Decipher TextMessage is one of the best-known ways to print iPhone texts for court, and for a lot of people it's the right tool. People look for an alternative for a few reasons: their messages are on Android or WhatsApp, they don't have a Windows or Mac computer handy, or they want the texts numbered and kept with the rest of their evidence.
Here's a fair look at what Decipher does, when it's the better pick, and what else works. Its facts come from Decipher's own product page as of October 2026. Check it again before you buy, because prices and features change.
What Decipher TextMessage does well
- Low, one-time price. $29.99, with no monthly fee, and updates included with the license.
- Attachments included. It exports texts and iMessages to PDF with photo and video attachments.
- Free trial. You can download it and look at your own messages before you pay.
- Runs on your computer. It reads an iPhone or iPad backup on a Windows or Mac machine, and it can also export from the Messages app on a Mac.
If your texts are on an iPhone and you have a computer, Decipher is a strong, inexpensive choice. You may not need anything else.
When another tool may fit better
| Your situation | Why Decipher may not fit |
|---|---|
| Your texts are on an Android phone | Decipher TextMessage is built for iPhone and iPad messages |
| The conversation is in WhatsApp | Decipher sells WhatsApp support as a separate program |
| You only have a phone | Decipher runs on a Windows or Mac computer, not on the phone |
| You want every message numbered and indexed with your other evidence | Decipher makes the PDF; organizing it with photos, a timeline and other exhibits is up to you |
How to get your messages off each kind of phone
Every tool starts from the same place: a copy of the conversation that came from your own phone. The steps differ by phone.
iPhone
Decipher and similar desktop programs read a backup of your iPhone made on your computer, so you connect the phone, make a backup, then open the program. If you'd rather not use a computer, some tools take a file you export from the phone instead. Either way, check that the backup or export covers the full date range you care about before you rely on it. Our guide to exporting iPhone text messages for court walks through the options.
Android
Android phones don't share one built-in export. Many people use a backup app that saves texts to a file, then open that file in a log tool. Pick one that keeps the phone number, date and time for every message, and keep the original file unchanged. See exporting Android text messages for court.
WhatsApp has its own "Export chat" option inside each conversation, which creates a text file (and, if you choose, the media). That file is what most tools import. Export each chat you need separately and write down the date you exported it.
Screenshots or a full log?
Screenshots are quick and anyone can read them, but they're easy to challenge when they're cropped, out of order, or missing dates. A full log of the same conversation shows the context around each message. A common approach is to print a few screenshots of key moments and bring the full log of that conversation alongside them, so anyone can check the surrounding messages. Whatever you print, mark which pages are which and keep the original messages on your phone.
Keep your export private and safe
- Know where your texts go. Check whether a tool uploads your messages or works only on your device, and read its privacy page.
- Keep two copies of every export, such as your computer and a secure cloud folder, and note the date range each file covers.
- Don't edit the export. If you need to leave something out, ask a licensed attorney or the clerk how your court handles that, rather than deleting messages.
- Only export your own messages. Don't access someone else's phone or account to get theirs.
What any court text printout needs
Whichever tool you use, judge it by what the printed page shows:
- Who: each sender's name or number on every message.
- When: a date and time on every message, not just at the top.
- Both sides, in order, with nothing cropped or left out of the stretch you print.
- Page numbers, so anyone can find "page 14" quickly.
- The originals kept. Leave the messages on your phone and keep a backup.
Courts differ on exhibit format. The clerk's office, a self-help center or a licensed attorney where you live can tell you what yours expects. Our guide to printing text messages for court goes step by step.
A one-parent option for iPhone, Android and WhatsApp
Custody Commander takes the export you already have, from an iPhone, an Android phone or WhatsApp, and turns it into a chronological, numbered PDF log (MSG-00001 onward) with an index page. It works in a web browser, so a phone is enough, and your co-parent never joins or gets notified.
- Free preview first. The free text message log preview shows your texts numbered in your browser. Your texts never leave your device.
- One log for $39, no subscription, when you need the full PDF.
- Or the Full Suite, which keeps the log with your evidence, timeline and hearing prep, free for 7 days (card required).
It's self-help software: it organizes the messages you provide. It doesn't decide what to file or how a court will see them.
Try the free text log previewFree plan, no card · Full Suite free for 7 days
