Text Message Archiver
Free AppAbout Text Message Archiver
Text messaging on our cell phones and tablets has become second nature to the point where texts sometimes are our only record of a business decision or transaction. But what happens if you upgrade to a new device, or want to reorganize your current one?
The Android Text Message Archiver solves these problems. Using TMA, you can package up your text messages and save them in several file formats so they easily can be moved to your computer. TMA also allows you to transmit your archive files off of your device via email, and, if you choose, will even erase texts from your device after they've been stored to a file.
Here's how it works:
- When you start TMA, the app will show you a list of the various text conversations you've had. Check on the ones you want to save, or Select All via the app's menu.
- Using the Options pick on TMA's menu, select the file format(s) you want to save your messages in. TMA can save messages in "flat" text (.TXT) files, in comma-delimited (.CSV) format so they can be easily loaded into a spreadsheet or database, or in Adobe Acrobat .PDF files. You can create more than one archive file type at a time if you like, and all the files you create will be compressed into a single .ZIP file when done. Then, choose the range of dates between which you want to save messages. Finally, select whether you want to email the archive files off your device, and if you want the selected messages deleted from your device once the archive is saved.
- Go back to the list of text conversations and select Save from the menu. The text messages you've selected will be written out to a file on your device's SD card (or in the device's memory, if the SD card can't be found or accessed), into a folder called "WPJCSLLC.TMA." If you've selected the "Email After Save" option, your email app will open, with the archive file already chosen as an attachment; all you need to do is type in the address you want to send the archive to, along with the message body, and send. If you've selected the "Delete After Save" option, that's taken care of in this step as well.
Finally, a couple of technical points:
- If you load a .CSV file created by TMA into Microsoft Excel, you'll notice a column in the spreadsheet called "dateNumeric." The values in this column represent the times/dates when the messages were sent in Greenwich Mean Time in Excel format; you can see this by selecting the column, and re-displaying the cells using one of Excel's date/time formats.
- TMA currently archives standard text messages without attachments (that is, what are referred to as "SMS messages"), but does not yet handle messages with attachments ("MMS messages"). We may include MMS message support in a future version of the program if feedback shows that users want and need it.
Enjoy the app, and let us know if you have any questions, problems, or ideas for additional features!
The Android Text Message Archiver solves these problems. Using TMA, you can package up your text messages and save them in several file formats so they easily can be moved to your computer. TMA also allows you to transmit your archive files off of your device via email, and, if you choose, will even erase texts from your device after they've been stored to a file.
Here's how it works:
- When you start TMA, the app will show you a list of the various text conversations you've had. Check on the ones you want to save, or Select All via the app's menu.
- Using the Options pick on TMA's menu, select the file format(s) you want to save your messages in. TMA can save messages in "flat" text (.TXT) files, in comma-delimited (.CSV) format so they can be easily loaded into a spreadsheet or database, or in Adobe Acrobat .PDF files. You can create more than one archive file type at a time if you like, and all the files you create will be compressed into a single .ZIP file when done. Then, choose the range of dates between which you want to save messages. Finally, select whether you want to email the archive files off your device, and if you want the selected messages deleted from your device once the archive is saved.
- Go back to the list of text conversations and select Save from the menu. The text messages you've selected will be written out to a file on your device's SD card (or in the device's memory, if the SD card can't be found or accessed), into a folder called "WPJCSLLC.TMA." If you've selected the "Email After Save" option, your email app will open, with the archive file already chosen as an attachment; all you need to do is type in the address you want to send the archive to, along with the message body, and send. If you've selected the "Delete After Save" option, that's taken care of in this step as well.
Finally, a couple of technical points:
- If you load a .CSV file created by TMA into Microsoft Excel, you'll notice a column in the spreadsheet called "dateNumeric." The values in this column represent the times/dates when the messages were sent in Greenwich Mean Time in Excel format; you can see this by selecting the column, and re-displaying the cells using one of Excel's date/time formats.
- TMA currently archives standard text messages without attachments (that is, what are referred to as "SMS messages"), but does not yet handle messages with attachments ("MMS messages"). We may include MMS message support in a future version of the program if feedback shows that users want and need it.
Enjoy the app, and let us know if you have any questions, problems, or ideas for additional features!
All Application Badges
Free
downl.
downl.
Android
2.2+
2.2+
Bug
buster
buster
Android app
App History & Updates
What's Changed
Version 1.04 - fixed handling of embedded newline characters in .PDF and .TXT files - December 31, 2013.
