# Copying text messages into desktop computer **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [December 16, 2017, 4:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/copying-text-messages-into-desktop-computer/804653 "2017-12-16T16:57:52Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 18\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![dougie\_monty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/439d5e/32.png) [@dougie\_monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dougie_monty)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2017, 4:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/copying-text-messages-into-desktop-computer/804653/1 "2017-12-16T16:57:52Z")
How does one do this? I tried the procedure I use for pictures, and that doesn’t work. ---
**Author:** ![Francis\_Vaughan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/francis_vaughan/32/3093_2.png) [@Francis\_Vaughan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Francis_Vaughan)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2017, 5:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/copying-text-messages-into-desktop-computer/804653/2 "2017-12-16T17:04:23Z")
Operating system? Messaging program? etc… ---
**Author:** ![dougie\_monty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/439d5e/32.png) [@dougie\_monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dougie_monty)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2017, 5:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/copying-text-messages-into-desktop-computer/804653/3 "2017-12-16T17:35:48Z")
Explanation: I connect a cord between the Smartphone and the desktop computer, following the procedure I use for transferring pictures, only I have the phone set to the text-message application. But what gets transferred is the display on the phone’s screen that corresponds to the monitor’s “wallpaper” display on the desktop computer. ---
**Author:** ![DPRK](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4491bb/32.png) [@DPRK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DPRK)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2017, 5:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/copying-text-messages-into-desktop-computer/804653/4 "2017-12-16T17:40:44Z")
If you want to transfer your text message as a picture, instead of as text, then you need to first display the text message on your phone and take a screenshot. (The exact combination of buttons to press to take a screenshot depends on your model of phone and operating system.) ---
**Author:** ![Grrr](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grrr/32/146_2.png) [@Grrr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grrr)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2017, 5:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/copying-text-messages-into-desktop-computer/804653/5 "2017-12-16T17:48:47Z")
If it’s just a particular text you want, you can do a screen capture on your phone and then just email it to yourself. If you are trying to archive ALL your texts, there are apps in the Play Store that will copy every texts that you get and then send them to an SMS file in your email. (Most these apps work retroactively. So when you install it, it gives you the option to take all the texts currently on your phone, and then send them to your email.) ---
**Author:** ![dougie\_monty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/439d5e/32.png) [@dougie\_monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dougie_monty)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2017, 5:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/copying-text-messages-into-desktop-computer/804653/6 "2017-12-16T17:51:57Z")
> [@Grrr](#): > > If it’s just a particular text you want, you can do a screen capture on your phone and then just email it to yourself. > If you are trying to archive ALL your texts, there are apps in the Play Store that will copy every texts that you get and then send them to an SMS file in your email. (Most these apps work retroactively. So when you install it, it gives you the option to take all the texts currently on your phone, and then send them to your email.) Thanx 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![dougie\_monty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/439d5e/32.png) [@dougie\_monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dougie_monty)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2017, 6:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/copying-text-messages-into-desktop-computer/804653/7 "2017-12-16T18:01:26Z")
> [@Grrr](#): > > If it’s just a particular text you want, you can do a screen capture on your phone and then just email it to yourself. > If you are trying to archive ALL your texts, there are apps in the Play Store that will copy every texts that you get and then send them to an SMS file in your email. (Most these apps work retroactively. So when you install it, it gives you the option to take all the texts currently on your phone, and then send them to your email.) Actually, there are two specific people–a brother and a sister–whose text messages I want to copy into my desktop computer. Some of these messages go back several years. ---
**Author:** ![echoreply](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/echoreply/32/3641_2.png) [@echoreply](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/echoreply)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2017, 6:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/copying-text-messages-into-desktop-computer/804653/8 "2017-12-16T18:27:25Z")
This is all on Android. I use [SMS Backup](https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.riteshsahu.SMSBackupRestore)to create a backup of my text messages. It can upload them to a cloud account, or leave it as a file on your phone. This is an XML file, and though it is plain text, it is not really human readable, and isn’t exactly what you’re asking for. It does make a backup, which can be reloaded if you get a new phone, or otherwise clear your old messages. Another option is [pushbullet](https://www.pushbullet.com/) which is a combination of an extension for your desktop browser (it works best in Chrome) and an app on your phone. Among other things, it lets you text through the browser on your desktop. As a by product of that, it will show in your browser all of your old texts. That also might not be exactly what you want, but it does put the text of your messages on your desktop in a way that can be read and copied. This is not a backup, it’s just showing what’s on your phone. I think both of those things have paid tiers, but I’ve never needed them, as the free levels do what I need. ---
**Author:** ![mr\_horsepower](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/eb8c5e/32.png) [@mr\_horsepower](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mr_horsepower)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2017, 7:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/copying-text-messages-into-desktop-computer/804653/9 "2017-12-16T19:18:08Z")
> [@echoreply](#): > > This is all on Android. I use [SMS Backup](https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.riteshsahu.SMSBackupRestore)to create a backup of my text messages. It can upload them to a cloud account, or leave it as a file on your phone. This is an XML file, and though it is plain text, it is not really human readable, and isn’t exactly what you’re asking for. It does make a backup, which can be reloaded if you get a new phone, or otherwise clear your old messages. i use that app too & really like it. to expand on this, you can make a really nice pdf file of any message(s) you want by first archiving or saving the messages and then, when you open up the archive from within the app, you select the conversation & then select print. it then gives the option to save it as a pdf file. then you can email that to yourself & retrieve it from your home computer. ---
