Where Are iPhone Text Messages Stored in Backups?
iPhone sms.db file inside computer backups at the 3d0d7e hash path on Windows and Mac.
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iPhone texts have no browsable folder on the phone. In a computer backup they sit in one sms.db SQLite file at a hashed path (starting 3d0d7e) two levels under the device UDID folder.
This covers message history, distinct from the general backup locations post. Query a copy of sms.db; iMessage attachments referenced inside live in sibling Media folders.
Where iPhone stores this, by platform
%USERPROFILE%\Apple\MobileSync\Backup\[UDID]\3d\3d0d7e5fb2ce288813306e5d29141bb439e4fb3d
Store iTunes path uses %APPDATA%\Apple Computer\MobileSync\Backup instead. The file has no extension; copy it out and open as SQLite.
~/Library/Application Support/MobileSync/Backup/[UDID]/3d/3d0d7e5fb2ce288813306e5d29141bb439e4fb3d
Same hash path. Encrypted backups need their password before any extractor can read sms.db.
Frequently asked questions
How do I read iPhone texts on a PC?
Back up unencrypted to the computer, copy the sms.db hash file out, and open it in a SQLite browser. The message table holds the bodies.
Where are the photos inside those texts?
In MediaDomain attachment folders elsewhere in the same backup, linked by row IDs. Extractors reassemble both halves together.
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