How to back up text messages (Android 4.1.2) without using an app?

[platinum_1234]

Hi, I have an old Android 4.1.2 Jelly Bean phone (LG-E410B). It is not joined to Google so there is no Play Store access (on purpose), so I won't be able to use an app for the following question (unless you know of one that's just an APK).

I regularly back up the photos and videos on it to my PC. I can manually copy contacts. However, I am wondering if there is a way to copy the text messages from the phone. I believe they are stored in some sort of database or file, which I was hoping to copy to my PC, but I can't find it. Would love to have these backed up in case something happens.

Thanks!

 

[mustang7757]

Hi, welcome to AC!
Thats going be very tough , you excluded playbstore and running a very very old andriod version that could be compatible with other applications.

See if any members can suggest anything .

 

[B. Diddy]

Welcome to Android Central! SMS messages are stored in an SQLite database file in a protected system directory, so in order to backup that information, you'd have to root the phone (and I'm not sure what you'd do with that SQLite database after you've copied it somewhere).

 

[platinum_1234]

Thank you for the replies! I tried to root my phone using KingoRoot (APK) but it wouldn't install. It said it "could not parse the package" or something similar. Probably because my phone is too old. I also tried the PC version on Windows 10, but Windows said it had a virus and wouldn't run it.

However, that sounds like what I want to do. As for your question what would I do with it, presumably I could copy it to another phone eventually, and even if not, my primary computer runs Linux so I could just install SQLite if I needed to access any data.

And FWIW, I installed the LG program (PC Suite) and it allows to "sync" and "back up" my phone, but it requires a Google account and can only sync/back up contacts, calendar, and media files - not text messages. Why are phone companies so useless? Some people want to save old text messages (for example, from a family member or friend who has passed away) and I'm really surprised by how difficult it is. [/rant]

Thank you for the help!

 

[mustang7757]

Thank you for the replies! I tried to root my phone using KingoRoot (APK) but it wouldn't install. It said it "could not parse the package" or something similar. Probably because my phone is too old. I also tried the PC version on Windows 10, but Windows said it had a virus and wouldn't run it.

However, that sounds like what I want to do. As for your question what would I do with it, presumably I could copy it to another phone eventually, and even if not, my primary computer runs Linux so I could just install SQLite if I needed to access any data.

And FWIW, I installed the LG program (PC Suite) and it allows to "sync" and "back up" my phone, but it requires a Google account and can only sync/back up contacts, calendar, and media files - not text messages. Why are phone companies so useless? Some people want to save old text messages (for example, from a family member or friend who has passed away) and I'm really surprised by how difficult it is. [/rant]

Thank you for the help!

I agree it shouldn't be that difficult but unfortunately it is . Now everything gets backed up to cloud servers and it doesn't look like it will change thats the future how things will be done and older phones will be left behind .

 

[ManiacJoe]

Some people want to save old text messages (for example, from a family member or friend who has passed away) and I'm really surprised by how difficult it is.

Backing up text messages is not that difficult at all. Unfortunately, you have chosen to exclude all the easy ways to do it, using apps.

 

[platinum_1234]

Thanks everyone, I got it sorted.

My question title ended up being misleading. I meant "without a Google account" i.e. Play Store. It wasn't that I didn't want to use an app, and that's actually what I ended up doing in the end.

In case it helps anyone else, here's what I did. After a lot of research, I found there's a free app called "SMS Backup & Restore". You can download the APK (my phone is old enough that the browser doesn't work on most websites due to not having TLS, so I downloaded it onto my PC and transferred it via cable. This method works just as well!) This is the one I used for Android 4.1.2: https://www.apkmirror.com/apk/synct...s-backup-restore-9-75-1-android-apk-download/ but there are also newer versions, of course.

I just ran this file with my Package Manager, it installed the app, and I was able to backup all of my text messages very easily. They save in an XML file, which I've now copied to my PC. Gonna write a little program so I can browse them on my computer I can also transfer them to any other Android phone of any version with the same app.

I wasted a lot of time downloading desktop programs that were supposed to be able to back up text messages and were advertised as free downloads, but once you download and install the program, you find out it's just trialware and it will actually cost you upwards of $70 USD/year to use! Don't bother with those unless your phone is otherwise unusable, SMS Backup & Restore works great

 

[mustang7757]

Thanks everyone, I got it sorted.

My question title ended up being misleading. I meant "without a Google account" i.e. Play Store. It wasn't that I didn't want to use an app, and that's actually what I ended up doing in the end.

In case it helps anyone else, here's what I did. After a lot of research, I found there's a free app called "SMS Backup & Restore". You can download the APK (my phone is old enough that the browser doesn't work on most websites due to not having TLS, so I downloaded it onto my PC and transferred it via cable. This method works just as well!) This is the one I used for Android 4.1.2: https://www.apkmirror.com/apk/synct...s-backup-restore-9-75-1-android-apk-download/ but there are also newer versions, of course.

I just ran this file with my Package Manager, it installed the app, and I was able to backup all of my text messages very easily. They save in an XML file, which I've now copied to my PC. Gonna write a little program so I can browse them on my computer I can also transfer them to any other Android phone of any version with the same app.

I wasted a lot of time downloading desktop programs that were supposed to be able to back up text messages and were advertised as free downloads, but once you download and install the program, you find out it's just trialware and it will actually cost you upwards of $70 USD/year to use! Don't bother with those unless your phone is otherwise unusable, SMS Backup & Restore works great

Ahh great , if you told us in beginning we could of recommend something, but your happy that's what counts

 

[ManiacJoe]

Good choice with "SMS Backup & Restore".

 

[platinum_1234]

@mustang7757 - I did (It was in the question body though, not the title).
@ManiacJoe - thanks! Yes, it saves everything in an XML file, which is nice. I wrote a little program for my PC so I can read the backup texts on my computer. Just in case!

 

[mustang7757]

@mustang7757 - I did (It was in the question body though, not the title).
@ManiacJoe - thanks! Yes, it saves everything in an XML file, which is nice. I wrote a little program for my PC so I can read the backup texts on my computer. Just in case!

 

[bobobo3]

Backup your text messages to google drive.
Launch the Settings app from your home screen.
Tap on Google, choose text messages to backup.

 

[B. Diddy]

That won't work for a Jellybean device, unfortunately.

 

[Kizzy Catwoman]

I use sms backup and restore. Excellent app

 

[Leterel]

Hello everyone,

I just registered to say that I was able to backup the text messages on Google Drive from a LG Optimus L1II (Android 4.1.2)
to download it back to a Wiko Lenny 5 W_K400 also from Google drive (Android 8.1.2).

 

[B. Diddy]

Welcome to Android Central, and thanks for the input!