PLEASE NOTE: Text Message Archiver may not operate properly on devices where software that intercepts text messages (e.g., for display in pop-up windows) is installed. Such software may cause incoming texts to not be stored in Android's text database, thus making them inaccessible to TMA. If you find that TMA only displays outgoing text messages on your device, this is the likely cause.
Version 1.04 - fixed handling of embedded newline characters in .PDF and .TXT files - December 31, 2013.
PLEASE NOTE: Text Message Archiver may not operate properly on devices where software that intercepts text messages (e.g., for display in pop-up windows) is installed. Such software may cause incoming texts to not be stored in Android's text database, thus making them inaccessible to TMA. If you find that TMA only displays outgoing text messages on your device, this is the likely cause.
More downloads Text Message Archiver reached 5 000 - 10 000 downloads
What are users saying about Text Message Archiver
I
by I####:
by I####:
I can access the select from list but I can't see how to access the options menu to be able to save messages on my Samsung Galaxy Note 4.
W
by W####:
by W####:
Does not work, missing all of the buttons at the bottom
O
by O####:
by O####:
I can access the select from list but I can't see how to access the options menu to be able to save messages on my Samsung Galaxy Note 4.
L
by L####:
by L####:
Would be 5+ stars if it captured both sides of the conversations ... just picks out the "to" not the "from" :-(
M
by M####:
by M####:
Can't wait to play an found truth for one's.
M
by M####:
by M####:
Some characters turned into Chinese words. Enter turned to spaces, symbols not visible, ' and " turned to squares when saved as PDF. Archiving messages take some time. Need more improvement.
U
by U####:
by U####:
Without this app I wouldn't have had the evidence to win my custody case.
X
by X####:
by X####:
So,I can't quite figure out how to get the menu once I select my conversation. Not as easy as it was on Galaxy S3. I think the pop-up ad is blocking the app menu...because I can't find it anywhere. :((((((
R
by R####:
by R####:
App is horrible. Don't waste your time. It doesn't work.
X
by X####:
by X####:
I only get half of the text chain on my MotoX phone ... Outgoing only. If not for that, this would be 5 stars.
I
by I####:
by I####:
No thrills app that does what it is supposed to. Great stuff.
U
by U####:
by U####:
Good app
R
by R####:
by R####:
Don't know what the output looks like as it crashed when attempting to save, but it's good that you can choose which conversation to archive. Maybe it works fine on other phones.
H
by H####:
by H####:
Tried multiple settings, took hours to try to back up texts from my HTC one. Never produced anything but unreadable files.
O
by O####:
by O####:
Extremely easy to use, and handy to keep track of any or all texts.
R
by R####:
by R####:
The PDF came out great, but it only shows my side of the conversation. Why would I only want one side? Not useful at all.
R
by R####:
by R####:
Some characters turned into Chinese words. Enter turned to spaces, symbols not visible, ' and " turned to squares when saved as PDF. Archiving messages take some time. Need more improvement.
V
by V####:
by V####:
Five
B
by B####:
by B####:
Only question is, why are the saved texts one sided? It only lists all of the text that I sent. How do I get it to lists text, both given and received?
R
by R####:
by R####:
Easy to use
R
by R####:
by R####:
Much to my disappointment, either my phone is not compatible with this app, or this app has bugs. I could use it go until I clicked onto save and it crashes.
D
by D####:
by D####:
Don't know what the output looks like as it crashed when attempting to save, but it's good that you can choose which conversation to archive. Maybe it works fine on other phones.
V
by V####:
by V####:
Tried multiple settings, took hours to try to back up texts from my HTC one. Never produced anything but unreadable files.
W
by W####:
by W####:
Extremely easy to use, and handy to keep track of any or all texts.
D
by D####:
by D####:
The PDF came out great, but it only shows my side of the conversation. Why would I only want one side? Not useful at all.
D
by D####:
by D####:
Some characters turned into Chinese words. Enter turned to spaces, symbols not visible, ' and " turned to squares when saved as PDF. Archiving messages take some time. Need more improvement.
J
by J####:
by J####:
Only question is, why are the saved texts one sided? It only lists all of the text that I sent. How do I get it to lists text, both given and received?
D
by D####:
by D####:
Easy to use
D
by D####:
by D####:
Much to my disappointment, either my phone is not compatible with this app, or this app has bugs. I could use it go until I clicked onto save and it crashes.
by N####:
App doesn't give me any options to do anything once I've selected my messages