Much of the earth has moved on from SMS, merely it's still one of the most popular methods of sending messages in the US. Information technology's an unfortunate requirement here for many, and it nevertheless is given that it'south the fallback for whatever RCS chats you might already take. And if you're the data-hoarding type, so you might desire to keep those SMS messages around for afterward reference — either in cold storage or an easily accessed format. But fifty-fifty bringing them with you from device to device isn't actually that hard, and we're glad to walk you through the different ways to do information technology.

Of grade, Google's Pixels (and most other phones these days) include built-in SMS backup, also as a tool during the setup process for migrating letters over to a new phone, so allow's cover that kickoff.

Android's built-in SMS Backup

SMS backup Android 12

Pixels have automatic SMS backup.

Google Pixel phones have supported restoring backups since Android viii.i, assuasive you to automatically transfer central data from your old phone to your new telephone (including SMS messages) after the initial setup. Unfortunately, it's not a transmission process similar the other items on this list. It'southward merely available during the inital setup or if the "Finish setting up" screen is shown at the top of your settings panel afterwards. Tap that "Finish Setup" button, and information technology'll perform the same restoration maneuver it typically would on initial setup, which can include restoring previously backed-up SMS messages from your devices.

The data comes courtesy of Android's automatic backups, and they're stored on Google Drive. Fifty-fifty though there's a Google One branding attached in some places, you don't demand to pay a dime (unless you run out of Drive storage for other reasons, that is). You can view the backups (but non their contents) via the Google Drive or Google One Android apps, and the fill-in process equally a whole can be manually triggered in Settings (ordinarily Settings -> System -> Fill-in, but you can also just search for "Backup."). SMS backups created in this style can't be hands copied off or moved elsewhere, equally with dedicated apps, and they don't include MMS media.

Viewing the listing of automated backups in Google Drive.

The built-in organization is useful and automatic, merely without a way to manually trigger the restoration process or view the backed-up contents, it'southward of limited utility. For instance, you can't read those letters off-device, and you can't save them long-term — the backups eventually expire in Google Drive. In such cases, this automated organisation might not fit your needs, just there are alternatives.

There are a lot of individual apps for backing upward and restoring your SMS messages, but for the purposes of this discussion, we'll refer to two well-known and high-quality free apps nosotros've covered in the by: SMS Backup+ and SMS Fill-in & Restore. They both let you back up and pull down your letters with a bit more control than the stock arrangement, simply each is suited to a slightly different use instance.

SMS Backup+

SMS label in Gmail.

If yous're mostly interested in keeping your letters effectually somewhere (without necessarily having local access to them), then SMS Backup+ is probably your best choice. The app is open up source and allows you to automatically back up your SMS, MMS, and call history to your Gmail account, presenting your letters in that location in a convenient "SMS" label, laid out in the same format every bit email conversations, attainable anywhere via phone, calculator, or tablet.

SMS letters in conversation view on Gmail.

The app is gratuitous with in-app purchases, and although at that place was a couple year gap in updates, it however remained functional during that time (if somewhat dated looking). While the latest update happened dorsum in 2018, the app is over again still functional to this mean solar day, for the nearly part. Google killed the easy Gmail API access/login for the app ahead of said 2018 update, so the setup is a bit more boring now.

A few people have been experiencing bug with IMAP syncing in the stable version of SMS Backup+, then if you should meet these bug, exist certain to take hold of the newest beta version of the app instead — the UI surrounding the setup process is slightly unlike, but you'll demand to enter the same information as described here.

Enabling IMAP in Gmail.

First, some prep: You'll need to flip Gmail over to let IMAP access. The option is accessible from the Settings cog icon on the Gmail website in the corner -> See all settings -> Forwarding and POP/IMAP. There, select "Enable IMAP" and click "Salve Changes" at the bottom of the screen.

App passwords setting in your Google account.

Now we're going to make an app password for SMS Backup+. Go to security.google.com and select "App passwords." Y'all'll be prompted to sign in again.

Creating an app password with a custom name (above and beneath).

On the adjacent screen, there's a pair of driblet-down lists for categorizing the app countersign you're nearly to brand. Select "Other" from the left-most drop-down list and requite this password a descriptive proper name like "SMS Fill-in+" so you know what it's for if y'all see it later.

Click Generate.

The generated app password.

Google will give you a randomly generated sixteen grapheme password. Make a note of information technology, simply please treat this as advisedly equally your normal countersign. Don't write it on a post-it and stick it on your monitor or re-create it to Google Drive/Go along. It's a password that grants access to your Google account without the security of two-factor authentication, treat information technology as such.

Configuring SMS Backup+ for IMAP.

One time you have your password for SMS Backup+, install the app, fire it up, and jump past the changelog and permission screens (granting their requests) to go to the principal app. There, you lot tin can ignore the "Connect" switch, as that uses the old Gmail APIs, which are broken for the app. Instead, you'll need to tap "Advanced settings," and then "Custom IMAP server."

IMAP settings in SMS Backup+.

