This is a forensic tool written in Python 3. Use this tool to fetch the content (phone numbers, email addresses, messages and the account) from the chat.db database file on macOS (version 10.14 or above).
The following information is currently being read from the database:
- user id (sender's or recipient's phone number or email address)
- message
- date and time
- service (iMessage or SMS)
- account (destination caller id)
- is the message from me
Received messages (iMessage or SMS) and attachments will be saved in "~/Library/Messages". This directory contains a "chat.db" file (SQLite3) with two tables of interest: handle and message. The handle table contains the recipients (email address or phone number). The received messages are in the message table.
Of course, the chat.db file is only created under macOS. Nevertheless, this program can also be used under Linux. In contrast to use under macOS, the path to the chat.db file must then be specified (see below).
- Python 3.9+
- openpyxl
To run tests install pytest:
pip3 install pytest
pip3 install imessage-reader
Start the program with:
imessage_reader
This will show you all users and messages in the Terminal. If no option (-p <PATH>) is specified, the default directory (under macOS) is searched for the chat.db file.
A different path to chat.db file can be specified with the -p option:
imessage_reader -p <PATH>
Unless the -o option is also used, the data is displayed in the Terminal.
You can create an Excel file containing users, messages, date and service (SMS or iMessage). The file will be stored in the Documents folder:
imessage_reader -o e
or
imessage_reader -o excel
You can create a SQLite3 database containing users, messages, date and service (SMS or iMessage). The file will be stored in the Documents folder:
imessage_reader -o s
or
imessage_reader -o sqlite
If you only want to see a list of recipients use:
imessage_reader -r
or
imessage_reader --recipients
Note: On macOS you need access to the Library folder in order to read the iMessage database file ("chat.db"). You can add access (for Terminal or iTerm) in
> System Preferences > Security & Privacy > Privacy > Full Disk Access
You can combine the -p with the -o option:
imessage_reader -p /home/bodo/Downloads -o excel
In this example the chat.db file is located in the Downloads folder (on a Linux machine). And the Excel file will be created in the Documents folder.
To get the messages use following code:
from imessage_reader import fetch_data
DB_PATH = /home/bodo/Downloads/chat.db
# Create a FetchData instance
fd = fetch_data.FetchData(DB_PATH)
# Store messages in my_data
# This is a list of tuples containing user id, message and service (iMessage or SMS).
my_data = fd.get_messages()
print(my_data)
Get the date of messagesFetch the date of received messages.Show a list of all known recipients.Did the user receive the message via SMS or via iMessage?Create SQLite3 database.Specify a different path to the chat.db file.- Show attachments.
- Add more tests.
see CHANGELOG.rst