Most of your data moves to a new Android phone automatically. Contacts, apps, settings, and Google Photos usually come over during setup. Text messages can be trickier. If your old phone was not backed up, you used the wrong Google account, or you already finished setting up the new phone, you can end up staring at an empty inbox.
The fix depends on where you are in the process. If you are still setting up the new phone, use Android’s built-in restore or a direct phone-to-phone transfer. If your new phone is already set up and your messages are missing, use SMS Backup & Restore, because Android’s built-in restore is mainly a setup-time option.
Before you start, it is worth checking the rest of your Android backup settings, too. Text messages are only one part of what needs to move. Our guide to backing up everything on your Android phone walks through photos, contacts, apps, settings, and app-specific backups so you do not discover another missing piece after you trade in or wipe the old device.
If your texts didn’t transfer to your new Android phone
Before you start over, check the most common causes.
The first is a Google account mismatch. On your old phone, go to Settings > Google > Backup and check which account is being used for backup. Your new phone must be set up with that same account to find the backup.
The second is that your messages were never backed up. Android backup includes SMS and MMS messages, and RCS messages when you use Google Messages, but the backup has to exist before you restore the new phone. If backup was off on the old phone, there is nothing for Android to pull down during setup.
The third is timing. If your new phone is already set up, Android’s built-in restore usually will not let you selectively restore old text messages into the existing setup. You can factory reset the new phone and restore from the Google backup during setup, but most people should try SMS Backup & Restore first if they still have the old phone.
The fourth is the messaging app. Google Messages is now the default messaging app on most current Android phones. Samsung is also discontinuing Samsung Messages in the U.S. in July 2026 for newer devices, so older Samsung users should switch to Google Messages before moving phones. Your existing SMS and MMS conversations should appear in Google Messages after you set it as the default app.
Use Android backup to move texts to a new phone
Android can back up your phone data to your Google account, including apps, call history, contacts, device settings, SMS and MMS messages, and RCS messages when you use Google Messages. This is the easiest method if you are planning ahead and have not set up the new phone yet.
On Samsung devices, automatic backup may not run immediately. The phone typically needs to be idle, charging, and connected to Wi-Fi. To avoid finding out too late that your backup is stale, run a manual backup before you switch phones.
How to back up text messages with Android backup
- Open the Settings app on your old phone.
- Tap Google.
- Tap Backup. On some phones, you may need to tap All services first, then Backup.
- Make sure backup is turned on.
- Confirm the correct Google account is selected under Account storage.
- Under Backup details, look for SMS & MMS messages. If you use Google Messages, RCS messages are included with Google Messages backup.
- Tap Back up now and wait for the backup to finish.
How to restore text messages with Android backup
- Turn on your new Android phone.
- During setup, sign in with the same Google account used for the backup.
- When asked whether you want to restore data, choose the backup from your old phone.
- Make sure messages are included in the data you restore.
- After setup finishes, open Google Messages and check your conversations.
If you already finished setting up the new phone, this method is less useful. You can factory reset the new phone and restore during setup, but that erases what you have already done on the new device. If you decide to go that route, follow our guide to resetting an Android phone without losing your data first so you know what will be removed, what can be backed up, and what you need to check before starting over.
If you still have the old phone, use SMS Backup & Restore instead. It is usually the better fix because it can restore messages after the new phone is already set up.
Use SMS Backup & Restore if the new phone is already set up
SMS Backup & Restore is the best option when Android’s built-in transfer did not work, your new phone is already set up, or you want a manual backup you control. I’ve used it many times because it lets you back up messages on demand and restore them to another Android phone without repeating the full Android setup process.
The app can back up SMS and MMS messages and call logs. MMS includes many group messages and messages with pictures, videos, or audio files. Like any restore tool, it cannot recover messages that no longer exist on the old phone and were never backed up.
How to back up text messages with SMS Backup & Restore
- Install SMS Backup & Restore from Google Play on your old phone.
- Open the app and tap Get Started.
- Grant the requested SMS permissions.
- Tap Set up a Backup.
- Make sure Messages is turned on. If you want call logs, leave Phone calls turned on as well.
- Tap Advanced Options if you want to include or exclude attachments and media.
- Tap Next.
- Choose where to save the backup: Google Drive, Dropbox, OneDrive, or the phone itself. Cloud storage is safer if you are moving to another phone.
- Sign in to the cloud service you chose.
- Choose how long to keep old backups.
- Decide whether backups should run only on Wi-Fi and whether the phone must be charging.
- Choose a backup schedule, or skip scheduling if you only need a one-time transfer.
- Tap Back up now.
How to restore text messages with SMS Backup & Restore
- Install SMS Backup & Restore on your new Android phone.
- Open the app and tap the menu icon in the upper left.
- Tap Restore.
- Choose the cloud storage service or local backup location you used.
