Backup Android Text Messages to PC

Droid Transfer allows you to backup SMS and MMS messages from your Android phone to your computer. This is great for a variety of reasons: keeping data safe in case of device fault, getting a new phone, printing messages for legal reasons, or even as a means to retrieve deleted messages.

Quick Start: Export SMS to PDF

To backup a text message conversation on your Android device to a PDF, follow these steps...

  1. Download Droid Transfer and connect your Android device (Set up Droid Transfer)
  2. Click the "Messages" tab.
  3. Select a contact whose conversation you would like to save.
  4. Click "Save as PDF to PC" and select the location on your computer to save to.
Backup Android text messages

View and Search Android Messages from PC

Droid Transfer displays all messages from your Android device's default messaging app, such as Samsung Messages, Google's Messages app, etc. If you would like to access and backup messages from a different messaging app on your phone, you can do so by changing your default messaging app in the Settings on your device. For example, on a Samsung Galaxy S21, your default messaging app can be changed by going to Settings > Apps > Choose default apps > SMS app.

You can select conversations you wish to save, by clicking on a conversation with a contact, or a group chat in Droid Transfer. Alternatively, choose multiple conversations by holding down the Shift key and click to select the conversations you wish to save. To select all your conversation, simply use the Ctrl+A keyboard shortcut.

If you have a lot of messages, the "Search Messages" box in Droid Transfer allows you to quickly find a conversation you are wishing to backup. Use the Search box to search for a particular contact in your contact list by their name or telephone number, as well as searching for words in your text message conversations.

You can also to access or backup messages from certain dates, by using the "Set Dates" function. Simply set a lower and/or higher date boundary, and Droid Transfer will only display messages sent or received between those dates!

Backup SMS and MMS Messages to PC

Backup Texts Android - You have the option of saving messages as HTML, PDF or text files.

Backup Android text messages

Droid Transfer can access and copy your SMS (plain text messages), and MMS (multimedia messages which can contain photos, video, audio and emojis).

You can backup certain conversations by clicking a contact, or holding down the SHIFT key and clicking multiple contacts from the list of contacts, then selecting the format you wish to save your messages in:

  • "Save PDF" - Saves the conversation in a Portable Document Format (PDF).
  • "Save Text" - Saves the conversation as a simple text file.
  • "Save HTML" - Saves the conversation as a HTML file (viewable in browsers such as Google Chrome).

For each of the export formats, a file is created named after the contact with whom you have had a text message conversation. These exported files closely resemble your phone's display with messages displayed chronologically and dates/times of messages sent and received recorded.

Backing up all conversations

To backup all messages, click a "Save" button in Droid Transfer without selecting any of the conversations displayed in the software. You can also select all conversations by pressing CTRL+A on your keyboard, and click on a "Save" button in Droid Transfer.

You will then be prompted to choose a location on your computer to save to. Once you are happy with the location, hit "OK" to confirm!

Saving Images, Videos and Emojis in your messages

Different save options in Droid Transfer have different ways of saving media attached to your messages.

If you choose to save your messages to a HTML file, messages and emojis are embedded in the exported file. An additional separate folder is created containing copies of your photos, videos and any other files attached to your messages.

Saving messages to a PDF creates a PDF file containing your messages with images embedded in the conversation thread. Note that emojis are not supported in PDF export. If you require emojis in your PDF export format, please first export to HTML by clicking on "Save HTML", then open the exported HTML documents in your default web browser. Then go to "Print" within the browser and change the print destination to "Save as PDF" or "Microsoft PDF" depending upon your browser. Once changed to one of these options, pressing print will now convert the document to a PDF rather than physically printing the document. This PDF should then include your messages with images and emoji.

Video Guide: See Droid Transfer in Action

Troubleshooting Messages functionality in Droid Transfer

If you're having issues with connecting your Android device to your PC or backing up your messages, please see our support pages below:

The articles above provide detailed steps to help you resolve your issue, as well as info on how to get in touch with our support staff if you need further help.