrypted backups guide.
Can Text2Store recover deleted messages?
If a deleted message is still inside the phone's backup, for example in Recently Deleted, the archive keeps it and shows it under the Deleted filter. It cannot recover anything the phone itself no longer holds, so the best protection is backing up regularly.
How many devices does one subscription cover?
Every iPhone, iPad, and computer you own. There are no per-device fees and no device limits within your own household or organization.
What happens if my subscription ends?
Backing up stays free, and your archives remain on your disk, under your control, in files you own. Reading beyond your free conversation, search, and export pause until you subscribe again; nothing is deleted and nothing is held hostage.
Will a verified export be accepted by a court?
A verified export documents exactly what was exported, with checksums, so its contents can be independently confirmed later. Whether any evidence is admissible is always up to the court and your counsel; the export is designed to support that process, not to guarantee an outcome.
How long does a backup take?
The first backup copies everything, so it depends on how much is on the device; the app shows a time estimate before you start. Every backup after that copies only what changed and is usually much quicker.
Still stuck?
Email hello@text2store.com, or use Help → Report a Problem in the app, which pre-fills an email with the details we need.