How long are texts saved?

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. Verizon holds texts for up to five days and Virgin Mobile keeps them for 90 days.

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.

Can text messages be saved forever?

Android - Quick steps to forever save text messages

Launch SMS Backup+ and select Connect. Accept the prompt to Backup. All your text messages will start backing up to Gmail and can save them forever.

How long do text messages remain on iPhone?

By default, the iPhone keeps all messages forever (or until you manually delete them). If you prefer, tap "30 Days" or '1 Year." If you do, the iPhone will automatically discard your messages after the selected time period.

Are old text messages stored?

Your text messages are actually stored in a specific database folder in your Android phone's memory.

Make Sure Long Text Messages Send as One Text Instead of Several [How-To]

Can I recover text messages from years ago?

If you are currently using a wireless backup service, check when the last backup was made. 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.

How long are text messages saved by phone companies?

They sit on the company's server for anywhere from three days to three months, depending on the company's policy. Verizon holds texts for up to five days and Virgin Mobile keeps them for 90 days. AT&T, T-Mobile and Sprint do not keep the contents of text messages.

Do texts delete after a year?

Scroll down to the section labelled MESSAGE HISTORY. Tap Keep Messages. Choose either 30 days or 1 Year. This will delete messages older than one month or one year.

Can you pull up old texts on iPhone?

You can retrieve deleted text messages on your iPhone by restoring it with an iCloud backup. If you save backups to your computer, you can use iTunes or Finder to recover your iPhone's texts. If all else fails, reach out to your cellular carrier — they may restore deleted messages for you.

How long are deleted iMessages stored?

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.

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.

Can police look up old text messages?

Deleted text messages are usually retrievable from a phone, but before beginning the process, law enforcement officers would need to obtain a court order. Once obtained, officers can use mobile device forensic tools (MDFTs) to extract any data from a device, including emails, texts, images and location data.

How long are phone records kept?

T-Mobile holds call records between seven and 10 years, spokesman Viet Nguyen says. MetroPCS maintains separate records and keeps them two years. Sprint holds call logs 18 months, spokeswoman Stephanie Vinge Walsh says. U.S. Cellular holds records one year, according to spokeswoman Katie Frey.

Where are iPhone texts stored?

Tap the "Messages" icon from the home screen of your iPhone to access your stored text messages. The application will display all text messages sent and received in chronological order. Tap a text message to display the entire text message thread.

Can you view text messages on iCloud?

You can view text messages on iCloud that you've received or sent to anyone on any synced device, at any time. As long as you have syncing turned on for each of your Apple devices, they will all be viewable in the Messages app, whether you're using an iPhone, iPad, iPod Touch, or Mac.

Why can't I see old messages on my iPhone?

Go to Settings > General > iPhone Storage to check if there is enough storage to load all your messages on the new iPhone. Check if your WiFi connection is stable since iMessage will be sent by WiFi, or you can go to Settings to Reset Network Settings. Go to Settings > Messages > Toggle off iMessage then turn back on.

Does my phone automatically delete text messages?

Sometimes, what happens is that your Android device automatically deletes all your text messages. There are reasons why this happens and this guide takes a look into that. It may be you have enabled an option that is deleting your messages.

How do I permanently delete text messages so they can't be recovered?

Deleting Texts From Your Android Phone

You can delete individual texts or conversations within your messaging app. For individual texts, hover over the text you want to delete within the conversation and select the trash can icon in the top right corner to delete.

Can police read text messages without the phone?

Authorities can get access to unopened email messages from the last 180 days, but they must get a warrant, first. The police may obtain your opened and unopened messages that are 180 days old or older with a subpoena. But they have to let you know once they've requested this access from the provider.

Can text messages be used in court?

Text messages or other messages retrieved from a mobile phone can play an important part in a criminal trial. In a drugs case, for example, messages found in the inbox of a defendant's mobile phone from callers asking to buy drugs may undermine a denial that the defendant is involved in the supply of drugs.

How can I retrieve older text messages?

Are deleted text messages stored anywhere?

When you move messages around or delete them, the data actually stays put. All you're doing is telling the phone to point at the files in different ways. Deleting a message from the inbox, for instance, just tells the phone not to point to it any more when it's listing the contents of that folder.

Is it possible to get old phone conversations?

Yes, it can be retrieved but only on very critical matters like criminal investigations or suspicious circumstances. All phone conversations are being kept depending on cases involved.

Can you get text message records?

Some information about your text message usage is available online. Different mobile providers offer different platforms for viewing text message records. One thing that they have in common, however, is that you need to have a court order to obtain records of the actual messages sent.

How far back can text messages be retrieved from Verizon?

We keep and make available basic text message details for 90 days. You will find this information by logging into your My Verizon account.