iExtract/how-to.html at main · builtbywill-sp/iExtract · GitHub

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<!DOCTYPE html>
<html lang="en">
<head>
  <meta charset="UTF-8" />
  <meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1.0" />
  <title>How to Use iExtract</title>
  <link rel="stylesheet" href="index.css" />
</head>
<body>
  <div class="howto-container">

    <button class="howto-back">
    <a href="index.html" class="howto-back">← Back to iExtract</a>
    </button>
    <p class="howto-intro">
      This quick guide will help you locate your <code>chat.db</code> file and run your first export.
    </p>

    <section class="howto-section">
      <h2>Step 1: Find your iMessage Database</h2>
      <ul>
        <li>On your Mac, open Finder</li>
        <li>Press <code>Cmd + Shift + G</code></li>
        <li>Paste: <code>~/Library/Messages</code></li>
        <li>
          Look for these files:
          <p class="howto-warning">
            <strong>Important:</strong> Copy these files to your Desktop or another easy-to-find location before uploading.
          </p>
          <ul>
            <li><code>chat.db</code></li>
            <li><code>chat.db-wal</code></li>
            <li><code>chat.db-shm</code></li>
          </ul>
        </li>
      </ul>
    </section>

    <section class="howto-section">
      <h2>Step 2: Upload to iExtract</h2>
      <ol>
        <li>Upload <code>chat.db</code> in the second box</li>
        <li>Optionally upload <code>.shm</code> and <code>.wal</code> files in the top box</li>
        <li>Click “🧬 PREPARE FILES”</li>
        <li>Click “📂 CHOOSE OUTPUT LOCATION” to select the folder where your CSV will be saved</li>
        <li>Then click “► GENERATE REPORT”</li>
      </ol>
    </section>

    <section class="howto-section">
      <h2>Step 3: Windows Users – Backup with iCloud</h2>
      <ul>
        <li>Search online for "iCloud for Windows" or visit the Apple website from a separate browser to download it</li>
        <li>Sign in with your Apple ID</li>
        <li>Ensure "iCloud Drive" and "Messages" are checked in iCloud settings</li>
        <li>Wait for sync to complete – this may take time depending on your network</li>
        <li>Navigate to the synced folder using File Explorer</li>
        <li>Look for any chat or message-related SQLite database files</li>
        <li>Copy them to your Desktop or easy-to-find folder before uploading</li>
      </ul>
    </section>

    <p class="howto-outro">
      Your CSV will appear on your desktop when it’s done ✅
    </p>
  </div>
</body>
</html>