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Konstantinos Tsoukalas

Konstantinos is the founder and administrator of Wintips.org. Since 1995 he works and provides IT support as a computer and network expert to individuals and large companies. He is specialized in solving problems related to Windows or other Microsoft products (Windows Server, Office, Microsoft 365, etc.).

90 Comments

  1. davidwarne
    June 7, 2022 @ 12:05 pm

    Thanks for sharing such kind of useful information daily

    Reply

  2. Brenda Fry
    June 27, 2019 @ 1:38 am

    Trying to restore all my SMS texts TO my phone app FROM gmail and did all the steps, but I hadn't read all the way through and instead of SKIP (that warning sign came a little too late for me), I clicked first backup. Now it just backed-up to gmail the few new texts I had in my new phone. Does anyone know what, if anything, can be done now? I appreciate any help in advance!

    Reply

  3. Sue
    June 25, 2019 @ 5:04 pm

    I recently had to change my password in gmail-then SMS back up failed-I went in to check that Emap is enabled-it wasn't (previously I assumed it was as it was working fine) after i enabled IMAP it is still gives "Login Error" XO Auth Authorization error-make sure you enabled IMAP in Gmail account settings" I did reboot phone. no change

    Reply

    • lakonst
      August 28, 2019 @ 12:30 pm

      @Sue: Follow the instructions on this article to enable IMAP in GMAIL settings and to allow the less secure Apps to access GMAIL.

      Reply

  4. Lorella
    April 26, 2019 @ 12:00 am

    I have a lot of messages backed up.. and every time I restore it quits at a random time.. I can't ever get all the way through the restore. I get a pop up that cancels it each time saying "would you like to use messages instead of sms backup+ as your default messaging app." .. Please help I want to restore all my messages.

    Reply

  5. MATT
    February 19, 2019 @ 2:50 am

    My phone all of a sudden is missing my last year and a half of texts. I do have all my SMS backed up to Gmail using SMS backup +. When I go to restore, it fails at a different point every time and does not complete the restore. Any help is much appreciated. Thanks.

    Reply

    • lakonst
      February 19, 2019 @ 9:51 am

      @MATT: Maybe there is a problem with your sim card?

      Reply

      • Lorella
        April 26, 2019 @ 12:02 am

        I have the same problem.. Can't get through the restore.. All messages are backed up to my gmail… what could the sim card 🃏 problem possibly be?

        Reply

  6. Tejaswini H
    February 19, 2019 @ 12:56 am

    Can u please help me in getting Nov and Dec text messages, it's deleted, can it be restored again please help me…. please help me I need those sms back,😭😭😭😭😭😒😒

    Reply

    • lakonst
      February 19, 2019 @ 9:50 am

      @Tejaswini H: From where they deleted? Phone or Gmail?

      Reply

  7. Ang
    January 6, 2019 @ 2:24 am

    i have 30k in messages, it will only restore about half then i get a cancellation. Every time

    Reply

  8. Skeeter
    October 22, 2018 @ 11:15 pm

    I have a Galaxy S5 and recently changed my number. I have some text messages that did not transfer because of the number change. Is there a way to get those back or am I SOL?

    Reply

  9. Kevin
    February 28, 2018 @ 9:13 pm

    I have successfully moved my messages from one phone to its replacement. All went well except a couple weeks are missing. The messages missing from my phone are in the SMS section in gmail. Is there something I can do to restore those messages? Maybe mark them (or all of the messages) as unread and do another restore?

    Reply

    • lakonst
      March 1, 2018 @ 9:50 am

      @Kevin: Try to perform the SMS Restore again.

      Reply

  10. Srobona Chakraborty
    January 5, 2018 @ 9:18 am

    It did not work for me… I did exactly the same. I backed up texts and call history from my Micromax device Canvas Juice 4 (Android Lollipop) and tried to restore the same on Samsung Galaxy J7 (Android Marshmallow). But as soon as I clicked restore, it asked to make SMS Backup+ its default SMS app, which I did, and after that it backed up zero items. Please help me out.
    Thanks.

    Reply

    • lakonst
      January 5, 2018 @ 10:06 am

      @Srobona Chakraborty: Reboot your Phone and try to restore the sms again.

      Reply

  11. jagdeep mehra
    December 28, 2017 @ 1:41 pm

    thanx it's working.

    Reply

  12. Teembo David
    November 9, 2017 @ 2:44 am

    Very helpful and its definitely a life saver.

