SMS Backup & Restore

Keep a copy of messages and call logs

SMS Backup & Restore saves SMS and MMS messages and call logs that are still available on your phone. It is for people who want a separate copy before changing phones, or who may need to restore records later. Restoring requires a backup made with this app; it cannot recover messages or logs that were never backed up.

Choose where the backup goes

Backups are created on the phone by default, in XML format. You can choose conversations to include, set a recurring backup schedule, and send copies to Google Drive, Dropbox, OneDrive or email. The app can also search and browse available backups, transfer data between phones, and move a backup over Wi-Fi Direct. Keep a copy somewhere outside the phone before a reset or other change that could erase its contents.

Consider the access it needs

To do its job, the app needs access to messages and call logs. It may also use contact information to show names in backups, storage to create backup files, and network access for cloud or Wi-Fi features. Scheduled backups can require permission to run at startup, while a backup or restore may need to keep the phone awake. These are meaningful areas of access for a tool that copies personal communications, so consider which backup options you intend to use.

Who makes it, and who might need it?

SMS Backup & Restore is published by SyncTech Pty Ltd. Its listing shows a 3.9 out of 5 rating from about 132,000 ratings and more than 10 million installs. Those figures indicate broad use, but they do not tell you whether you need it. If your messages and call history matter to you and you want a copy you can manage, it may be useful. If you do not need those records saved or transferred, you may prefer not to add another app with access to them.