How to Transfer Your Messages to a New Phone

Moving to a new phone? SMS Backup, Print & Restore can carry your SMS and MMS conversations over. Here is the end-to-end process.

Step 1: Back up on your old phone

1. Open the app on your old phone.
2. Select the conversations you want to move (or all of them) and tap Backup.
3. Choose the .smsshare format — this is the app's own restore format and preserves all message details (timestamps, sender/receiver info, attachments). Other formats like PDF or HTML are for viewing and printing, and cannot be restored.
4. Save the backup file somewhere you can reach from the new phone: Google Drive, Dropbox, OneDrive, email, or copy the file manually.

Step 2: Restore on your new phone

1. Install SMS Backup, Print & Restore on the new phone from Google Play.
2. Make sure the backup file is accessible on the new phone (download it from your cloud storage if needed).
3. In the app, open the Restore feature and select your .smsshare backup file.
4. When prompted, allow the app to act as the default SMS app temporarily — Android requires this for any app to write messages into the phone's message database. You can switch back to your usual messaging app right after the restore finishes.
5. Wait for the restore to complete, then open your regular messaging app — your conversations should be there.

Good to know

• Your Premium purchase moves with you. Premium is tied to your Google account, not the phone. Sign into the same Google account on the new phone and it unlocks automatically — you do not need to pay again. See Restore Your Premium/Lifetime Purchase if it doesn't unlock right away.
• RCS ("chat") messages may not be fully included: Android restricts third-party access to RCS, so some RCS messages cannot be backed up. Conversations sent as regular SMS/MMS transfer completely.
• Transferring between Android phones works with any manufacturer. Transferring to an iPhone is not supported (iOS does not allow writing to the message database).