Can TextKeep export photos, videos, and attachments?

Yes, TextKeep exports attachments that are stored locally on your Mac. However, attachment availability depends on how macOS manages message storage and whether "Messages in iCloud" is enabled.

How Attachment Storage Works

The message database (chat.db) contains metadata about attachments—file names, types, timestamps—but the actual media files are stored separately in the file system. The attachment table includes file paths pointing to these locations. TextKeep reads these paths and includes the corresponding files in exports when they're available locally.

Storage Optimization and iCloud

When "Messages in iCloud" is enabled and local storage fills, macOS automatically offloads older attachments to iCloud. The system retains only metadata and low-resolution previews locally, while full-resolution files remain in cloud storage. When this happens, TextKeep encounters "Attachment stored in iCloud" placeholders instead of actual files. The export will note these placeholders, indicating that the attachment exists but isn't available locally.

Ensuring Complete Attachment Export

To export all attachments, you need to ensure they're downloaded locally before running TextKeep. Open the Messages app and scroll through the conversations you plan to export, viewing photos and videos to trigger download from iCloud. For critical exports where you need all attachments, consider disabling "Optimize Mac Storage" in Messages preferences to keep all attachments stored locally. This requires sufficient disk space but ensures complete attachment availability.

Supported File Types

TextKeep handles all attachment types that iMessage supports, including photos (JPEG, PNG, HEIC), videos (MOV, MP4), audio messages (M4A), documents (PDF, DOC, etc.), and other files shared through Messages. The export format you choose determines how attachments are included—PDF and HTML exports can embed images inline, while CSV exports include file paths and metadata.

Attachment Organization

When exporting with attachments, TextKeep creates a folder structure that organizes media files alongside the exported conversation. This ensures that attachments remain associated with their corresponding messages and can be referenced if needed for legal discovery or archival purposes.