# Need to download cell phone messages to another device(not a phone) **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [December 16, 2012, 3:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-to-download-cell-phone-messages-to-another-device-not-a-phone/644184 "2012-12-16T15:30:15Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2012, 3:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-to-download-cell-phone-messages-to-another-device-not-a-phone/644184/1 "2012-12-16T15:30:15Z")
Friend has a 5 year old cell phone. She upgraded to iphone 4 with her Verizon. Verizon says that they can’t upload saved messages from the old phone to iphone(not compatible?). Can she upload to some storage device and give her old phone to a family member? ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2012, 4:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-to-download-cell-phone-messages-to-another-device-not-a-phone/644184/2 "2012-12-16T16:05:36Z")
While you wait for a knowledgeable reply, I’d suggest asking Verizon again. I’m a long time Verizon customer and generally satisfied. _But_, on several occasions I’ve gotten extremely different answers to tech questions when I’ve asked different reps. _bunp_ ---
**Author:** ![needscoffee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/needscoffee/32/1076_2.png) [@needscoffee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/needscoffee)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2012, 5:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-to-download-cell-phone-messages-to-another-device-not-a-phone/644184/3 "2012-12-16T17:15:03Z")
If the phone is an Android, there are several apps that will back up texts to a new folder in her Google Mail account. _SMS Backup +_ is one. ---
**Author:** ![Scarlett67](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scarlett67/32/7387_2.png) [@Scarlett67](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scarlett67)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2012, 5:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-to-download-cell-phone-messages-to-another-device-not-a-phone/644184/4 "2012-12-16T17:19:20Z")
Sorry to be cliché, but there’s (probably) an app for that. I used one to download a text message conversation from my Android phone to my computer. I’m sure you could probably find one to do what you need. ---
**Author:** ![beowulff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beowulff/32/542_2.png) [@beowulff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beowulff)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2012, 5:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-to-download-cell-phone-messages-to-another-device-not-a-phone/644184/5 "2012-12-16T17:51:51Z")
A 5-year old phone is really, really unlikely to be an Android phone, since the first Android phone released in the US did so in 2008. ---
**Author:** ![needscoffee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/needscoffee/32/1076_2.png) [@needscoffee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/needscoffee)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2012, 6:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-to-download-cell-phone-messages-to-another-device-not-a-phone/644184/6 "2012-12-16T18:19:32Z")
> [@beowulff](#): > > A 5-year old phone is really, really unlikely to be an Android phone, since the first Android phone released in the US did so in 2008. I was afraid of that, but was too lazy to look it up. ---
**Author:** ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2012, 6:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-to-download-cell-phone-messages-to-another-device-not-a-phone/644184/7 "2012-12-16T18:49:32Z")
> [@beowulff](#): > > A 5-year old phone is really, really unlikely to be an Android phone, since the first Android phone released in the US did so in 2008. I almost positive her phone isn’t an android. ---
**Author:** ![moriah](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b2d939/32.png) [@moriah](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/moriah)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2012, 7:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-to-download-cell-phone-messages-to-another-device-not-a-phone/644184/8 "2012-12-16T19:00:55Z")
Check online to see if that phone has any syncing software to sync it to a PC. Once it’s on the PC, you may be able to massage the data. ---
**Author:** ![Digital\_is\_the\_new\_Analog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a88e4f/32.png) [@Digital\_is\_the\_new\_Analog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Digital_is_the_new_Analog)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2012, 7:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-to-download-cell-phone-messages-to-another-device-not-a-phone/644184/9 "2012-12-16T19:02:15Z")
> [@samclem](#): > > I almost positive her phone isn’t an android. Best I can do is “maybe”. Motorola phones, for instance, may allow you to download the messages via Motorola Phone Tools (MPT) I’m not sure what format they end up in. If you can find out the make/model of the phone, I might be able to ask around. -D/a ---
**Author:** ![beowulff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beowulff/32/542_2.png) [@beowulff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beowulff)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2012, 9:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-to-download-cell-phone-messages-to-another-device-not-a-phone/644184/10 "2012-12-16T21:08:35Z")
You might try the freeware “bitpim”