Any time you back up your iPhone in iTunes, your SMS messages are backed up. Recovering these SMS messages from an iPhone backup is not a simple process. It can be done with a jailbroken iPhone, which has been modified to install apps outside of the iTunes store, but Apple provides no native tools to recover these text messages. One solution to recover SMS messages from backups involves software. His "SMS Export" system uses a combination of desktop and iPhone applications to access and restore all messages backed up in your SMS repository.
Instructions
1
Connect to the Holodream software website and download the SMS Export application for your desktop computer. The application is available for both Windows (XP, Vista or Windows 7) and Mac OS X (Leopard or Snow Leopard).
2
Update iTunes to Version 9 or later on your computer, if you are running an earlier version. Connect to Apple's iTunes website and download and install the newest version of iTunes.
3
Install SMS Export on your desktop computer and ensure the application properly detects the SMS messages in your iPhone backups. In trial mode, you will be able to preview your SMS backups but not export them. If you see the messages, you will need to purchase the iPhone app to export them.
4
Purchase the SMS Export iPhone app. The app enables export functionality within the desktop application, but you do not need to install the app on your iPhone as long as it is in your iTunes library.
5
Once you have purchased the SMS Export iPhone app, you will be able to export from within the desktop application to HTML, CSV or text and print your messages.