Search everything
Full-text search across every message you’ve sent or received, powered by SQLite FTS5. Find any conversation in seconds.
Your iPhone messages, searchable on Windows.
Browse and search your complete message history — iMessage, SMS, MMS, RCS — on your Windows PC. Plug in. Tap your passcode. ScribeHold does the rest. Your data never leaves your machine.
Free for 30 days of message history. Pro from $1.49/month.
Built for the way you actually use your messages
Almost automatic
ScribeHold runs as a Windows Service — always on, no app to launch. Connect your iPhone via USB, enter your passcode on the device (Apple requires this on iOS 16.1+), and ScribeHold detects, backs up, extracts, and indexes automatically. Subsequent backups are incremental — typically just a few minutes.
Stays on your PC
No cloud sync. No accounts. No tracking. Your message data is read locally and stored locally — only you can see it.
Court-ready exports
The Legal Export Pack is the export your attorney will accept and the bundle that holds up if challenged — Bates-numbered PDF/A, separate SHA-256 manifest, affidavit-of-authenticity cover, and per-message metadata CSV, all matter-bound to your case caption and jurisdiction.
How ScribeHold compares
| Your question | ScribeHold | iMazing | Decipher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Can I install it from the Microsoft Store? | ✅ Available on the Microsoft Store | ❌ Main app not on the Store; direct download only * | ❌ Not on the Microsoft Store; direct download only * |
| Does it sync automatically in the background? | ✅ Windows Service — plug in + tap your passcode once; ScribeHold detects, backs up, and indexes automatically. No app to open. [1] | ✅* iMazing Mini provides background backups on Windows * [2] | ❌ Manual; requires iTunes installed and the app open * |
| What does it cost? | ✅ From $1.49/mo ($1.99 Store) · $14.99/yr Pro Annual ($11.99 direct) · $44.99 one-time Legal Export Pack ($34.99 with Pro) · Free for 30 days | ❌ $29.99–$49.99/yr — no monthly tier; subscription-only since June 2025 * | ✅ $29.99 one-time PDF tool — no monthly tier * |
| Can I use this on my Windows PC? | ✅ Windows-first | ✅ Windows + Mac | ✅ Windows + Mac |
| Can I use this on my Mac? | ❌ Windows-only by design | ✅ | ✅ |
| Will my export hold up if opposing counsel objects? | ✅ Bates-numbered PDF/A, separate SHA-256 manifest, affidavit cover, and per-message metadata CSV — all matter-bound to your case caption and jurisdiction | ❌ No Bates numbering, no hash manifest, no affidavit cover * | ❌ Single PDF export; no separate manifest, no affidavit cover * |
| Can I send my client a one-click export workflow? | ✅ Firm Plan + Client Case Keys — your client runs ScribeHold Free (no cost to them), backup happens at their home, output conforms to your firm spec | ❌ No client workflow; device slot licenses only * | ❌ No firm SKU; client must purchase separately ($29.99/copy) * |
| Does it support WhatsApp? | ❌ iMessage, SMS, MMS, RCS only | ✅ | ❌ Requires separate Decipher Chat product * |
[1] USB connection and a passcode tap on the device are required for each backup (Apple requires this on iOS 16.1+). [2] iMazing Mini's background-sync behaviour on Windows has not been independently verified by ScribeHold. Claim sourced from imazing.com/mini. Competitor claims verified May 2026. Sources: imazing.com, deciphertools.com.