    Reply

  13. anshgohil
    November 5, 2017 @ 9:42 am

    Its not work on Notification massage whose come with the company number and bank msg so i thought u guys to work it on this … i have 30000+ msg but when i backup withi this app i dnt get my bank msg, company forward msg, etc.. which is important for me…. :(

    Reply

  14. Azhar
    November 1, 2017 @ 1:00 pm

    Thanks a lot. This is excellent and you are awesome!!!!!. will donate soon.

    Reply

  15. Sonia
    October 23, 2017 @ 9:53 pm

    Thanks for this. Is there a limit to the number of texts to display? I backed up more than what was transferred during the restore…

    Reply

  16. VEERANNA
    October 9, 2017 @ 2:42 pm

    Thanks its working…..

    Reply

  17. Abdullahi Hersi
    September 15, 2017 @ 4:57 pm

    The best help i've ever got on a website
    Guys u did a great job and i'm thankful for what u gave me
    i was looking a solution for this and i came across this article, in 10 minutes after reading it i was all set
    can't describe how i'm feeling but i can tell you i appreciate this and respect you so much it's the least i can do

    Reply

  18. Tamera
    August 7, 2017 @ 2:38 am

    Hi

    I have used SMSBackup+ for about 2 years now, and it has worked flawlessley. However, recently it is only backing up the sender's side of the conversation–none of my side of the conversation are saved.

    I recently bought a new phone, and my message came over, but minus my side of the conversation.

    I have isolated this to the app. I deleted all the backup in gmail, then tried to backup again. It did the same thing.

    I then went back and deleted all unnecessary text messages and tried again-again the result was just backing up one side of the conversation.

    Please help!!!

    Reply

    • lakonst
      August 7, 2017 @ 9:25 am

      @Tamera: Look at the SMSBackup+ backup settings and make sure that you backup, both the received and the the send messagesm otherwise there is a bug in the App.

      Reply

  19. zohaib
    July 13, 2017 @ 2:00 am

    hello sir i have a one problem actually by mistake i restore my phone and i loss my all sms and contacts and the problem is i can t create any backup to safe them what i do iam so worried i need my all previous contacts and sms plz give me perfect solution is that possible ????

    Reply

    • lakonst
      July 13, 2017 @ 8:58 am

      @zohaib: If you have enabled the synchronization of contacts with your Google Account then should find your contacts at your Google contacts. Unfortunately if you haven't backup the SMS prior the phone restore, there is no other way to find them.

      Reply

  20. Genevieve
    May 18, 2017 @ 7:30 pm

    When the phone is backed up will deleted messages also appear?

    Reply

    • lakonst
      May 18, 2017 @ 7:44 pm

      @Genevieve: Of course not, they have deleted!

      Reply

  21. elle Paulson
    April 23, 2017 @ 8:58 pm

    Is there a web based version of this app? I broke the screen on my S4 phone, and the texts are the only thing I can't get to. It's been backing up my favorite people, but not the stuff from coworkers that I need. I can access the phone through a cable to laptop, but can't seem to back up the texts without some sort of input on the phone screen, which I can't get. Unresponsive to touch.

    Reply

    • lakonst
      April 24, 2017 @ 8:42 am

      @elle Paulson: No, there isn't. And as I know, you can't either use another app, because all applications require you to make changes to your phone settings.

      Reply

  22. Manoj Kumar Miriyala
    April 2, 2017 @ 11:19 am

    This is a wonderful article, Given so much info about it, These type of articles keeps the user's interest in the website, and keep on sharing more articles like this… good luck…

    Reply

  23. KYM
    March 29, 2017 @ 7:47 pm

    It saved all of my conversions but 1. I have 155 messages from this one person and it's only saving 25. Most of the ones that are not saving say delivered, I'm not sure if that has anything to do with it. I have a Samsung Galaxy 6. PLEASE HELP!!

    Reply

    • lakonst
      March 30, 2017 @ 10:14 am

      @KYM: Can you try to delete some messages that you don't want and retry?

      Reply

  24. AmyJ
    March 23, 2017 @ 7:39 pm

    @lakonst
    It worked! Thank you!