**Author:** ![Cartooniverse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cartooniverse/32/3084_2.png) [@Cartooniverse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cartooniverse)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2017, 8:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/copying-text-messages-into-desktop-computer/804653/10 "2017-12-16T20:43:35Z")
> [@echoreply](#): > > This is all on Android. I use [SMS Backup](https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.riteshsahu.SMSBackupRestore)to create a backup of my text messages. I installed this app. It demanded 100% access to all email accounts and ALL of my Contacts. So I uninstalled it. No software is going to get that, sorry. Pity. I could use a secure method of saving my SMS and MMS messages. ---
**Author:** ![Crazyhorse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crazyhorse/32/31_2.png) [@Crazyhorse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crazyhorse)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2017, 9:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/copying-text-messages-into-desktop-computer/804653/11 "2017-12-16T21:18:04Z")
> [@Cartooniverse](#): > > I installed this app. It demanded 100% access to all email accounts and ALL of my Contacts. So I uninstalled it. No software is going to get that, sorry. > > Pity. I could use a secure method of saving my SMS and MMS messages. It’s going to be pretty difficult to find an app that will back up your texts and email them to you without having access to your texts, email, and contacts. To do this manually is certainly possible, just very tedious. You can open each text, copy it, and paste it into an email to yourself including who it is from/to, the date and time, etc. For whatever reason Android doesn’t back up text messages when you do a full back up of your phone. So a third-party app, or a lot of manual labor, is required if you want to save copies of them. Alternatively you can switch to an iPhone which includes text messages in its regular backups. ---
**Author:** ![Cartooniverse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cartooniverse/32/3084_2.png) [@Cartooniverse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cartooniverse)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2017, 9:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/copying-text-messages-into-desktop-computer/804653/12 "2017-12-16T21:24:00Z")
> [@Crazyhorse](#): > > It’s going to be pretty difficult to find an app that will back up your texts and email them to you without having access to your texts, email, and **contacts**. > > To do this manually is certainly possible, just very tedious. You can open each text, copy it, and paste it into an email to yourself including who it is from/to, the date and time, etc. > > For whatever reason Android doesn’t back up text messages when you do a full back up of your phone. So a third-party app, or a lot of manual labor, is required if you want to save copies of them. > > Alternatively you can switch to an iPhone which includes text messages in its regular backups. My Bolding. Interesting that you wrote the sentence that way. I want to back up text messages. Not email. And no contacts. I found an app that does exactly that without demanding access to my email account or Contacts. For Android it’s called SMS Backup. Just ran it. Worked as advertised. ---
**Author:** ![Crazyhorse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crazyhorse/32/31_2.png) [@Crazyhorse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crazyhorse)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2017, 9:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/copying-text-messages-into-desktop-computer/804653/13 "2017-12-16T21:30:25Z")
> [@echoreply](#): > > This is all on Android. I use [SMS Backup](https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.riteshsahu.SMSBackupRestore)to create a backup of my text messages. > [@Cartooniverse](#): > > I installed this app. It demanded 100% access to all email accounts and ALL of my Contacts. So I uninstalled it. . > [@Cartooniverse](#): > > My Bolding. Interesting that you wrote the sentence that way. I want to back up text messages. Not email. And no contacts. > > I found an app that does exactly that without demanding access to my email account or Contacts. For Android it’s called SMS Backup. 😕 ---
**Author:** ![mr\_horsepower](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/eb8c5e/32.png) [@mr\_horsepower](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mr_horsepower)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2017, 10:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/copying-text-messages-into-desktop-computer/804653/14 "2017-12-16T22:47:25Z")
> [@Cartooniverse](#): > > My Bolding. Interesting that you wrote the sentence that way. I want to back up text messages. Not email. And no contacts. > > I found an app that does exactly that without demanding access to my email account or Contacts. For Android it’s called SMS Backup. Just ran it. Worked as advertised. you realize the same app you ‘discovered’ is the same one you thought so poorly of, right? ---
**Author:** ![mr\_horsepower](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/eb8c5e/32.png) [@mr\_horsepower](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mr_horsepower)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2017, 10:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/copying-text-messages-into-desktop-computer/804653/15 "2017-12-16T22:58:16Z")
> [@dougie\_monty](#): > > Actually, there are two specific people–a brother and a sister–whose text messages I want to copy into my desktop computer. Some of these messages go back several years. be sure to check out the mentioned app & what I’d said about the pdf file. it has a real nice format to it, with the messages reading just like they do on a phone. it’s got the time & date info right there too. for conversations of any length it’s much better than simple screenshots. ---
**Author:** ![Cartooniverse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cartooniverse/32/3084_2.png) [@Cartooniverse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cartooniverse)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2017, 9:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/copying-text-messages-into-desktop-computer/804653/16 "2017-12-17T09:28:07Z")
> [@mr\_horsepower](#): > > you realize the same app you ‘discovered’ is the same one you thought so poorly of, right? Not in the least. Different author. Different name. Different control panel. No demand for access to Contacts or Mail. Sent from my SM-N910V using Tapatalk ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2017, 12:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/copying-text-messages-into-desktop-computer/804653/17 "2017-12-17T12:34:44Z")
> [@Cartooniverse](#): > > Not in the least. > Different author. > Different name. > Different control panel. > No demand for access to Contacts or Mail. > > Sent from my SM-N910V using Tapatalk You wrote that both were named “SMS Backup” with no further elaboration. Can you perhaps tell us which is which then so we can get the good one too? ---
**Author:** ![mr\_horsepower](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/eb8c5e/32.png) [@mr\_horsepower](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mr_horsepower)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2017, 12:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/copying-text-messages-into-desktop-computer/804653/18 "2017-12-17T12:41:43Z")
> [@Cartooniverse](#): > > Not in the least. > Different author. > Different name. > Different control panel. > No demand for access to Contacts or Mail. > > Sent from my SM-N910V using Tapatalk ohhh, ok. see, when i clicked on the link you initially provided for it, it took me to . . … nowhere. because there was no link.