[GUIDE] SMS Backup & Restore

Paul627g

AC Moderator All-Star
Moderator
Nov 25, 2010
15,963
2,752
0
Visit site
Screenshot_2013-10-17-14-24-56.jpg
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

Screenshot_2013-10-17-14-25-35.jpg

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



Performing a Backup

Screenshot_2013-10-17-14-53-28.jpg

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

Screenshot_2013-10-17-14-53-35.jpg

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


Completed Backup Process

Screenshot_2013-10-17-15-37-55.png

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


Restore a Backup

Screenshot_2013-10-17-14-54-14.jpg

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

Screenshot_2013-10-17-14-54-25.jpg

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

Screenshot_2013-10-17-14-54-49.png

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

Screenshot_2013-10-17-16-07-42.png

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 "

Screenshot_2013-10-17-14-55-33_2.png

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

Screenshot_2013-10-17-14-55-41.pngScreenshot_2013-10-17-14-56-23.png

Screenshot_2013-10-17-14-56-41.pngScreenshot_2013-10-17-14-56-33.png


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

 
Last edited:

Paul627g

AC Moderator All-Star
Moderator
Nov 25, 2010
15,963
2,752
0
Visit site
Just updated to support Android 4.4 KitKat.

va5e2yhu.jpg
 

KARTHIMSC

New member
Nov 18, 2014
1
0
0
Visit site
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

Well-known member
Dec 25, 2013
5,171
0
0
Visit site
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!
 

VanBCguy

Active member
Dec 26, 2013
41
0
0
Visit site
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

Active member
Dec 26, 2013
41
0
0
Visit site
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

Well-known member
Jan 29, 2016
1,675
0
36
Visit site
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

Well-known member
May 26, 2014
1,273
0
0
Visit site
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

Well-known member
May 26, 2014
1,273
0
0
Visit site
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.
 

Ruikee

Active member
Mar 14, 2016
38
0
0
Visit site
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

New member
Nov 30, 2016
1
0
0
Visit site
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

Trusted Member
Aug 5, 2015
6,326
3
38
Visit site
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.
 

Trending Posts

Forum statistics

Threads
942,397
Messages
6,913,869
Members
3,158,394
Latest member
cyari6908