This takes you to the IMAP setup process. From here, tap "Authentication," and select "Plain text," which will allow you to enter your own information. Most of the default settings should be okay, then there are just a few changes to make, merely because the settings can sometimes be wrong, nosotros'll make sure they're all configured before we're done.

Tap "Server address" and set it to imap.gmail.com:993 and press "OK" so that the app knows where to log in — though the default setting should work. Then tap "Username" and enter your Gmail accost (i.e., someguy@gmail.com). Now tap "Password" and enter that app password we generated before, with no spaces. Tap "OK" when you are washed. Now double-check that the setting in the Security is ready to "TLS." It should be by default, but it'due south best to exist sure.

Backing up letters in SMS Backup+.

Once y'all're done with all that, back out to the app'south main screen and backups should exist working, though the "Connect" section for linking to a Gmail account will now be grayed out, since we're using the IMAP workaround. Tapping the "Fill-in" push at present should trigger a backup successfully.

Should you run into any issues, double-check that you followed the steps above precisely, that IMAP is enabled in Gmail, that security for login in SMS Backup+ is set to TLS, and that the server address (imap.gmail.com:993) is configured.

Y'all can set the app to automatically back up messages with a configurable schedule via the "Auto backup" checkbox and associated settings. I've always constitute the default settings, which back upward incoming letters every minute and outgoing messages every two hours, to exist fine. Data used by the app is pretty minimal, but if y'all are concerned, y'all can set information technology to only make backups on Wi-Fi. It's also able to broadcast an intent at the time of backup for 3rd-party app integration.

To make sure the backup procedure keeps running smoothly in the background, exempt the app from any battery-saving measures and, on Android 12 and higher, brand sure the app doesn't lose its permissions when you don't actively open it for months at a time. You'll become a arrangement notification one time or if that happens, and so be on the sentry for that.

The backup process for SMS Fill-in+ is pretty slow, especially over IMAP, merely since messages really but need to be backed up once — and since that can be washed as they come up in without y'all even noticing — it'southward non much of a problem. Information technology is much more than of a concern, however, if you lot programme on using the system to drift betwixt devices, as the restoration procedure is quite time-consuming.

In fact, if that's your intention, there's another app in this guide which might suit you a flake meliorate.

SMS Fill-in & Restore

SMS Fill-in & Restore has changed hands a few times in recent history. It was bought by Carbonite and later sold to SyncTech. Merely none of that really matters, information technology's just a proficient, free ad-supported app for exporting SMS and MMS letters in a single file.

On showtime launch, SMS Backup & Restore has a nice little walk through that explains which permissions information technology needs to asking and why, at which betoken it asks for the whole bundle at once before dumping yous on the main screen.

Backup setup process in SMS Backup & Restore.

The manual fill-in process is simple. Just tap "Set Upwardly A Backup" and follow the instructions. Be certain to go into the advanced carte du jour and select individual conversations if y'all don't want everything to be saved.

It then asks where y'all'd similar to shop the backup, with integration options for Google Drive, Dropbox, OneDrive, and local storage. Select whatever works for you. For example, Google Bulldoze is handy if you're maintaining the backup equally a static archive, while local storage might exist useful if you lot're flashing a new ROM, etc.

Fill-in setup process continued.

You tin can likewise set up scheduled backups, with old files beingness automatically removed. Simply without the advantage of deltas/incremental changes, in that location are some disadvantages. Those backup files can get pretty large if you lot have enough MMS or a few tens of thousands of SMS messages, and regular backups could burn down through data.

Honestly, I find the app more than suited to 1-time backups or migrations than regular schedules, particularly compared to SMS Backup+, but the option is there if you need it.

In one case you've got things set the way you want, tap "Back Upward Now," and y'all're off. One huge advantage: Compared to SMS Backup+, information technology's significantly faster, both when information technology comes to the backup process itself and the setup.

Restoration process in SMS Fill-in & Restore.

If you lot'd like to restore those backups on another device, swipe from the left border in to pull upward the navigation bill of fare and select "Restore," or you can use the "Transfer" option which sends files from app to app over Wi-Fi directly. If yous're performing a restore with a local file, brand certain information technology has been copied to the device.

Any method you choose, the process to pull messages back downwardly is easy, and the app is happy to walk you through locating the correct backup on internal or deject storage.

SMS Backup & Restore does take a little more functionality than I've explicitly described hither — similar the ability to perform and maintain scheduled backups. Just, personally, I observe the advantages of Gmail storage, chat view, and one-at-a-time backups in SMS Backup+ to exist a amend solution for that specific utilise case. With the larger backup sizes and no like shooting fish in a barrel way to view them online, SMS Fill-in & Restore is more than suited to former backups or migrations, in my opinion.

For our not-US based readers, I wouldn't be surprised if the discipline of SMS backups was viewed with a fleck of humour, but it'due south an unfortunate necessity here. RCS might be the future, but at that place are still some pitfalls and cross-platform incompatibilities that will make SMS relevant for a long time over here.

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