this post was submitted on 29 Sep 2026
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Fuck AI
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Just an FYI for anyone that didn’t know, your iMessages on your computer are literally just stored in a SQLite db. They’re very very easy to read without the app.
Source? AFAIK iMessages are stored encrypted by the Secure Enclave and can only be read through the same process that Touch ID works through. That’s why they can’t do iMessage through a browser because there must be a Secure Enclave present on the device. Pretty much the same reason Graphene OS only works on some devices.
Me? I wrote an app to read my iMessage database to pull two factor codes out and type them in automatically cause I was lazy.
That is like a default ability in macOS tho?
It is now. At least for browsers. It was not at the time for the menu bar app my company required, Tunnelblick.
Link to repo?
Seriously, this is the Internet… pics or it didn’t happen.
https://spin.atomicobject.com/search-imessage-sql/
This article is from years later. Seems like it got harder, but it’s still dead simple. Just give permission and then open the file.
This is describing the ability to read the messages from the actively booted and decrypted partition. This would absolutely not work without being able to log onto the machine. So while you are technically correct you are leaving out the caveat that this only works when you can also access the app not strictly without the app.
But the context is, that Meta's software can extract them. For the software to run the system must be booted and the partition is likely already decrypted. So we're exactly in this state.
Yes but the comment I was replying to implied that it could be done not in that state hence my question.
Huh? I did not imply that at all. If your hard drive is encrypted the state of anything on that drive doesn’t matter at all. You’ve completely made up a scenario in your head about what I was talking about.
You said you could access it without the app not while you still had access to the app.
Your logic makes no sense. Either the partition is decrypted (you’re logged in and can access iMessages) or it’s not. If it’s not decrypted then it doesn’t matter what platform you’re on, you’re not getting access to any data on the drive. If it’s decrypted then it is how the app itself stores things.
In iMessages case it’s a SQLite db. The same is not true of 1Password for example.
You said you could get to the messages without the app which gives the impression that it can be done when the app cannot be accessed not only when it also can.
Is Android any better in this regard?
Not whatabouting, generally ignorant and curious.
I don’t think Android has a corresponding computer operating system so no? This doesn’t apply to iPhones or iPads. Just Macs. And I’m not even sure if it applies to M series MacBooks, but it applied to the old intel ones about 5 years ago at least which was the last time I read my messages that way.