How to Backup Text Messages on Android

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Written by Nicole Levine, MFA

Last Updated: April 22, 2024 Tested

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This wikiHow teaches you how to back up your Android SMS and MMS messages using a free app called SMS Backup & Restore.

Part 1

Part 1 of 2:

Installing SMS Backup & Restore

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You’ll usually find it on the home screen or in the app drawer.
A list of matching results will appear.

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This app, developed by Carbonite, has a green chat bubble icon with a white clock inside.
4
Tap Install . The app will now install to your Android.
- Depending on your settings, you may have to grant the app permission to your phone or tablet before the download begins.
- When the app is finished downloading, the “Install” button will change to “Open” and a new icon will appear in the app drawer.

Part 2

Part 2 of 2:

Backing Up Messages

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It’s the green chat bubble icon containing a clock made of arrows. Since it’s your first time using the app, you’ll need to set it up.
A series of permissions windows will appear.
This gives the app permission to backup and restore your SMS messages.
You can back up your messages and/or your call history. Since you definitely want to back up your messages, slide the “Messages” switch to

.
This expands additional options at the bottom of the screen.
7
Choose which messages to back up.
- To include group, photo, and video texts, slide the “Media, pictures, video, group messages (MMS)” switch to
  
  .
- Side “Emoji & special characters” to
  
  if you want these included in your backup.
- To back up all of your messages, select All Messages .
- If you want to select only specific messages to back up, select Selected conversations only , then choose which conversations to save.
It’s at the bottom-right corner of the screen.
You can back your messages up to any of the accounts listed by sliding the corresponding switch to

. Since you’re using an Android, we’ll assume you’re going to back up to your Google Drive account for the rest of this method. The steps should be similar for other options as well.
This brings you to the Google Drive setup screen.
Tap Log In , select the account to which you want to back up, then tap OK . A pop-up window will appear.
This gives the application permission to save messages to your Google account.
This is optional. If you want your messages to be saved to a new folder, type a name for that folder into the “Folder” blank.
If you want old backups to be deleted after a certain period of time, tap the drop-down menu under “Delete backups older than” and select a period of time. If not, select Do not delete .
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Select recurring backup options.
- If you’d like the application to back up your messages on a certain schedule, slide the switch to
  
  and select your desired schedule.
- To back up your messages just this one time, make sure the switch is set to
  
  .
It’s at the bottom-right corner of the screen. Your messages will now back up to the desired location.