This has probably been asked many times so I am just piling on, but is there an easy way to transfer text messages between phones? I recently switched from a Samsung Galaxy to a Motorola ThinkPhone (roughly the same specs as an S22 Ultra). Both Android OS but different manufacturers. I have done some Googling but can't seem to find a straight answer. Has anyone around here actually done this successfully? I'd would prefer to transfer the texts directly from phone to phone if possible and not use some third-party app.
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Transferring text messages from Android to Android
- Thread starter McClintoc
- Start date
In the past I have used super backup & restore, I've successfully done this with at least two phone transfers. https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.idea.backup.smscontacts&hl=en_US&gl=US&pli=1
I always preferred setting up phones fresh so I never bothered but surely Android has a method for migrating to a new phone built in, right? I'm using an iPhone now and I know Apple does. Heck it even supports moving from Android to iOS.
https://www.android.com/transfer-data-android-to-android/
https://www.android.com/transfer-data-android-to-android/
Mad Maxx
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You can back up and transfer all your texts, calls, apps, settings, media files, etc. through Google One. It's worked flawlessly for me since I started with it in 2020.
pendragon1
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back up to google drive and restore on new one? for text you do have to be using google message...
Nice, I didn't know it was included in the backup.
pendragon1
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thats what google says anyways...
I checked my backup and it does show it listed.
pendragon1
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Dopamin3
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https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.riteshsahu.SMSBackupRestore&hl=en_US&gl=US
I've used this countless times. It generates an xml file which you can transfer locally or it can upload to Google Drive. On the new phone use the same app to restore the xml file. It will temporarily take over default SMS app, and during restore you can choose to check for duplicates (unnecessary if the new phone has no texts but great if it already has some moved over e.g. from Google backup). After it restores open your normal SMS app and grant it default permissions, it might take a minute or two to rebuild the index but then you'll have 100% of everything.
Google Device backup for me has never fully restored my texts so I would never rely on that. I get you don't want to use an app but this works great and you can uninstall the app from both phones when you're done.
I've used this countless times. It generates an xml file which you can transfer locally or it can upload to Google Drive. On the new phone use the same app to restore the xml file. It will temporarily take over default SMS app, and during restore you can choose to check for duplicates (unnecessary if the new phone has no texts but great if it already has some moved over e.g. from Google backup). After it restores open your normal SMS app and grant it default permissions, it might take a minute or two to rebuild the index but then you'll have 100% of everything.
Google Device backup for me has never fully restored my texts so I would never rely on that. I get you don't want to use an app but this works great and you can uninstall the app from both phones when you're done.
Right, I was agreeing it was there, I just didn't know that it did that before now.
That was my go-to before finding it in Google's Drive Backup. I'll have to try Drive next time, but I'll have an SMS backup first.