How to look up text messages on icloud

Although you can sync and back up your messages to iCloud, you can only view conversations on an Apple device using the Messages app.

To view text messages on iCloud from an iPhone, tap the Sync this iPhone switch in the Messages pane of iCloud settings. After doing so, your iCloud messages will download to your iPhone.

Hi, I’m Andrew, a former Mac administrator, and I will show you the options at your disposal for viewing your text messages in iCloud.

We’ll look at several options for retrieving your messages, and I’ll help you decide which one is right for you.

Let’s get started.

Table of Contents

• Option 1: Sync Messages on Your Apple Device
• Option 2: Restore Your Device from an iCloud Backup
• FAQs
  • Can I view iMessages online?
  • How can I view text messages on iCloud from a PC? How can I view messages on Android? Chromebook?
  • How can I view deleted text messages on iCloud?
• Messages Are Exclusive to Apple Devices

Option 1: Sync Messages on Your Apple Device

If you’ve previously synced Messages from another Apple device, use this step to view those conversations in the Messages app.

From an iPhone:

1. Tap on your name from the Settings app.
2. Tap iCloud.
3. Tap Show All under the APPS USING ICLOUD heading.
4. Tap Messages.
5. Tap the switch next to Sync this iPhone to turn on message sync. (Green means the feature is turned on.)

From a Mac:

1. Open the Messages app.
2. Sign in with your Apple ID if you’re not already signed in.
3. Click on the Messages menu in the top left corner of the screen and choose Settings…

1. Click on the iMessage tab.
2. Check the box to Enable Messages in iCloud.

After checking the box to enable message sync, you’ll see a notification in the main Messages menu with a progress bar that reads, Downloading Messages from iCloud…

Option 2: Restore Your Device from an iCloud Backup

If you have never synced your messages to iCloud but use iCloud backup, you can retrieve messages from a backup of your phone.

However, there is no way to retrieve the messages directly from a backup; you must erase the device first to perform a restore. Therefore, be sure you have a current iCloud backup of your phone before proceeding.

To restore an iCloud backup onto your phone:

1. From the Transfer or Reset iPhone screen in the General menu of the Setting app, tap Erase All Content and Settings.

1. Enter your passcode or Apple ID password if prompted.
2. Once the erasure has completed, progress through the initial setup screens until you get to the Apps & Data page. Tap Restore from iCloud Backup.
3. Sign in with your iCloud credentials and select the desired backup (if you have more than one in iCloud).

Once the restore is complete, you’ll be able to view any messages stored in your iCloud backup from the Messages app.

FAQs

Here are some other questions regarding viewing text messages in iCloud.

Can I view iMessages online?

No, you cannot view your text messages directly from iCloud.com.

How can I view text messages on iCloud from a PC? How can I view messages on Android? Chromebook?

The answer is the same for all of these commonly asked questions. Messages can only be viewed in the Messages app on an Apple device, even if they are synced to iCloud.

While some iCloud features like Pages, Numbers, and Keynote are available at iCloud.com on non-Apple devices, Messages is not one of them.

How can I view deleted text messages on iCloud?

You cannot directly view deleted messages on iCloud.com. Instead, use the recently deleted feature in Messages or else restore your iPhone from an iCloud backup as described above. 

Messages Are Exclusive to Apple Devices

Undoubtedly, Apple considers Messages a prize jewel and an excellent value-add for Apple products. As a result, I wouldn’t expect Messages to be available on PCs, Androids, or iCloud.com anytime soon.

Many users are having different queries regarding viewing messages on iCloud. If you are also wondering if you can view your messages, iCloud backs up all the messages from Apple, iMessage, SMS, and MMS.

When you turn on sync from all your devices, you can view the messages from those devices. There is not much that you will need to do to view messages on iCloud. You can easily turn on sync and backup from the settings of your device and view the messages.

The step by step guide to backup and sync messages on iCloud is given in the article below.

