[GUIDE] SMS Backup & Restore

[Paul627g]

SMS Backup & Restore

Your switching to a new device or you just want to save those important text conversations back and forth, you turn to SMS Backup & Restore. This application has been around now since I came onto the Android scene back over 3 years ago and is still in my opinion the best when it comes to accomplishing this task. The developer continually updates the app to stay in tune and even has provided contact & log reporting from within the app. The best part about the application is there is no need for rooting of your device!


Main Screen



As you can see from the shot above its a very plain and simple menu. No confusing options here



Performing a Backup



You are given two options. You can use the app's default location or pick one of your own. As seen in the picture it shows the set PATH.


Setting your own Backup File Name



Self explanatory, you can use the provided date/time stamp filename or create your own.


Completed Backup Process



You will get a completed screen showing the total number of messages/contacts saved and if there was any errors reported.


Restore a Backup



You will be shown the PATH and any backup's you have to choose from. More options are available, we will discuss this later.


Basic Restore Options



As shown you can restore everything on the file or you can choose a specific time frame to restore. Very handy.


Duplicate Check Option during Restore



This will do as it says and check for duplicates on restore. Helps keep your device neat and clean if your restoring over existing text messages.

Completed Restore



Just like performing a backup, on completion of restoring you will get a total count and if any failed during the process.


Help, Preferences, Send a File, Contact Dev & Log Report " Menu "



Entering this menu is done from the Main Screen, using your Menu key or the " 3 Dot " menu option in the upper right hand corner. We will focus on the Preferences option.

Preferences






Additional key preferences available such as option to backup to Google Drive, DropBox or Email a copy. There is also password protection to the files along with scheduled backup process. These are just a few of the options available.



Overall the application does the job and does it very efficiently. With options like backup to Google Drive or Dropbox this makes things even easier when swapping devices or in the event of a factory reset and worrying about losing your backup. The program has come a long way since its creation and the developer keeps in touch with the latest things such as use of cloud or external site services. This program is free and even has an option to disable in-app advertisements! It is also available in a Pro version with extra goodies.

Please note this app ONLY works for text ( SMS ) messages. MMS messages are NOT supported, most likely to avoid various media format conflicts if I had to guess.

https://forums.androidcentral.com/e...om.riteshsahu.SMSBackupRestore&token=8niwGW7W

​

 

[Golfdriver97]

Looks good.

From a Sprint Moto X using AC forums app

 

[rdubmu]

This is great, I would add on a link to this app in the store

 

[Paul627g]

This is great, I would add on a link to this app in the store

Link added

 

[Paul627g]

Just updated to support Android 4.4 KitKat.

 

[KARTHIMSC]

Hey, Thanks for the great app. It's Wonderful ! ! !
I have a problem in restoring my messages. Few days back i took backup of all my messages using this tool. i have around 5600 messages including duplicate messages. i took backup of all these messages using your tool. finally the total size was 368kb only and the file format is .xml as mentioned. when i tried to restore all those messages i got only 1122 messages got restored and that too old messages. i have messages from 2012 october to Till date in that backup file. i have tried to restore the messages using the date also, but still it's restoring only old messages only. could you please help me on this? I need all my messages back in my mobile. (Atleast the messages received or sent on 2014 i need current year messages) please let me know the solutions. I would really appreciate if you could help me on this.
Mobile model : Samsung Galaxy S Duos GT-S5830i
Android Version : 2.3.6
Total # of messages 5638 (including duplicate messages).
{Messages Restoring : 1122 messages only}
Total File Size is : 368kb
File type: 20141116134640.xml

 

[anon8380037]

I would also like to give an "Honorable Mention" for the other app:
SMS Backup+.

I had been using it since my first Android in 2012 and I love the easy way it works, integrating a new folder on the Gmail inbox so you can go back through old texts on a pc.

My personal preference, but either way - judging by the increasing plea's for help on the forums -

Have an SMS back up in place!

 

[GolfGuy25]

Can these backups be opened and viewed on a PC? Is there a specific program that is better to use to open these backup files?

 

[Golfdriver97]

Can these backups be opened and viewed on a PC? Is there a specific program that is better to use to open these backup files?

For the most part, I don't think so. It most likely will come up as a text file that will make no sense.

 

[Mvokeefe98]

Can these backups be opened and viewed on a PC? Is there a specific program that is better to use to open these backup files?

Si what program do you use on a pc??

 

[VanBCguy]

Can these backups be opened and viewed on a PC? Is there a specific program that is better to use to open these backup files?

I have had this appp for a long time now and I have the backups viewable to me on my phone, but I need to copy and paste an entire conversation to a PC. No proble, or so I thought. I followed the app storage pathway: sdcard/storage/emulated/0/SMSBackupRestore on my computer while viewing my attached phone and I can't find that pathway. It doesn't exist.

Help?

 

[VanBCguy]

Note to above: I can easily find the other backups in the SMSbackupandrestore folder but it isn't showing the backup I did today and as mentioned above, the storage pathway that the app shows isn't there. I can't find it no matter what route I take.

 

[libra89]

Is it possible to do this if your Phone doesn't support SD cards? My current phone has MM, and the phone I am switching to is on MM too. I wish that there was a way to just backup messages in the system itself.

Sent from mTalk

 

[tardus]

I deleted a single conversation by accident. Doing a restore and there's not an option to check for duplicates.
Is this something new? I'm on the latest version.

 

[tardus]

I deleted a single conversation by accident. Doing a restore and there's not an option to check for duplicates.
Is this something new? I'm on the latest version.

I found this:

This app is useless since Carbonite took out the "do not restore duplicates" option! You know how sms messages get split up, but their date remains the same down to the millisecond? Well now this app will not restore those! Only the messages with the exact same send time from the same sender do not get restored. Please, put back the "do not restore duplicates" option, and have it restore duplicates by default! This is the only app that handles mms the right way (until now). Transfering from Note 5 to S7 Edge. Thanks.

 

[Neale Partington]

The app lets you email the backup, so I did that, but even though the tags look like xml, nothing opens it in a clean fashion on a pc.

 

[Ruikee]

I love this App, but has anyone found a way to print out the backup .xml files that are uploaded to google drive? I really need to do this for a court case

 

[Gary Desmond]

I found it helpful when printing to a pdf to first change *.xml file name and save location. Also select the exact pages you would like to print. So I don't get unnecessary txt's for court.

Then browse your phones files and share the pdf to your email account. Works great...But kind of difficult to work thru initial conversion.

 

[ManiacJoe]

I love this App, but has anyone found a way to print out the backup .xml files that are uploaded to google drive? I really need to do this for a court case

Assuming the XSL files are in the same folder as the XML files, any web browser will show you the file in a form similar to a spreadsheet.
Alternatively, you can just load the XML into your favorite spreadsheet program.