by Due to the small storage capacity and storage space, it’s not feasible to keep storing all your SMS/MMS messages in Your Android Phone. Below are the steps needed to backup text messages on the Android Phone to your Gmail Account.
Backup Text Messages On Android Phone to Gmail
There are numerous applications that can backup SMS messages on Your Android Phone, we are using the SMS Backup+ app since it works with Gmail and can transfer Text messages in a read-friendly format, in contrast to other applications that use to use the XML format to backup Android Text Messages.
SMS Backup+ is trusted to backup all your SMS/MMS Messagesand SMS, call logs, or even WhatsApp messages in Your Gmail account.
The method to backup text messages on the Android Phone to your Gmail Account is broken down into the steps below.
- First, you must enable IMAP within your Gmail Account.
- Install the SMS Backup+ App on Your Android Phone or Tablet
- Transfer SMS Messages from your Smartphone to your Gmail Account
1. Enable IMAP On Your Google Account
SMS Backup+ needs IMAP (Internet Messenger Access Protocol) to access your Gmail Account using an external mail server. The first step is to activate IMAP access to Your Gmail Account.
NOTE: During out testing we were able backup Text Messages without having to enable IMAP for our Gmail account. However the App Developer suggests enabling IMAP prior to backing Text messages.
1. Sign-in to your Gmail Account with your desktop computer.
2. Once you are within the Gmail account, click to the Gear icon at the top-right edge of your display.
3. From the Menu Click on Settings.
4. Click on Forwarding and POP/IMAP link near the top.
5. Now, click on the small circle right next to Enable IMAP
6. After ticking Enable IMAP, scroll down on the page and click Save
You can see the status of IMAP Settings changing to IMAP Enabled with Green Letters (just as you can see in the image above to enable POP).
2. Install SMS Backup+ On Your Android Phone
After you have enabled IMAP in your Gmail Account then you must reconnect to your phone in order to install the SMS Backup+ for Your Android Phone.
1. Open the Google Play Store on your Android device to search to find SMS Backup+, an app developed by Jan Berkel (See image below)
2. Once you find the app, click on Install.
3. On the next screen, browse through the list of apps that SMS Backup+ would like to connect to your mobile device. Tap Agree to accept the terms.
Notification: The app uses the correct authorization procedure (OAuth) and permits users to restrict access at any point from the Gmail Account settings.
3. Backup Text Messages to Your Gmail Account
1. Open the SMS Backup+ app for the Android Phone.
2. After the App is launched, you will be able to get an information screen with details about the SMS Backup+. tap OK to leave the screen.
3. Next, tap on the box adjacent to connect the Gmail account you have (See the image below)
4. On the next screen, you’ll be asked to choose an Google Account that you want to use to backup your data. Input your Gmail account and click on it (See the image below)
5. Next, you will receive a notification to you Android Phone informing you that SMS BackUp+ is requesting the access of your Google Account.
Click Allow to authorize SMS Backup+ for the use the GMail Account for storing SMS Backups stored on the Android Phone.
6. Next, you will be presented with the ‘First backup’ screen. This will provide you with the option of backup all text messages on the Android Phone. Tap on Backup. to initiate the Backup process. (See the picture below)
7. SMS Backup+ The application will initiate the process of backing messages sent via SMS from the Android Phone to your Gmail Account. The time it takes to finish the backup process will be contingent on the amount of Text messages you have that you have on the Android Phone.
8. After the Backup is complete, sign in with Gmail. Gmail Account.
There will be all of the SMS messages from the Android Phone saved to a new folder called “SMS”. As previously mentioned in the previous paragraph, the Backed up text messages will be stored in a Readable format.
