# Text Messages - How to print? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [July 5, 2010, 9:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/text-messages-how-to-print/545637 "2010-07-05T21:54:13Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![SanDiegoTim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/85e7bf/32.png) [@SanDiegoTim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SanDiegoTim)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2010, 9:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/text-messages-how-to-print/545637/1 "2010-07-05T21:54:13Z")
Can text messages from a cell phone be imported to a computer and then printed? If so, how? ---
**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:** [July 5, 2010, 10:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/text-messages-how-to-print/545637/2 "2010-07-05T22:28:47Z")
> [@SanDiegoTim](#): > > Can text messages from a cell phone be imported to a computer and then printed? If so, how? Forward the text message to your email address. ---
**Author:** ![SanDiegoTim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/85e7bf/32.png) [@SanDiegoTim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SanDiegoTim)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2010, 10:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/text-messages-how-to-print/545637/3 "2010-07-05T22:38:29Z")
I’m looking to print 300+ messages. ---
**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:** [July 5, 2010, 11:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/text-messages-how-to-print/545637/4 "2010-07-05T23:12:48Z")
Call your provider and see if they store them? I give up. ---
**Author:** ![sharding](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/90db22/32.png) [@sharding](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sharding)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2010, 11:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/text-messages-how-to-print/545637/5 "2010-07-05T23:23:14Z")
I take it this is just a basic phone you’re talking about? For most smartphones (iPhone, Android, etc.) it shouldn’t be that hard to import your messages to the computer. I know at least with the iPhone there are several ways to do it. If you have a phone that’s not designed to connect to a computer, I doubt there’s a whole lot you can do. ---
**Author:** ![digs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/digs/32/14889_2.png) [@digs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/digs)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2010, 5:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/text-messages-how-to-print/545637/6 "2010-07-06T05:04:41Z")
Don’t forget the quicker option: to not print them. I bring this up, because the last time someone asked me something like this, they wanted to confront their mistress with an (imagined) flirtation. So if you’re printing text messages to prove that your co-workers are conspiring against you, or that your spouse doesn’t really care about an issue that’s reaaaally important to you, or to confront a mistress… just let it go. ---
**Author:** ![SanDiegoTim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/85e7bf/32.png) [@SanDiegoTim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SanDiegoTim)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2010, 4:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/text-messages-how-to-print/545637/7 "2010-07-06T16:02:57Z")
Motivation is to put a drug dealer out of business. ---
**Author:** ![digs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/digs/32/14889_2.png) [@digs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/digs)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2010, 5:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/text-messages-how-to-print/545637/8 "2010-07-06T17:02:56Z")
Oh, excellent. Keep us posted! ---
**Author:** ![FatBaldGuy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ecd19e/32.png) [@FatBaldGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FatBaldGuy)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2010, 5:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/text-messages-how-to-print/545637/9 "2010-07-06T17:30:15Z")
Take the phone to the Police Dept. and let their techs figure out how to extract the text messages. ---
**Author:** ![scr4](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/59ef9b/32.png) [@scr4](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scr4)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2010, 5:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/text-messages-how-to-print/545637/10 "2010-07-06T17:37:28Z")
Are printouts even admissible as evidence? I’d think they are too easy to fake - especially if you’re printing them by forwarding them to an e-mail account. ---
**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:** [July 6, 2010, 6:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/text-messages-how-to-print/545637/11 "2010-07-06T18:01:13Z")
> [@SanDiegoTim](#): > > Motivation is to put a drug dealer out of business. Pfizer? ---
**Author:** ![Rigamarole](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/77aa72/32.png) [@Rigamarole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rigamarole)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2010, 6:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/text-messages-how-to-print/545637/12 "2010-07-06T18:49:55Z")
Damn, kayaker beat me to it.