# Saving all text messages **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [December 27, 2009, 7:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/saving-all-text-messages/522724 "2009-12-27T19:35:38Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 17\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![commasense](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/commasense/32/3017_2.png) [@commasense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/commasense)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2009, 7:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/saving-all-text-messages/522724/1 "2009-12-27T19:35:38Z")
I’ve just entered the world of texting, and I’m annoyed by the fact that text messages are so ephemeral. I’d like to save all of them (incoming and outgoing) to my computer as a matter of course, but my phone won’t let me. I’m on Verizon Wireless, and using an old and basic phone with no QWERTY keyboard and little memory. Verizon tech support says that there is no way to automatically save all texts, either for download from their Web site, or from the phone directly into a computer. The only option would be to forward every individual text to an e-mail address. Although possible, this would obviously be highly inconvenient. I’m considering upgrading my phone, and want to know if 1) the rep I spoke to is right, or if there may be some way within the Verizon system to archive all texts to my computer automatically, or 2) if any other wireless providers or handsets provide this capability. Thanks. ---
**Author:** ![Dog80](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/6bbea6/32.png) [@Dog80](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dog80)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2009, 9:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/saving-all-text-messages/522724/2 "2009-12-27T21:11:04Z")
If saving those messages is important for you then maybe you should buy a new phone. All modern Nokias for example, even the cheapest models, can be hooked to a computer via USB and have SMS and contacts copied to the computer ---
**Author:** ![commasense](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/commasense/32/3017_2.png) [@commasense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/commasense)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2009, 9:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/saving-all-text-messages/522724/3 "2009-12-27T21:34:52Z")
Thanks, I thought that might be possible, although it’s less desirable than a Web-based option, since it requires regular action on my part, and could result in some data loss if I don’t download before the phone’s memory or message limit is exceeded. ---
**Author:** ![Dog80](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/6bbea6/32.png) [@Dog80](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dog80)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2009, 9:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/saving-all-text-messages/522724/4 "2009-12-27T21:58:26Z")
My rather basic [Nokia 3600 slide](http://europe.nokia.com/find-products/devices/nokia-3600-slide/specifications) came with a 512 megabyte microSD card. You’ll need several thousands if not millions of text messages to fill 512 megabytes. 🆒 ---
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2009, 2:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/saving-all-text-messages/522724/5 "2009-12-28T02:02:41Z")
I THINK Google Voice will do what you want. You may or may not have to change phone numbers. Here’s a [help topic](http://www.google.com/support/voice/bin/answer.py?hl=en&answer=160203) on SMS to email…but you’ll want to poke around the help a little more to see if it’s something you’d want to use. ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2009, 2:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/saving-all-text-messages/522724/6 "2009-12-28T02:12:47Z")
What make/model phone do you have? ---
**Author:** ![Serenata67](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/serenata67/32/10646_2.png) [@Serenata67](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Serenata67)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2009, 3:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/saving-all-text-messages/522724/7 "2009-12-28T03:57:42Z")
I used to keep all my texts… but I realized most of them are just junk. I go through about once every couple weeks and delete the ones that aren’t worth keeping… which is most of them. ---
**Author:** ![commasense](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/commasense/32/3017_2.png) [@commasense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/commasense)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2009, 3:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/saving-all-text-messages/522724/8 "2009-12-28T15:04:06Z")
> [@jjimm](#): > > What make/model phone do you have? LG UX440. I’m still playing around with its limited capabilities, and successfully sent a text to e-mail, so that’s my plan C: set up a special e-mail account just for texts. > [@Serenata67](#): > > I used to keep all my texts… but I realized most of them are just junk. I go through about once every couple weeks and delete the ones that aren’t worth keeping… which is most of them. I’m sort of a stickler when it comes to keeping records. I keep pretty much all my e-mails, since there’s basically no cost to do so, and I’d like to be as complete with texts, if I can do it easily and cheaply. I found spy software that works on some smartphones, but it costs $50/quarter, more than I’m interested in paying for this function. ---
