Android Phone Text Messages Have All Disppeared

I've discovered that, on my Motorola G7 Plus running Android 9 (Pie), all text messages except the latest have disappeared …..

A search of the internet has revealed that this not uncommon but I have found no causes or solutions …..


Has anyone encountered this problem and rectified it ….. ?

Re: Android Phone Text Messages Have All Disppeared

You need to make sure that phone backup is selected in settings. This will back up your text messages and other data selected by you.

Re: Android Phone Text Messages Have All Disppeared

Omah, That’s unfortunate. Were they important ones that you need?

Re: Android Phone Text Messages Have All Disppeared

Google Backup is automatically selected on my phone but I have read that the backup is not an archive but just a copy of recent changes and only one copy is retained - that copy currently contains no text messages.

Apparently, 3rd-party software is available which will attempt to "resurrect" deleted files but I am unsure about their efficiency and safety - and they cost …..

Re: Android Phone Text Messages Have All Disppeared

Not really, but many were records of meetings, appointments, etc., which come in handy sometimes …..

Re: Android Phone Text Messages Have All Disppeared

SMS backup is available in the Play Store. I used to use it but Android 9/10 has SMS backup built in so is unnecessary. My phone is Android One based, i.e. pure Android rather than the phone manufacturer's version of Android so may be different on your phone.

Re: Android Phone Text Messages Have All Disppeared

Google Backup on Android seems a bit hit-and-miss so I'll look for something more controllable on Play Store ..... Thanks

Re: Android Phone Text Messages Have All Disppeared

I have installed and tested SMS Backup & Restore:

https://play.google.com/store/apps/d...SBackupRestore

which gives me control over what, when and where .....

Somewhat coincidentally, Google Backup then decided to work - but it lacks any form of control so I'll be looking elsewhere ....

Re: Android Phone Text Messages Have All Disppeared

I've just bethought meself. Some backups won't work unless you are connected to your Wi-Fi. SMS backup and WhatsApp backup are two cases in point. Perhaps Google backup only started to work when you backed up using SMS backup?

Re: Android Phone Text Messages Have All Disppeared

WiFi was available and connected at all times ..... but, for the purposes of the SMS test, I switched OFF Google backup then switched it ON again on completion of the SMS backup.

This morning SMS backup came in and completed on schedule. Google backup has not reared its' head yet and updated the file on Google Drive.