    Reply

  25. AmyJ
    March 23, 2017 @ 9:09 am

    All.of my text messages disappearEd one day. Had been using sms backup+ to back up my messages. I tried the restore function for the first time. My phone died in the middle of my 46,000 text restoring. I have re ran it a couple times. Only the texts from the first time came back to my phone? Any suggestions? Also the app.asks at start if I want to use sms backup as my messaging preference. Which option should I choose?
    Thanks

    Reply

    • lakonst
      March 23, 2017 @ 9:46 am

      @AmyJ: Try to delete some sms messages stored on the Google account before using SMS backup to restore them on your phone. Choose sms backup as your messaging preference, until the restore is completed and then revert back to default messaging app on your phone.

      Reply

  26. abdul jaleel
    March 20, 2017 @ 3:22 pm

    thanks a lot, after format my mobile always i will loss my sms, but after install this app i could recover all sms….

    Reply

  27. Jerr
    March 3, 2017 @ 3:27 pm

    In the beginning of this article the version number was shown as 1.5.5 (step 2, number 5).
    I went to the play store, found "SMS Backup +" developer Jan Berkel, but found the version to be 1.5.10 (last update Aug 20th,2015). The first comment here was nov.2014. I thought app version numbers increased with improvement?
    Did 1.5.5 ever exist?

    Reply

    • lakonst
      March 3, 2017 @ 5:48 pm

      @Jerr: No, the oldest version(s) doesn't exist.

      Reply

  28. jellea
    January 23, 2017 @ 9:08 am

    This is really helpful. You can use your Google account to sync contacts and some data. But for other data, you cannot simply transfer between them.
    And you can also use a phone to phone transfer tool, that is the easiest way to direcly transfer data between phones. You can use a MobiKin Phone Transfer tool.

    Reply

  29. Karla
    December 30, 2016 @ 3:02 am

    I have been using this app for awhile now. I recently went in to my gmail to review the backed up messages and realized since late July my backups were only incoming messages and anything before July was both. I have not changed any settings…. Could this be a AT&T update glitch? Anyone know a way around this to get the outgoing messages backed up where they go?

    Reply

  30. Nawfas
    November 25, 2016 @ 4:28 am

    can i get day to day sms automatically from the help of ths app? my mother using my old phone. i want to backup all messages daily automatically..i'm using same google account in both phones.. how can set that? plz rply

    Reply

    • lakonst
      November 25, 2016 @ 6:12 pm

      @Nawfas: I think that is not a very good practice to use the same google account to more than one device.
      – If you want to automatically backup messages daily, set a schedule time in SMS Backup App settings.

      Reply

  31. Linda
    November 13, 2016 @ 7:26 pm

    Messages saved, but only messages from the sender, not my responses? How can I save both sides as needed for a dispute?

    Reply

    • lakonst
      November 14, 2016 @ 10:19 am

      @Linda: If you see more closely you will realize that all messages are shown at SMS folder.

      Reply

  32. Tarak Nath
    September 15, 2016 @ 3:00 pm

    Great post ! Its worked for me for first attempt. Relay very helpful.
    Thank you very much to the author.

    Reply

  33. Jen
    August 17, 2016 @ 1:17 pm

    I installed as suggested and it was very easy as per instructions. I selected the backup for the first time back up and it worked very well for 759 texts but there were originally 1277 items so the majority dont seem to have been backed up. I needed to back up as my phone is on the way out and will be replacing it but I need the texts as evidence for something and the backup has stopped short of the ones i really need. I dont know how to start the backup again. Any ideas please/

    Reply

    • lakonst
      August 17, 2016 @ 1:41 pm

      @Jen: Open the SMS+ Backup app again and tap the Backup button.
      Another option is to backup everything from your phone to your computer by using the free MyPhone Explorer program.

      Reply

  34. Ali Gondal
    August 4, 2016 @ 2:24 pm

    I tried it today and tested for both back Up & Restore. This is the APP i require and shall keep using.

    Reply

  35. Ronald Dump
    July 23, 2016 @ 9:39 am

    Very nice without issue after 4 attempts using alternate methods going from s4 to Nexus 6p Thanks very much

    Reply

  36. Mehtab Ali Shah( Chakwal )
    June 29, 2016 @ 5:15 pm

    ITs awesome, it was an effective information.
    Thank You to the author.

    Reply

  37. Cheryl
    June 2, 2016 @ 3:47 pm

    I cannot see the SMS label in my Google mail. I may have missed something when installing the app but cannot figure out how to go back and select ALLOW ACCESS from the Permission Request screen. I tried reinstalling the app, that did not work. I made the necessary changes to my Gmail account, still cannot see the SMS label in Gmail account. Any help would be appreciated.

