Support

Full Disk Access is required for ChatKeepsake to read your Messages database. Here's how to enable it:

1. Open System Settings (or System Preferences on older macOS)
2. Go to Privacy & Security
3. Click on Full Disk Access
4. Click the + button or toggle ChatKeepsake on
5. Restart ChatKeepsake

Alternative: If Full Disk Access doesn't work (common with TestFlight builds), you can use the file picker method - just click "Load Messages from This Mac" and manually select your Messages folder.

Your Messages database is located at:

~/Library/Messages/chat.db

To navigate there:

1. In Finder, press Cmd + Shift + G
2. Type: ~/Library/Messages
3. Click Go

PDF export requires ChatKeepsake Pro ($9.99 USD). Once you've upgraded:

1. Load your conversations
2. Select the conversation you want to export
3. Click the Export PDF button in the toolbar
4. Customize colors, fonts, and layout (optional)
5. Choose where to save the PDF

The free version supports CSV export only.

You may notice the PDF generation progress shows a different message count than what's displayed in the conversation view. This is normal and happens because:

• Unsupported message types are excluded - Stickers, effects, and other special content that can't be rendered in PDF format are automatically skipped
• Empty messages are excluded - Messages with no text AND no images (like standalone reactions or system messages) aren't included in the PDF
• The conversation view shows everything - The main window displays all message types, including unsupported ones

Example: If your conversation shows 4,200 messages but the PDF generator reports 3,800 messages, it means 400 messages were stickers, effects, or empty content that can't be included in the PDF.

Note: All text messages and images are always included in your PDF exports.

ChatKeepsake includes a special binding margin option perfect for creating physical books:

1. Export your conversation to PDF
2. In the PDF settings, enable "Add binding margin (for printing)"
3. This adds an extra 0.5" margin on the left side for binding
4. Generate the PDF and print it
5. Bind the pages using a coil binding, thermal binding, or ring binder

Tip: The binding margin ensures your messages won't get cut off when the book is bound. This feature is perfect for creating keepsake books of your most cherished conversations!

Ultra-Dense Mode is a PDF export option designed to maximize message density and significantly reduce page count for very long conversations. When enabled, it applies aggressive optimizations:

• Smaller fonts: 7pt font for messages, timestamps, and date separators
• Tighter spacing: Minimal margins (15pt), compact bubble padding (2pt), and reduced date separator spacing
• Compact bubbles: Smaller corner radius (6pt) for a tighter, less rounded appearance
• Optimized layout: Every element is sized to fit the maximum number of messages per page

Results: Ultra-Dense Mode typically reduces page count by 30-40% compared to standard settings. For example, a 717-page PDF can be reduced to approximately 470-500 pages.

To enable: When exporting to PDF, check the "Ultra-dense mode (maximum messages per page)" option in the Page Layout section.

Best for: Very long conversations (1000+ messages) where you want to minimize printing costs or create a more compact physical book. The text remains readable but is optimized for density rather than comfortable reading.

iPhone backup support requires ChatKeepsake Pro. The process involves:

1. Create an iPhone backup in Finder (connect your iPhone)
2. In ChatKeepsake, click "Load iPhone Messages"
3. Navigate to and select the backup folder
4. ChatKeepsake will locate and load the messages database

Note: Encrypted backups are supported but require the backup password.

There are a few possible reasons:

• Attachment-only messages: By default, attachment-only messages are hidden. Check your filter settings.
• iCloud sync: Messages may not have synced from your iPhone to your Mac yet. Wait for iCloud sync to complete.
• Deleted messages: Messages deleted from the Messages app won't appear in ChatKeepsake.
• Message limit (Free version): The free version shows up to 250 messages per conversation. Upgrade to Pro for unlimited messages.

If images aren't displaying:

• When using file picker: Make sure you selected the entire Messages folder, not just the chat.db file
• Media filter: Check if media is being filtered out in the view options
• File location: Attachments may have been deleted from disk even though message metadata remains
• iPhone backups: Ensure attachments were extracted to the same folder as the database

Free Version:

• Export to CSV
• Up to 250 messages per conversation
• Load from Mac Messages database
• Contact integration
• Search and filter

ChatKeepsake Pro ($9.99 USD / $12.99 CAD):

• Unlimited messages per conversation
• Professional PDF export with optimized message density
• Full PDF customization (colors, fonts, page sizes)
• Binding margin option for printing physical books
• iPhone backup support (including encrypted backups)
• All future Pro features
• One-time purchase, lifetime access

Absolutely. ChatKeepsake is designed with privacy as the top priority:

• All processing happens locally on your Mac
• No internet connection required or used
• No data collection or analytics
• No account creation required
• Your messages never leave your computer

See our Privacy Policy for complete details.

Your ChatKeepsake Pro purchase is tied to your Apple ID. To restore on another Mac:

1. Install ChatKeepsake from the Mac App Store
2. Sign in with the same Apple ID you used to purchase Pro
3. Open any conversation and click "Upgrade to Pro"
4. Click "Restore Purchases"

Your Pro features will be restored immediately.

Yes! Exported files are standard PDF and CSV files that you own and control. You can:

• Print them
• Email them
• Share them with anyone
• Store them on cloud services
• Edit them in other apps

Privacy Note: These files contain your message content, so share them carefully!

ChatKeepsake requires macOS 12.0 (Monterey) or later.

Supported versions:

• macOS 15 Sequoia ✓
• macOS 14 Sonoma ✓
• macOS 13 Ventura ✓
• macOS 12 Monterey ✓

Yes! ChatKeepsake now fully supports group chats (added in version 1.1).

Group chat features include:

• 📱 Group chat icon in conversation list for easy identification
• 🎨 Color-coded sender names for each participant
• 👤 Contact name resolution for all group members
• 📄 PDF exports with sender labels above each message
• ✏️ Custom participant labels for privacy or clarity

Group chats are detected automatically and work with both Mac Messages and iPhone backups.

ChatKeepsake lets you selectively remove messages before exporting. Here's how:

1. Open any conversation and click Edit Messages in the toolbar
2. Click the trash icon next to messages you want to remove
3. Choose how to save your changes:

Two save options:

• Apply Changes: Keep edits for this session only (resets when you close the conversation)
• Save Copy: Create a permanent edited database file (saved as chatkeepsake_[name]_edited.db)

Important: Your original Messages database is never modified. All edits happen on a copy.

No, absolutely not! ChatKeepsake never modifies your original Messages database.

When you use the "Edit Messages" feature:

• Your original Messages app database is never touched
• All messages remain safely in your Messages app
• Edits only affect the ChatKeepsake view and exports
• If you "Save Copy", a new edited database file is created, leaving the original intact

Privacy Note: The Edit Messages feature helps you remove sensitive messages before creating keepsakes or sharing exports, without affecting your actual message history.

ChatKeepsake uses smart pagination to handle large conversations efficiently:

• Loads 500 messages at a time for optimal performance
• Click "Load Earlier Messages" or "Load Newer Messages" buttons to view more
• Jump buttons instantly switch to oldest/newest messages
• Editing and deletion are instant (no lag with thousands of messages)

Tip: For conversations with 1000+ messages, use the jump buttons (arrows in bottom-right) to quickly navigate to the beginning or end.