Transfer text messages to PC for review

JLeslie · Jan 28, 2019

Is there any free software available to install on a PC so a Samsung S8 can be connected to the PC and all text messages copied to the PC so they are in readable format?

I've found programs that will do SMS backup but the backup is in a format on the PC that doesn't allow viewing. I need to be able to read the text messages on the PC.

If there is no free software that can be trusted, is there a low priced software to do it?

Thanks,
Jonathan

lunatic59 · Jan 28, 2019

Have you tried Messages for Web? You have to use Google Messages as your SMS app, but it gives you access to everything.

JLeslie · Jan 28, 2019

Thanks for the idea, but in this case that won't work. The phone was used by a former employee and due to its condition it needs to be replaced. The business owner wants the texts copied to a PC for archiving and reviewing and the phone will be wiped before replacing it.

lanedava · Feb 17, 2019

I use SMStoText by SMeiTi. Works well. You can download in a couple easy to read formats, html, csv etc.
Only downside is I have yet to find an app that can also download MMS messages

KBU2 · Feb 17, 2019

Well I just connect my Android to my PC, being that I already have the drivers installed on my PC. Open the phones MTP transfer and just copy and paste it to a file viewer program. And if you have a program like Adobe reader installed on both your devices you can just log into your Adobe account and your messages will also be there if you transferred them to your Adobe Reader on your phone.

JLeslie · Feb 22, 2019

KBU2 said:
Well I just connect my Android to my PC, being that I already have the drivers installed on my PC. Open the phones MTP transfer and just copy and paste it to a file viewer program. And if you have a program like Adobe reader installed on both your devices you can just log into your Adobe account and your messages will also be there if you transferred them to your Adobe Reader on your phone.

That sounds good but I'm not following you. What is MTP transfer and how do you transfer texts to Adobe Reader? Are these all things that have to be done one text at a time? If so, I don't think that will be acceptable for a large number of text messages.

KBU2 · Feb 22, 2019

JLeslie said:
That sounds good but I'm not following you. What is MTP transfer and how do you transfer texts to Adobe Reader? Are these all things that have to be done one text at a time? If so, I don't think that will be acceptable for a large number of text messages.

https://www.howtogeek.com/192732/an...lained-mtp-ptp-and-usb-mass-storage/?&ampcf=1

KBU2 · Feb 22, 2019

Send text messages directly from PC.

Step 1 Download and Install Android Manager on PC or Mac. Click on download button above to save the application on your computer. ...
Step 2 Connect Android Phone to Computer. ...
Step 3 Select Text Messages You Need to Transfer. ...
Step 4 Transfer Selected Messages from Android to Computer.

sank23 · Mar 31, 2019

You can use official management tool,Samsung Kies.
This is a efficient and free way.

JLeslie · Apr 1, 2019

sank23 said:
You can use official management tool,Samsung Kies.
This is a efficient and free way.

Thanks for the idea but that doesn't do what I'm needing to do or if it does then I didn't see it in the online instructions. That backs up the phone to the computer but that's not what I'm looking for. As I originally stated what I need is to copy all of the text messages from the phone to the computer in a readable format. The same way as you copy pictures from phone to computer for viewing.

lunatic59 · Apr 1, 2019

You might want to try SMS Backup and Restore. IT will save all the messages in xml format and this is right from the Play sotre description ...

- The XML backup can be converted to other formats, and can also be viewed on a computer.

tweak4 · Apr 2, 2019

lunatic59 said:
You might want to try SMS Backup and Restore. IT will save all the messages in xml format and this is right from the Play sotre description ...

This what I was going to recommend- just copy the .xml file and the .xsl file to your computer, and then open the .xml in a web browser. (You can also open it in Notepad, but it will show you the raw XML, with the dates/times in a combined format, so it's not super easy to read. Using a web browser will apply the stylesheet and give you nice clean listing)

Transfer text messages to PC for review

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