How to export Android messages with forensic details

Key features that Droid Transfer provides for forensic documents

• Numeric message identifiers: Assign a number to each message in the conversation for easy reference.
• Bates numbering: Add sequential Bates numbering to exported PDF pages to help locate and organise documents.
• Bates custom prefix: Add a personalised prefix to Bates numbering, such as case or document references.
• Forensic footer: Include device information, export dates, and add your device's serial number.
• Sender details: Display your own name and/or phone number above sent messages.
• PDF page numbering: Include simple page numbering when Bates numbering is not required.

How to export Android messages with forensic details

1: Download and install Droid Transfer on your computer, then launch the software. You will also need to download Transfer Companion on your Android device and launch it too.

2: Click on Settings in Droid Transfer, then select Messages.

3: Under Forensic Options, enable your preferred settings. See the forensic settings section below for more information.

4: Connect your Android device and open Messages in the left sidebar to view your messages.

5: Select a conversation, then click Save as PDF above it or choose another export format.

6: Choose your save destination and save the conversation.

Note: Forensic details are available when exporting messages to PDF, HTML, CSV and TXT formats. PDF is recommended for printable documents, particularly when using Bates numbering or page numbering, which are specific to PDF exports.

Examples of conversation exports with and without forensic details

The screenshots below compare a standard conversation export with one containing additional forensic details from Droid Transfer. To create a similar export, see our recommended settings at the end of this article.

Standard Message Export

Message Export with Forensic Details

Customising your forensic message exports

This section explains the settings available in Droid Transfer and how each affects the exported document. You can access these settings via Settings > Messages. See our Messages settings guide for a full overview. The screenshot below shows the forensic settings.

Footer Style

Use the drop-down menu to add an extended forensic footer to the final page of the exported conversation. This includes additional device information and the export date. The screenshot above shows where to enter these details. You can also select None to remove this footer.

Use custom device serial number

On devices running Android 10 or later, the device's serial number (S/N) may not be included automatically due to Android's restrictions on accessing device identifiers. If Droid Transfer cannot retrieve the serial number, you can enter it manually under Forensic Options, as shown in the settings screenshot above. The entered serial number will then be included in the Extended forensic footer of your exported messages. To see how to find your device's serial number, please see this guidance.

Standard:

Shows the device name and the time and date the document was exported.

Extended:

Shows more detailed information, including your Android device's serial number (S/N).

Numeric message identifiers

Select the "Include numeric message identifiers" option under Forensic Options to add sequential numbers to individual messages within a conversation, making them easier to identify and reference in exported documents.

The screenshots below compare messages with and without numeric identifiers. The identifiers are highlighted in red in the second screenshot.

Without Message Identifiers

With Message Identifiers

Bates numbering

Select Include Bates numbering in PDF export within Forensic Options to add sequential page identifiers to exported PDFs, making individual pages easier to identify and reference. Here are the settings used for the example screenshots in the Bates numbering and Bates custom prefix sections.

Bates numbering appears in the footer of each page.

Bates custom prefix

Allows you to add a prefix to each Bates number. Bates numbering restarts for each new export, so we recommend using a different prefix for each export to ensure that every exported page has a unique reference.

Your custom prefix appears before each Bates number, as highlighted in red below.

Include details above sent messages

Add your name and telephone number manually to display them above each sent message, making the sender easier to identify. The screenshot below shows where to enable these settings and the values used in our examples.

The screenshots below show sent messages with a name only and with both a name and phone number. The changes are highlighted in red.

Name

Name and phone number

PDF page numbering

Enable this option to add page numbers to exported PDFs. For more information on saving messages as PDF, see our PDF export guide.

Note: Bates numbering takes priority over standard PDF page numbering. If Bates numbering is enabled, it overrides the PDF Page Numbering setting.

Page numbers appear in the footer of each page, as highlighted in red below.

Recommended settings

We recommend the following settings when exporting messages with forensic details. These options provide the most comprehensive identification and device information available within Droid Transfer, making exported conversations easier to organise, reference, and review for forensic or legal purposes. Also see our page on how to print your messages for court.

Important: If you need messages for legal proceedings, check the requirements with your lawyer, court or legal adviser. Please note that although we have been told by our customers that they have successfully used TouchCopy and Droid Transfer to print messages and present them as evidence in court, we don't have access to details of any such cases or any involvement with any of the cases. Additionally, Wide Angle Software cannot guarantee the forensic accuracy of any data recovered while using our products.