A screenshot preserves how a conversation looked, but it is difficult to filter or analyze. CSV turns each recognized message into a row so you can sort by speaker, work with dates, count entries, or add your own notes.
MsgPort starts with screenshots or a screen recording you select on iPhone. It recognizes the visible conversation, lets you review it, and exports structured CSV data.
What a chat CSV is useful for
- Organizing interview or research conversations
- Building a chronological communication log
- Filtering messages by participant
- Adding categories and notes in a spreadsheet
- Moving excerpts into another workflow
Capture enough context
Include participant names, date separators, and visible timestamps where possible. Take screenshots in chronological order and retain a small overlap between screens. For long chats, a slow screen recording can be quicker and more consistent.
Review the recognized fields
After import, check speaker names, dates, and short messages. A spreadsheet is only as useful as the structure behind it. Media-only messages, stickers, or deleted-message notices may not contain useful text and can be removed from the final record.
Open and work with the CSV
Export the completed conversation as CSV, save it to Files, then open it in your preferred spreadsheet app. Keep an untouched original before adding formulas, categories, or annotations. That gives you a clean reference if the working spreadsheet changes.
CSV or Excel?
CSV is a simple exchange format supported by most spreadsheet tools. It does not preserve styling, multiple sheets, or complex formulas. Its advantage is portability: a properly structured CSV can be opened on iPhone, Mac, Windows, or the web.