How far back can text messages be retrieved?
Table of Contents
- How far back can text messages be retrieved?
- Are text messages stored anywhere?
- Are all text messages saved?
- Where deleted text messages are stored?
- Can I recover text messages from years ago?
- Can I get old text messages back?
- Where are iPhone texts stored?
- How far back can text messages be retrieved on iPhone?
- How do I retrieve my old text messages?
- How can I get a transcript of my text messages?
- Where are text messages saved and how can I access them?
- How are text messages stored even if you delete them?
- How to save text messages forever on Android?
- How often do I need to save text messages?

How far back can text messages be retrieved?
All of the providers retained records of the date and time of the text message and the parties to the message for time periods ranging from sixty days to seven years. However, the majority of cellular service providers do not save the content of text messages at all.
Are text messages stored anywhere?
The text messages are stored in both locations. Some phone companies also keep records of sent text messages. They sit on the company's server for anywhere from three days to three months, depending on the company's policy. ... AT&T, T-Mobile and Sprint do not keep the contents of text messages.
Are all text messages saved?
When you receive and send text messages, they're sent through -- and saved by -- your service provider's data network. Data is then maintained on the phone. Deleting these messages clears them from the visible display, but a small piece of data is still stored temporarily in the device's system memory.
Where deleted text messages are stored?
The Android operating system stores text messages in the phone's memory, so if they're deleted, there's no way to retrieve them. You can, however, install a text message backup application from the Android market that allows you to restore any deleted text messages.
Can I recover text messages from years ago?
Many phones have wireless backup capabilities, either through a built-in service or a third-party app. ... If the most recent backup was made before you accidentally deleted the texts, you can restore that backup to your phone and the text messages will be restored to your phone as well.
Can I get old text messages back?
If you regularly back up your phone, you might be able to recover a deleted text message. If your phone isn't routinely backed up, however, you may need to bring in recovery software or reach out to your service provider for help.
Where are iPhone texts stored?
Apple saves your text messages in its iPhone backups—whether they're saved locally on your PC or they're part of an iCloud backup—which you should have. That's good! Unfortunately, the file containing your messages doesn't appear separately within the backup. However, you can access them through the filesystem.
How far back can text messages be retrieved on iPhone?
The good news for iPhone users however, is that the iPhone tends to store deleted text messages longer than other phones, according to Jesse Lindmar, Assistant Director of Computer Forensics at Sensei Enterprises. He states that messages up to two years old can be recovered, although this happens rarely.
How do I retrieve my old text messages?
How to recover deleted texts on Android
- Open Google Drive.
- Go to the Menu.
- Choose Settings.
- Choose Google Backup.
- If your device has been backed up, you should see the name of your device listed.
- Select the name of your device. You should see SMS Text Messages with a timestamp indicating when the last backup took place.
How can I get a transcript of my text messages?
Text message records must be obtained from a party's cell phone provider. An attorney can obtain a court order or subpoena to get the records directly from the service provider.
Where are text messages saved and how can I access them?
Messages are not saved in iCloud for you to retrieve them. You cannot access them that way. They are part of the backup you do of the phone, and to access them, you need to restore a backup of the phone that had the messages in it. Not sure why you may not be seeing messages older than one year, but then, I don't save messages that long.
How are text messages stored even if you delete them?
Are Text Messages Stored in the Phone Even If You Delete Them? When you send or receive text messages, your phone automatically backs up a version of them in its data files so you maintain access to them should you have to factory reset the phone.
How to save text messages forever on Android?
How to Save Text Messages Forever on Android 1 Make sure you have a Gmail email account. 2 Open Gmail and enable IMAP. 3 Install and launch SMS Backup+. 4 Choose "connect" and allow access to your contacts. 5 Accept the send and view permissions for SMS prompt. 6 With your Gmail account connected choose "Backup" in SMS Backup+. See More....
How often do I need to save text messages?
Often times the need is sudden and the mobile user has an urgent deadline to transfer the text messages to their PC or Mac. For others, the need is more ongoing where the goal is to regularly save text messages on a weekly or monthly basis throughout the year for documentation purposes.