- Sign in and select the backup from your old phone.
- Turn on Messages and tap Restore.
- When prompted, allow SMS Backup & Restore to become the temporary default SMS app. Android requires this for the restore.
- After the restore finishes, set Google Messages back as your default messaging app.
Your restored conversations should now appear in Google Messages.
Transfer messages directly during phone setup
If you still have both phones and have not finished setting up the new one, direct transfer is often the best route. During setup, Android usually offers a Copy from your old device option. This can move messages, contacts, apps, photos, settings, and other data in one process.
Pixel 9 and newer phones have an important advantage here. A direct transfer over USB-C cable or Wi-Fi can preserve the full Google Messages history, including RCS conversation structure, reactions, audio messages, media, and other conversation details. Cloud restore is useful, but it may not be as complete for RCS history as a direct Pixel transfer.
How to transfer messages during setup
- Turn on the new phone and begin setup.
- When asked how you want to set up the device, choose Copy from your old device or the closest equivalent.
- Connect the old and new phones when prompted. A USB-C cable is usually best, but Wi-Fi transfer may also be available.
- Select the data you want to copy, including messages.
- Finish setup, then open Google Messages to confirm your conversations transferred.
This method is for initial setup. If the new phone is already configured and the messages are missing, use SMS Backup & Restore or reset the new phone and repeat setup.
Use Samsung Smart Switch for Samsung-to-Samsung transfers
If you are moving from one Samsung Galaxy phone to another, Samsung Smart Switch is another reliable option. It transfers texts, contacts, photos, apps, and settings over Wi-Fi or USB cable, and it does not require you to rely only on a prior Google backup.
Smart Switch is usually preinstalled in the Samsung folder on Galaxy phones. If it is not there, download it from the Galaxy Store or Google Play.
How to transfer texts with Samsung Smart Switch
- Open Smart Switch on both Samsung phones.
- Choose Send data on the old phone and Receive data on the new phone.
- Choose Cable or Wireless.
- Follow the prompts to connect the phones.
- Select Messages and any other data you want to transfer.
- Start the transfer and keep both phones nearby until it finishes.
After the transfer, open Google Messages on the new phone. If you were using Samsung Messages on the old phone, set Google Messages as the default app on the new phone and confirm your conversations appear.
How to switch from Samsung Messages to Google Messages
Samsung Messages is being discontinued in the U.S. in July 2026 for newer Android devices, so this is a good time to move to Google Messages before switching phones.
- Install Google Messages from Google Play if it is not already on your phone.
- Open Google Messages.
- When prompted, set it as your default SMS app.
- Wait for your existing SMS and MMS conversations to appear.
- Tap your profile icon or initials, then Messages settings.
- Tap RCS chats and confirm RCS is turned on.
If you plan to move phones soon, switch to Google Messages on the old phone first, then run a fresh Android backup or use direct transfer during setup.
Why RCS messages may not transfer completely
RCS is the newer texting standard used by Google Messages. It supports higher-quality photos and videos, typing indicators, read receipts, reactions, and better group chats. The complication is that RCS history is not always restored as completely as ordinary SMS and MMS messages.
For the most complete RCS transfer, use a direct phone-to-phone transfer when setting up a Pixel 9 or newer phone. If you are using cloud restore, check your conversations afterward, especially threads with photos, videos, audio messages, and reactions.
If messages stop arriving after you switch phones, RCS may still be tied to the old device. Open Google Messages on the old phone, tap your profile icon or initials, go to Messages settings > RCS chats, and turn off RCS chats. Then open Google Messages on the new phone and turn RCS on there.
What if you no longer have the old phone?
If you no longer have the old phone and your texts were not backed up, there usually is no way to recover them. Android cannot restore messages from a backup that was never created, and SMS Backup & Restore cannot recover messages unless it has an existing backup to restore from.
Your best option is to check whether a Google backup exists. On the new phone, go to Settings > Google > Backup and confirm which account is active. If you used a different Google account on the old phone, add that account and check whether a backup appears. If there is no backup and the old phone is gone, the messages are most likely gone too.
The bottom line
If you are setting up a new Android phone and still have the old one, use direct transfer. If you are moving to a Pixel 9 or newer, that is also the best way to preserve full RCS message history.
If you want the simplest backup method, turn on Android backup and run a manual backup before switching phones. Just remember that restore happens during setup.
If the new phone is already set up and your texts did not transfer, use SMS Backup & Restore. It is the most practical fix as long as you still have the old phone or an existing backup.
Original article by Sagar Naresh Bhavsar. Updated on June 16, 2026 with instructions on switching from Samsung Messages to Google Messages.
[Image credit: Screenshot via SyncTech Pty Ltd, phone image via Canva]
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From Toni Smith on March 25, 2022 :: 6:15 pm
It worked!
Reply