Until Android 8.0 Oreo it was not possible to save your SMS locally (if you have a Nexus, Pixel or smartphone running Android One). In this tutorial, we will show you how to start the process using the Google Play Store SMS Backup & Restore app and how to do it through the system menus if you are using Android Oreo and have a smartphone compatible with SMS backup.
SMS Backup & Restore: How to save your SMS on PC
To backup your SMS on PC with SMS Backup & Restore:
- Download SMS Backup & Restore by clicking this link
- Launch the app from your smartphone
- Go to the three horizontal lines in the upper left
- To touch save now
- Various options are displayed for choosing the location – you may need to connect to a cloud service if this is the location you chose
- Check SMS and/or MMS
- To touch To protect bottom left
Then you have a few options: you can save your SMS locally or in Google Drive or any cloud service. This backup contains the MMS if you have selected the corresponding option. In case of a local backup, it is very easy to transfer the file to your PC via USB cable. If you have chosen cloud storage, all you have to do is access the service from your computer and upload the .xml file.
How to read your text messages on PC
Messages are saved in a standardized xml format. This file type can be opened by many programs. If you don’t want to download a potentially malicious third-party program, choose Excel or OpenCalc for example (you should then delete unnecessary columns and force a line break to make it easier to read).
How to restore your SMS
On your new smartphone:
- Download SMS Backup & Restore by clicking this link
- Launch the app from your smartphone
- Go to the three horizontal lines in the upper left
- To touch reinstate
- Various options are displayed for choosing the location – you may need to connect to a cloud service if this is the location you chose
- Check SMS and/or MMS
- To touch reinstate bottom left
Android 8.0+ Oreo: How to save your SMS on PC
Since Android Oreo (8.0), it’s finally possible to save your SMS locally to Google Drive. Finally… if you have a Pixel, Nexus or Android One smartphone and some other (but not all) smartphones. It is unclear why this feature, which is not tied to a specific hardware device, is not available to all users of this version of Android. However, if you are in this situation:
- enter inside Settings > Backup
- check option SMS if you see it
From now on, your SMS will be automatically saved in your Google Drive. Note that the feature does not back up MMS and it is not possible to view the contents of the backup outside of your smartphone. But this solution has one advantage: once you connect your Google account to your new smartphone, your text messages will be restored automatically.
