iPhone

Timelinize can import data from your unencrypted iPhone backup stored locally on your computer.

How to get it

You'll need to plug your iPhone into your computer. Follow the instructions in the Apple user guide under one of these headings:

• Back up iPhone using your Mac
• Back up iPhone using your Windows device

(Don't follow the iCloud instructions if you want the data from your phone. iCloud doesn't back up some things, like Messages.)

Do not encrypt your backup. Timelinize cannot read encrypted iPhone backups, so make sure Encrypt your backup is unchecked.

Once the backup is complete, you can find it at ~/Library/Application Support/MobileSync/Backup/ on your Mac, or %AppData% on your Windows PC (click the link for details). There may be multiple folders in there; the most recently modified folder should be your latest backup.

You can move/copy the backup folder around if needed. Just make sure that folder (which contains a Manifest.db file) with all its files and subfolders remains intact.

Expected format

The iPhone backup must be unencrypted. Do not modify the files in it or the structure of the folder.

What is imported

iPhone imports read the following data:

• Device phone number
• Address book (contacts)
• iMessage database (messages, attachments, reactions, etc.)
• Camera roll (your photos and videos)