How to View Text Messages Sent and Received on iPhone

If your tween or teen is an avid texter (and let’s face it, most are), there’s more to worry about than the likelihood they’ll develop texting thumb. Cyberbullying, predators, and sexting are just a few of the risks young people face from texting. 

Monitoring their messages is a great way to mitigate these risks and keep an eye on your child’s emotional state. This article will go over how to view text messages sent and received by your child, including BrightCanary, which offers the most comprehensive text message monitoring for iPhones. 

How can I view text messages sent and received by my child? 

To view text messages sent and received by your child, you can manually check their phone, use another device to log into their iCloud, or use a parental monitoring app like BrightCanary. BrightCanary offers the most comprehensive solution with real-time alerts, summaries, and emotional insights across all messaging apps.

Let’s break it down: 

Method	Pros	Cons
Manual check	No setup required	Time-consuming, easy to bypass, no alerts
Log into their iCloud	Real-time access	No alerts, potential trust issues, requires certain settings
BrightCanary	Full text visibility, AI alerts, summaries	Subscription required

The manual option

If you’re looking for the most basic way to view your child’s texts, you can’t get any more straightforward than asking them to hand over their device so you can go through their messages. 

• Pros: Transparency and simplicity.  
• Cons: Your child is unlikely to want to hand over their device for as long as it takes you to read their messages. Plus, it’s cumbersome; you could be scrolling through hundreds of messages at a time, many of them likely unremarkable. 

Log into iCloud

As long as “Messages in iCloud” is enabled, you can sign into your child’s iCloud account on your own device to access their messages.

• Pros: You don’t need to convince your child to hand over their phone. 
• Cons: If you aren’t upfront with your child about using this method, they may feel like their privacy has been violated. Plus, there aren’t any alerts for concerning content, so you still have to manually skim through each message looking for red flags. And if your child disables “Messages in iCloud,” you won’t be able to see anything at all.

BrightCanary

For parents who want to work smarter, BrightCanary offers the best parental monitoring for iPhones. The app uses AI technology to scan everything your child types (including text messages), flags issues of concern, and provides summaries along with emotional insights. 

• Pros: Real-time AI text message monitoring across all Apple devices (even when your child texts someone using an Android). Robust summaries, with context, plus alerts for any harmful content. Emotional insight and tailored parenting advice. 
• Cons: BrightCanary is only available for Apple devices. 

How does BrightCanary help me monitor my child’s texts? 

BrightCanary offers the most comprehensive text message monitoring for Apple devices. Here’s how: 

• Powered by the BrightCanary Keyboard, the app records everything your child types (but never sensitive information like passwords or private forms). 
• Works even if your child is texting an Android user. 
• Using AI technology (informed by the American Psychological Association’s emotion categories), BrightCanary provides intelligent summaries and emotional insights to help you understand what’s going on with your child. 
• Monitor your child across all the apps and websites they frequent. 
• Receive alerts about any concerning messages or content. 
• Parents have the option to go beyond the summaries and see the full text of what their child typed.

What’s the difference between BrightCanary’s Protection and Text Message Plus plans?

Both plans offer insight into everything your child types. But for parents who want to go deeper, the Text Message Plus plan provides two-way message monitoring. That means, along with all the features listed above, you also get: 

• Insight into all text messages your child sends and receives — including group chats. 
• The ability to view images and videos your child sends and receives. 
• Access to deleted texts. 

To use Text Message Plus, you’ll need your child’s Apple ID during setup.

The bottom line

Text messages are a primary form of communication for many tweens and teens. But texting exposes kids to risks like cyberbullying, predators, and sexting. Manually scanning their messages and device mirroring offer some protection. But for the best way to view text messages sent and received by your child, BrightCanary is the gold standard. 

BrightCanary uses AI technology to scan everything your child types and alerts you to any concerning content. The app also offers summaries, emotional insights, and tailored parenting advice. It’s one tool, built for parents who care, with the ability to select the plan that meets your family’s needs. Download and get started today.