To access text messages on an iPhone, open iExplorer and connect your iPhone to your computer. This tutorial walks through both possibilities. IExplorer can load, read and export text messages that are either on your iPhone or ones that have been saved in an iTunes Backup already on your computer.

If you don't want to transfer the entire conversation, you may select each message bubble, or multiples, and click the 'Export # Messages' button.

Use the icons at the top of the conversation-view to filter by date-range, show attachments only, or export the whole conversation.

Once iExplorer has finished loading your Messages, you may select a conversation in the left panel.

If you do already have an iTunes backup, and it's more than 24 hours old, iExplorer will ask whether you'd like to Use Last Backup or Refresh to create a new one.

If you haven't created an iTunes backup yet on this computer, you will be asked whether to make one (choose Yes).

Click on the Data tab in the Device Overview screen and click on the Messages button.

Connect your iPhone or iPad & open iExplorer.

Follow these steps to transfer text messages from an iPhone or iPad to your computer:

Extract messages from itunes backup