    Reply

    • Cheryl
      June 2, 2016 @ 3:51 pm

      Sorry, it's working now – no worries, it just took a day for it to come up, strange!

      Reply

  38. David
    May 22, 2016 @ 8:17 pm

    Great post. Clear and HUGE help. Thank you so much.

    Reply

  39. Wajahat
    May 15, 2016 @ 7:50 pm

    It is working but Backup Whatsapp sms is not showing on this app in my phone. Can you please help me ?

    Reply

    • lakonst
      May 16, 2016 @ 9:40 am

      @Wajahat: WhatsApp backup support is no longer supported or included in the latest version. If you really need it you can manually install an older version which still includes the feature, 1.5.9-BETA5. Also see issue 564.

      Reply

  40. Matthew
    May 8, 2016 @ 11:54 am

    I have a question. If I have most of my SMS on my main phone and some of them on my second phone, because I had to give my first one to repair, what will happen if I try to backup new messages to my other phone? Will it delete old messages or just add new to the rest?

    Reply

    • lakonst
      May 8, 2016 @ 2:24 pm

      @Matthew: I don't know. I haven't tried this.

      Reply

  41. Ananth
    April 22, 2016 @ 3:26 pm

    Thank you for the step by step instructions.

    Reply

  42. Leif
    March 7, 2016 @ 12:04 am

    I just downloaded the "SMS Backup+" onto my Samsung Galaxy Note 4. Everything worked according to plan. However, I noticed in my Gmail, under the categories "SMS" It only shows 290 threads. It appears that none of my SMS will no longer sync, as of 3/5/2016. I checked all the settings on my PC and my phone. I just wondering if I need to create a different folder, to specifically for my SMS. Is there a limit on how many text can be stored under the "SMS" label?

    Thank you, Leif

    Reply

    • lakonst
      March 7, 2016 @ 10:17 am

      @Leif: I don;t know that information. You have to contact the program developer for that issue.

      Reply

  43. kay
    February 3, 2016 @ 4:18 pm

    Thanks, it worked.

    Reply

  44. Holly
    January 10, 2016 @ 6:27 am

    I am almost done with it and it has worked like a charm so far, I want to say thank you for the step by step directions it made things easy. Would be awesome if there were more out there this easy. Worked perfect!!!

    Reply

  45. Kaylee
    September 24, 2015 @ 10:18 pm

    When I transfer to my gmail, it is taking my old and new messages. My phone is not set to delete old messages. All the messages are in my phone still, but when I transfer, it is only allowing 100 messages per day per contact. Is this normal? I have one contact that I often have more the 100 SMS per day. It just cuts it off at 100 and backs up the next date. Is there a setting I need to change for this?

    Reply

    • lakonst
      September 25, 2015 @ 5:15 pm

      @Kaylee: Unfortunately I don;t know if there is a such setting.

      Reply

  46. mk
    August 27, 2015 @ 6:09 pm

    This app I great (HOWEVER) it does not restore MMS messages – only SMS. It does backup MMS messages to your Gmail account so at least you can look at them there but when it restores, it does not bring down the pictures attached to a MMS message – only text. If you look at the restore settings screen shot you have above you will see it clearly has MMS grayed out and the words "Feature Not Available Yet" by it.

    Also me of you have commented that it only brings back a certain amount of text messages. This is a phone settings. What you want to do is set your new phone not to delete old messages BEFORE you start your restore. For example on my LG G4 the setting I am talking about is found by going into Messages, clicking the menu icon, then Settings, then General Settings, and finally unchecking the Deleted Old Messages check box.

    Reply

  47. suraj
    August 13, 2015 @ 2:29 am

    hello any 1 plese help me im not abel to download or got sms backup + apk playstore and google also

    Reply

    • lakonst
      August 15, 2015 @ 11:18 am

      @suraj: It seems that the app is not in development anymore.

      Reply

  48. Jennifer
    August 10, 2015 @ 3:14 pm

    Had to reset my phone, can no longer find this app in the app store…. please advise i need to restore my texts on my phone

    Reply

    • lakonst
      August 15, 2015 @ 10:47 am

      @Jennifer: I 'm sorry Jennifer. It seems that the app is not in development anymore.

      Reply

  49. Ganesh
    August 5, 2015 @ 1:10 pm

    Hi,

    I could take Backup in my anroid phone using Sms Backup+ app. But unable to see the Sms folder and the backed up Sms in my gmail. Is there any specific permission or request to be made?