**Author:** ![CookingWithGas](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cookingwithgas/32/485_2.png) [@CookingWithGas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CookingWithGas)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2009, 5:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/saving-all-text-messages/522724/9 "2009-12-28T17:54:08Z")
I am on Verizon Wireless. I have an LG NVTouch with an SD card. You can save only photos and sounds on the card, not contacts or text messages. My daughter’s LG Voyager works the same way. We had to have her phone replaced under warranty and the tech folks in the store said there was no way to save text messages on a card or to a computer, that the only option was to forward them to an email address. Carriers tend to have very similar feature sets across phone platforms so I doubt switching to a different Verizon phone would solve the problem, although the Droid may do it. ETA: > [@Dog80](#): > > My rather basic [Nokia 3600 slide](http://europe.nokia.com/find-products/devices/nokia-3600-slide/specifications) came with a 512 megabyte microSD card. You’ll need several thousands if not millions of text messages to fill 512 megabytes. 🆒 That model is for GSM networks (who is your carrier?) so will generally have different types of features than those found on a Verizon Wireless phone. ---
**Author:** ![Frylock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ce7236/32.png) [@Frylock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frylock)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2009, 6:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/saving-all-text-messages/522724/10 "2009-12-28T18:03:14Z")
The GQ having been answered, I hope a bit of IMHO is okay in the thread. I think I’ve never sent or received a text that I would consider worth saving. It strikes me as the kind of thing texting just isn’t _for_. The kind of stuff I might want to archive happens in email. Can I ask, what is it that you’re texting that you think you might need to refer back to in coming years? ---
**Author:** ![commasense](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/commasense/32/3017_2.png) [@commasense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/commasense)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2009, 6:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/saving-all-text-messages/522724/11 "2009-12-28T18:18:37Z")
> [@Frylock](#): > > The GQ having been answered, I hope a bit of IMHO is okay in the thread. I think there’s room for more answers… > [@](#): > > I think I’ve never sent or received a text that I would consider worth saving. It strikes me as the kind of thing texting just isn’t _for_. The kind of stuff I might want to archive happens in email. > > Can I ask, what is it that you’re texting that you think you might need to refer back to in coming years? I’ve started texting because I now have a special friend who prefers it to most other modes of communication. As such, these texts document the development of this new relationship. Sorry \*your \*life is so boring. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![commasense](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/commasense/32/3017_2.png) [@commasense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/commasense)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2009, 6:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/saving-all-text-messages/522724/12 "2009-12-28T18:21:47Z")
Oh, and it turns out that when I forward a text to e-mail, it cuts off after 140 characters. Very annoying. So I’m still looking for another method. ---
**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 28, 2009, 6:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/saving-all-text-messages/522724/13 "2009-12-28T18:36:23Z")
OMG! Cn U C rdng ths msgs in 10 yrs? ---
**Author:** ![commasense](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/commasense/32/3017_2.png) [@commasense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/commasense)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2009, 6:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/saving-all-text-messages/522724/14 "2009-12-28T18:46:43Z")
I’m a writer. I don’t do l337! ---
**Author:** ![Frylock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ce7236/32.png) [@Frylock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frylock)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2009, 8:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/saving-all-text-messages/522724/15 "2009-12-28T20:18:03Z")
> [@commasense](#): > > Sorry \*your \*life is so boring. 😃 Charming. ---
**Author:** ![commasense](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/commasense/32/3017_2.png) [@commasense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/commasense)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2009, 8:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/saving-all-text-messages/522724/16 "2009-12-28T20:20:11Z")
> [@Frylock](#): > > Charming. I was just kidding. No offense meant. ---
**Author:** ![MannyL](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ba8739/32.png) [@MannyL](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MannyL)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2009, 3:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/saving-all-text-messages/522724/17 "2009-12-30T03:30:22Z")
if your phone can be connected to the PC through a data cable then BITPIM should work for you