Table of Contents

• How to View Messages on iCloud?
  • Backup Messages to iCloud
  • Sync Messages to iCloud
    • On iPhone and iPad
    • On Mac
• View Messages on iCloud
• Why Can’t I Find Messages on iCloud?
• Related Questions
  • Do I Need to Sign in to the Same Apple ID on Every Device to View Messages on iCloud?
  • What Happens When I Turn Off iCloud Messages?
  • Can I View Messages on iCloud via Browsers?

How to View Messages on iCloud?

Viewing messages on iCloud means that you can view previous messages on your own messaging app. But it is only possible after backing up the data and syncing too.

Backup Messages to iCloud

Backing up data is necessary so you have your messages saved somewhere else. If in case your messages are not backed up, there is nothing iCloud can do to show you any messages either.

Follow these steps to turn on backup from your device:

1. Go to Settings
2. Tap on your profile
   
   
   
3. Go to iCloud
   
   
   
4. Tap on iCloud Backup
   
   
   
5. Make sure that the toggle is turned on
   
   
   
6. Click on Backup Now.

Sync Messages to iCloud

Syncing messages is also one way to back up messages to your iCloud. When you sync messages, all your iPhone messages can be viewed on all other devices that you synced. Meaning that now you can view iMessages on your phone from Mac and iPad too.

To sync your messages, follow these steps

On iPhone and iPad

1. Open Settings
2. Tap on your profile
3. Tap on iCloud
   
   
   
4. Turn on the toggle of Messages
   
   
   

On Mac

1. Open Messages
2. Click on Messages from the menu bar
   
   
   
3. Click on Preferences
4. Click on iMessage
   
   
   
5. Select the box next to Enable messages in iCloud
   
   
   

6. Also click on Sync Now beside Enable messages in iCloud

View Messages on iCloud

Now that you have your messages backed up and synced, you can view your messages easily. Just click on Messages and click on the person’s message box. 

To view the backed up messages from iCloud:

1. Open the messaging app
2. Click on the specific person’s inbox
   
   
   
3. Keep on scrolling upwards
   
   
   

The backed up data will load when you go furthermore into the conversation. You will be able to view the messages here. The messages that you send or delete on your iPhone will be immediately shown on your other device too.

Why Can’t I Find Messages on iCloud?

Still can’t find the messages in your iCloud? If it is so then it is most probably because of the four reasons mentioned below:

• Deleted Messages: When you delete any message from your iPhone then the message will get deleted from your iPad, iPod, and Mac too. The deleted messages will not remain in any of the devices because the sync is always turned on. 
• Compatibility: Messages in iCloud is a new feature and is only available on devices with iOS 11.4. If you use an iPhone, iPad, or iPod with a version lesser than 11.4 then unfortunately you can not use the messages feature. 
  For Mac, your device needs to have macOS High Sierra or higher (10.13)
• Not Signed in With Same Apple ID: Check if the device where you are viewing the messages has the same Apple ID logged in as your phone. To view the messages from iCloud, your devices need to be logged in with the same Apple ID or else it will not work.
  If the devices are not logged in with the same Apple ID then sign out from one of the devices and use the Apple ID of the other device.
• Backup Not Completed: If your internet connection gets interrupted in the middle of the backup then the backup will be incomplete. When you back up your messages, make sure that the backup is complete when you disconnect. Also, do not forget to turn on Wi-Fi or cellular data to back up your messages. 

Related Questions

Do I Need to Sign in to the Same Apple ID on Every Device to View Messages on iCloud?

If your phone and Mac are not signed in with the same Apple ID, you will not be able to view the messages of your phone on your Mac. To view messages backed up in one Apple ID, you will have to open the same Apple ID on another device too.

What Happens When I Turn Off iCloud Messages?

You will still have the message history backed up in your other devices when you turn off iCloud messages from your phone. You can connect the phone anytime again and back up all the data again.

Can I View Messages on iCloud via Browsers?

No, you can not view messages online on iCloud. Your messages can only be viewed from the app or iCloud.