How to Sync Messages from iPhone to Mac: Ultimate Guide

James Davis

Feb 21, 2025 • Filed to: Data Transfer Solutions • Proven solutions

Apple’s ecosystem is a secure and user-friendly environment that lets users access and share content across Apple devices. Be it music, photos, videos, and even messages, you can sync messages from iPhone to Mac and others, but only if you set it up properly. Whether you’re on iPhone 14 or MacBook Air, with your messages synced between the two, you’ll always be in the know.

how to sync messages from iphone to mac

If you’re struggling to do so, this guide is for you. It provides a step-by-step guide for getting it done within a few seconds. So, without further ado, let’s dig in!

Part 1. How to Sync iMessages across iPhone and Mac?
Part 2. How to Sync Text Messages from iPhone to Mac?
Part 3. Wondershare Dr. Fone — Phone Transfer: Best Solution

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Part 1. How to Sync iMessages across iPhone and Mac?

iMessage not syncing between iPhone and Mac is probably the most mundane issue amongst users who established an iOS ecosystem. Before you sync iMessages, your first task is to toggle the settings on your iPhone. It lets you transfer messages from iPhone to iPad and MacBook. Follow the steps to get started:

Step 1: In the “Settings” icon on your iPhone, tap on “Messages” > “iMessages” to toggle it on.

toggle imessages on

Step 2: Tap the “Send & Receive” option. You will find the Apple ID used for iMessage on your iPhone displayed on top of the screen — make a note of it. Below your phone number, you’ll find the email addresses associated with the Apple ID.

Step 3: Pick the phone number you’ll use to send and receive iMessages rather than marking the email IDs. This avoids confusion arising from many messages inadvertently syncing on a single device.

pick number and email accounts

Step 4: Now that you have set up your iPhone, it’s time to turn on your MacBook and open Messages, followed by “Settings > iMessage.” Here, check if the Apple ID used to sign into iMessage is the same as the one you used on your iPhone.

sync macbook with iphone

Step 5: Select the box next to the phone numbers and email addresses you want to use. Also, make sure to select the same addresses to avoid confusion. That’s it. Your iMessage not syncing issue is now solved.

Part 2. How to Sync Text Messages from iPhone to Mac?

The above mentioned steps only solve your iMessage not syncing on Mac and iPhone problems, but if you want to sync the text messages, you must enable the text message forwarding. Here’s how you can do it:

Step 1: In the “Settings” icon on your iPhone, click the “SMS forwarding” option.

click sms forwarding option

Step 2: Toggle the switch next to your Mac to send and receive iPhone messages.

Step 3: As you do, you’ll receive a six-digit passkey as a text message on your Mac, which you will put on the alert window that pops up on your iPhone.

Step 4: Click “Allow” to complete the text message syncing between iPhone and Mac. Upon receiving a text message on your iPhone, it will automatically appear on your Mac. Yes, it’s that easy.

Note: Ignore the steps if your iPhone is already linked to your Mac.

Part 3. Wondershare Dr. Fone — Phone Transfer: Best Solution

Even after toggling the options on your Mac and iPhone, issues with internet connection, apple server, and software might result in iMessage not syncing between Mac and iPhone. So, the best and safest way to backup your messages is to transfer messages from your iPhone to your Mac. For that, Dr. Fone — Phone Manager is the best app available.

This data transfer application is a one-stop solution to transfer data between your device and computer and vice versa. Not just messages, you can transfer any type of data, be it photos, contacts, videos, notes, and others.

Dr. Fone is a trustable platform that’s 100% secure and doesn’t damage your device or data during the transfer process. It also works on the most popular platforms (Mac, iOS, Android, Windows) and lets you transfer all or selective messages from one platform to another.

Learn how you can transfer text messages from iPhone to Mac by following the steps below:

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Step 1: Download and install the Dr. Fone-Phone transfer app on your Mac. Then, launch the software, and from the welcome dashboard screen, select the “Phone Manager” option.

launch dr fone app

Step 2: Connect your iPhone to the MacBook, and wait a few seconds for Dr. Fone to detect it automatically and prepare for further operations.

connect your iphone to macbook

Step 3: Search and click on the “information” tab, where you can transfer and manage messages and contacts. Proceed to the “Messages” panel, where you’ll select the messages you want to transfer. Just click the checkbox beside each message for that. As you’re done selecting the messages to transfer, click on the “Export” icon. You can also transfer all messages simultaneously if you wish to.

view the messages on your iphone

Step 4: Before you export, it asks you to make a password for the backup. It secures the messages, so choose a strong one, type it in twice, verify it, and tap on done.

set password

Step 5: Then, you’ll select the location you wish to save your messages. Then, click on “OK” to start the transfer process. It takes only a few seconds to complete, and you can check the progress if you want to.

data transfer will start

Step 6: As the files are moved, a message pops up on your screen. Open the folder to cross-check the files you just moved.

data transfer is completed

Conclusion

From the guide, it’s evident that you can easily sync messages from iPhone to Mac, but there are many limitations, and there is a chance that your messages will be lost due to software or internet issues. This is why using Dr. Fone — Phone transfer is recommended to transfer messages from iPhone to Mac hassle-free. So download it now and back up all your messages. It also comes with a free trial version, so you can get well-versed in it before signing up for a monthly subscription.

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