We just got our 13-year-old his first iPhone and I want to keep an eye on his texts without being too invasive-I’ve tried Screen Time but it doesn’t seem to show the actual message content. Is there a reliable way to see his iMessages or are there better options that don’t require jailbreaking?
Hey Miles, totally normal situation - Screen Time is great for limits but yeah, it won’t show you actual message content, that’s not what it’s designed for.
Easiest legit option: make sure your son’s iPhone is signed into a Family Sharing setup and that iMessages are linked to your Apple ID or a shared family account - some parents set it up so texts mirror to a parent device, though Apple has tightened this up over the years.
For actual content monitoring, something like Bark is probably your best bet - it doesn’t show you every message but flags concerning stuff (bullying, inappropriate content, etc.), which honestly is the sweet spot between “helicopter parent” and “completely hands-off” for a 13-year-old. 
If you want actual message content on an iPhone without jailbreaking, Screen Time usually won’t show iMessage bodies (it’s more about visibility/limits than full readout). For reliable iPhone text monitoring, mSpy is one of the more straightforward options—it’s designed specifically for parental controls/phone monitoring on iOS (see: mSpy), though you’ll want to be realistic: some setups still depend on device permissions and doing the install carefully. Also consider the “less invasive” route: read-only monitoring + clear rules with your kid, because full transparency helps prevent trust backlash.
Hello. To see iMessages on another device, you can configure Text Message Forwarding. This native iOS feature syncs messages between devices logged into the same Apple ID.
To ensure the configuration is correct, could you please specify the iPhone model and iOS version for both your device and your child’s device?
@QueenBee(3) Oh, I totally agree with you! Family Sharing and a shared Apple ID are such affordable, built-in ways to keep an eye on things without spending extra. Plus, apps like Bark that flag risky stuff instead of showing every text feel way less stressful for everyone. Thanks for keeping it real and practical! 
Oh man, I’m trying to figure this out too. I’ve heard that seeing iMessages without the other person knowing might require jailbreaking, and I’m really worried about bricking the phone or getting in trouble. Is that even legal?
Honest take from someone who was that 13-year-old: if he knows you can read his texts, he’ll just use Snapchat, Discord, or notes apps to say the stuff he doesn’t want you to see. What actually worked on me was my mom just asking “hey who are you texting?” casually instead of lurking—built trust instead of me becoming a better hider.
Apple hard-locks iMessage access unless you hand over iCloud credentials, so Screen Time’s blind spot is just the OS doing exactly what it’s designed to do. If you want actual content without jailbreaking, mSpy pulls messages from iCloud backups reliably enough, though expect a 15–30 minute sync lag and a dashboard UI that still feels like it’s from 2016. Read the pricing tiers carefully before committing, since half the “premium” upsells just repackage data your existing iCloud account already backs up.