    Thanks.
    Ganesh

    Reply

    • lakonst
      August 6, 2015 @ 5:21 pm

      @Ganesh: You have enabled IMAP? (step 1)?

      Reply

  50. Angelica
    July 25, 2015 @ 3:29 am

    Thanks it worked!

    Reply

  51. eveeve
    June 5, 2015 @ 8:23 am

    Thanks for sharing, Coolmuster Android File Manager could also help, we can use it to backup almost everything from android phone to computer, and you can recover your lost sms from the backup file.

    Reply

  52. Erin
    April 17, 2015 @ 6:03 pm

    I've used this app successfully several times over the years/upgrades. However, I just recently got the S6 Edge and I'm trying to transfer my texts from S4 to no avail. When I go into the SMS folder in my Gmail account, I see all the texts so I know it's not a backup error. It's in the restore process. Granted, I have an obscene amount of texts but I don't see why this should be a problem, besides the time it takes to restore 76,488 texts (yikes, I know). It's only bringing in maybe ~10,000 out of the 76k and they all seem to be older (from around 2013). Any suggestions or different app recommendations? I'd be heartbroken to lose all my texts.

    Reply

    • lakonst
      April 19, 2015 @ 11:11 am

      @Erin: Try with MyPhoneExplorer.

      Reply

    • Person12
      July 9, 2015 @ 1:58 am

      Erin, I was having the same problem. Finally I went into Messages / Settings and unchecked "Delete old messages", and tried the "Restore" in SMS Backup+ again. This time it gave me every text I had stored in my Gmail Account. I had 11,728 texts and all restored.

      Good luck.

      Reply

  53. Melissa'
    March 22, 2015 @ 7:29 pm

    How far back will it go to back up deleted messages.

    Reply

  54. DudeBru
    March 21, 2015 @ 12:06 am

    Works great, thank you!

    Just one small suggestion to the instructions above – you need to differentiate more clearly between "the old phone" and "the new phone".

    Otherwise, great advice, great app!

    Reply

  55. Katy
    December 28, 2014 @ 10:37 am

    This is marvellous! Thank you for the step-by-step instructions with screen captures. I got a new phone for business and I often need to be able to refer to previous text messages with clients. I thought I was going to have to either lose them all or somehow go digging through old phone to look them up.

    Reply

  56. Roshan
    December 26, 2014 @ 1:55 pm

    Is there a limit of SMS per contact at once when backing up ? Ex 100 SMS ?

    Reply

  57. naveen
    December 21, 2014 @ 6:11 pm

    I was able to take the backup in gmail however while trying to restore, I see just the message headers. The content of message is not getting restored. I am using Galaxy S4. Any idea why?

    Reply

  58. PY. C
    December 14, 2014 @ 5:50 pm

    not working with my Grand 2 phone. I didnt see 4. At Permission request window, tap “Allow Access”.

    Reply

  59. Ted
    December 4, 2014 @ 8:51 am

    A little odd thou.. It only restores the header. Any idea why mate?

    Reply

  60. Greg
    November 27, 2014 @ 12:15 pm

    Tried this app out and I thought it worked.. Turns out all my texts are out of order. My outgoing texts are grouped together. And my received texts are grouped together per contact. But also, they are out of order.. I have read online from other users that it is not the app, but a phone problem instead. I have a Samsung Galaxy S5. I need my texts in order because this is critical to my civil harassment case against my stalker. Is there anyone out there who can help????

    Reply

    • lakonst
      November 27, 2014 @ 5:15 pm

      @Greg: I think that is a phone problem.

      Reply

    • Katy
      December 28, 2014 @ 10:34 am

      I hope you resolved this. Are the messages in the correct order on your Gmail web page (under the header SMS on the lefthand sidebar?) If so, they ought to be still useful for law enforcement purposes. Good luck to you.

      Reply

  61. Larry
    November 23, 2014 @ 3:33 am

    Worked exactly as promised. Directions are very clear and accurate. Not only are all of my text messages transferred from my old phone, but they, and all new text messages, are visible in the SMS folder in Gmail.

    Reply

  62. sophie
    November 15, 2014 @ 10:43 pm

    Thanks so much for this! other apps would limit the amount of sms messages etc but this worked perfectly. Transferring to my new phone now :)

    Reply

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