HOW TO GET STARTED WITH KEEPSTER: Backup Whatsapp, SMS and iMessages from your iPhone to your computer

Quick Start Guide 

Follow these simple steps to begin your Keepster backup:

Step 1:  Connect your device to your computer via a lighting cable.

Let's get the devices talking to each other!

Step 2:  Click "Create New Backup" and Keepster will guide you on how to transfer the data from your messaging apps on your phone to your computer.

Don't worry, your phone won't need to be connected the whole time!

Step 3:  View your messages, select favorites, organize them into folders & create books.

How to Create Your First Keepster Backup

Keepster backs up your messages from your iPhone and/or iPad to keep them safe on your computer.  You might already be using iCloud backup, but for Keepster we also need you to create a backup to your computer.  

This is the Backups tab on the Home screen.  From this tab, you will be able to browse your backups and find all your messages.  However, if you don't have any backups you won't see anything to click. The only option available when you don't have any Keepster Backups is to click "Create New Backup".

The steps to follow to complete your Keepster Backup will depend on your computer’s operating system.

Please watch this video to see how easy it is to complete your first Keepster backup to save your messages to your computer.

This video shows how to get started with Keepster on a MAC.   While the Keepster app shown in the video may look different than the version you have installed due to upgrades since the video was made, the process is still accurate.
For Windows, the only difference is you will not be asked to complete the 1-time only "Grant Full Disk Access" steps. 

Useful Tips for Creating Keepster Backups

• Please be sure to only use certified lightning cables.
• If you have an encrypted device you will be prompted for your encryption password.
• To complete your first backup you will need to have enough space on your computer.
• Performing a local backup does not change your iCloud backup settings.  You can have both a iCloud backup and a local backup.
• Keepster allows you to keep multiple backups so that a more recent backup will not override a previous backup (another Keepster feature that’s pretty great!) 
• You can have up to 5 backups - but once you reach your fifth backup you will need to delete one of them to create room for the most recent one.
• Having your messages backed up in Keepster is useful if you want to delete messages from your phone to create more space.  However, if you delete the Keepster backup containing those messages which you erased from your phone, they will be permanently erased. So It’s up to you which backups you choose to keep or erase.
• When you are done using Keepster, we suggest you click on the hamburger menu to log out of Keepster to be sure no one sees your messages but you! Please remember you will need your password to log back in again. We totally get how much your privacy matters!

   

   

Keepster Backups for Windows 10 or 11 computers

If you have Keepster installed on a Windows computer, you are going to need to use iTunes to backup your iPhone.  Here’s how to get started doing an iTunes backup.

STEP 1)  Create your iTunes backup

Keepster will automatically look to see if you already have a local backup of your iPhone.  If no backup is found, Keepster will let you know and provide a button to open iTunes and get started.

Click the button to open iTunes. 

The next few steps are going to be done in iTunes.

START:  Click on the small iPhone icon in the top left-hand corner of the iTunes screen to open the device management screen.

CLICK: the "Backup Up Now" button. This will back up to your computer regardless of your iCloud settings.

Once the iTunes backup is completed, you can unplug your iPhone.  You won't need it plugged in using the lightning cable anymore for the backup process. 

Now, return to the Keepster app to complete the final step.

STEP 2:  Create your Keepster Backup

Keepster automatically checks to see if there is a new iTunes backup every 30 seconds.  So, by the time you get back to the Keepster app you will see that the "No Backup Found" screen has been updated and you should see the backup you just completed listed to select.

Here is all you need to do to complete your first backup:

• Go to the Backups tab on the Home screen
• Click the “Create New Backup” button
• Select the iTunes backup you want to use for your Keepster Backup.  

That’s it! 

We've included the date & time of when the backup was completed.  Since you just completed your iTunes backup, the date/time should be from just a few minutes ago.  

Once you select the iTunes backup, Keepster will get to work gathering your messages from all your messaging apps.

When you hear the ping it means your Keepster backup is done!

[----  END OF ITUNES BACKUP INSTRUCTIONS----  ] 

Keepster Backups for macOS Catalina, Big Sur, Monterey & Ventura computers

If you have Keepster installed on a MAC computer, you are likely going to need to use Finder to backup your iPhone. Here’s how to get started doing a backup using Finder.

STEP 1)  Provide Keepster with full disk access.
A one-time-only action for macOS users

When you attempt to do your first backup, you’ll need to make sure Keepster has Full Disk Access.  This is a security precaution to ensure that you are authorizing Keepster to access your info. If Keepster does not have access, you will be prompted to open up your system preferences to make the security adjustment.  

• START:  Click open System Preferences
• ADJUST:  In System Preferences please click the lock icon at the bottom left and enter your computer’s password to unlock. Then click on the + sign and find Keepster.  Click on “Later” when you see the prompt to quit Keepster.
• FINISH:  Return to the Keepster app, and click the “Relaunch Keepster” button. Keepster will quit and reopen.  

Don't worry, we try and help make this easy to do by providing buttons to open System Preferences and relaunch Keepster.  Just follow the instructions on this screen:

Now that Keepster has re-opened with the Full Disk Access permissions needed, you can resume completing your first Keepster Backup.  

STEP 2)  Create your Finder backup

Keepster will automatically look to see if you already have a local backup of your iPhone.  If no backup is found, Keepster will let you know and provide a button to open Finder and get started.

Click the button to open Finder. 

The next few steps are going to be done in Finder.  

Please watch this video to see how to backup your iPhone or iPad using Finder.

If you skipped the video, here are the few steps to do in Finder.

1. START:  Click on the iPhone listed in the Locations to open the device management screen.
2. CLICK: the "Backup Up Now" button. This will backup to your computer regardless of your iCloud settings.
    

Once the Finder backup is completed, you can unplug your iPhone.  You won't need it plugged in using the lightning cable anymore for the backup process. 

Now, return to the Keepster app to complete the final step.

STEP 3:  Create your Keepster Backup

Keepster automatically checks to see if there is a new Finder backup every 30 seconds.  So, by the time you get back to the Keepster app you will see that the "No Backup Found" screen has been updated and you should see the backup you just completed listed to select.

Here is all you need to do to complete your first backup:

• Go to the Backups tab on the Home screen
• Click the “Create New Backup” button
• Select the Finder backup you want to use for your Keepster Backup.  

That’s it! 

We've included the date & time of when the backup was completed.  Since you just completed your Finder backup, the date/time should be from just a few minutes ago.

Once you select the Finder backup, Keepster will get to work gathering your messages from all your messaging apps.

When you hear the ping it means your Keepster backup is done!

[----  END OF FINDER BACKUP INSTRUCTIONS----  ] 

For macOS 10.12 - macOS Mojave

Here’s how to get started doing an iTunes backup.

STEP 1)  Provide Keepster with full disk access.
A one-time-only action for macOS users
 

When you attempt to do your first backup, you’ll need to make sure Keepster has Full Disk Access.  This is a security precaution to ensure that you are authorizing Keepster to access your info. If Keepster does not have access, you will be prompted to open up your system preferences to make the security adjustment.  

• START:  Click open System Preferences
• ADJUST:  In System Preferences please click the lock icon at the bottom left and enter your computer’s password to unlock. Then click on the + sign and find Keepster.  Click on “Later” when you see the prompt to quit Keepster.
• FINISH:  Return to the Keepster app, and click the “Relaunch Keepster” button. Keepster will quit and reopen.  

Don't worry, we try and help make this easy to do by providing buttons to open System Preferences and relaunch Keepster.  Just follow the instructions on this screen:

Now that Keepster has re-opened with the Full Disk Access permissions needed, you can resume completing your first Keepster Backup.  

STEP 2)  Create your iTunes backup

Keepster will automatically look to see if you already have a local backup of your iPhone.  If no backup is found, Keepster will let you know and provide a button to open iTunes and get started.

Click the button to open iTunes.  The next few steps are going to be done in iTunes.

START:  Click on the small iPhone icon in the top left-hand corner of the iTunes screen to open the device management screen.

CLICK: the "Backup Up Now" button. This will backup to your computer regardless of your iCloud settings.

Once the iTunes backup is completed, you can unplug your iPhone.  You won't need it plugged in using the lightning cable anymore for the backup process. 

Now, return to the Keepster app to complete the final step.

STEP 3:  Create your Keepster Backup

Keepster automatically checks to see if there is a new iTunes backup every 30 seconds.  So, by the time you get back to the Keepster app you will see that the "No Backup Found" screen has been updated and you should see the backup you just completed listed to select.

Here is all you need to do to complete your first backup:

• Go to the Backups tab on the Home screen
• Click the “Create New Backup” button
• Select the iTunes backup you want to use for your Keepster Backup.  

That’s it! 

We've included the date & time of when the backup was completed.  Since you just completed your iTunes backup, the date/time should be from just a few minutes ago.  

Once you select the iTunes backup, Keepster will get to work gathering your messages from all your messaging apps.

When you hear the ping it means your Keepster backup is done!

[----  END OF ITUNES BACKUP INSTRUCTIONS----  ] 

Doing more with Keepster

For help with other topics ...

Please check out the other videos in the How-To section:

So excited you to have you on board!