Vanity: Method to transfer SMS texts to PC?

self ^ | 09/19/2023 | Self

[Attention Surplus Disorder]

I'm interested in transferring a 4-month duration conversation from my Android phone to a PC, mostly just for recordkeeping and some included photos. Over a USB cable is fine, actually preferred.

I've searched "transfer android texts to PC" quite a bit and there seem to be about ten different ways to do this. They all seem to cost. I've tried about half a dozen with the intention to cancel during the "free trial" period. They not only do not seem to work, they don't even appear to threaten to work.

It doesn't matter to me if the texts arrive as texts or as a pdf. (Some programs available permit both/either)

Most of the phone apps require that the phone is placed into "developer" mode, which I have done. [bizarre]

Clearly, you have to have a piece of software on the PC and an app on the phone. S'OK. But I can't get any PC software (windows 11) to even see the individual files on the phone (I have many conversations on the phone and I could live with transferring ALL of them and editing out the ones I don't want, but I can't seem to get the PC to recognize anything but the phone itself; eg, nothing shows up on "File manager" where I would expect the contents of the phone to show up as if the thing was an external hard drive or camera or similar USB device.

Does anyone known a KNOWN TO WORK means of accomplishing this?

[DUMBGRUNT]

If you simply want to copy your messages on a second device...

I use Google Messages for the web to check my messages on my desktops/laptops.

Once you sync, all the messages on the phone are available on the computer, send receive, and copy...

My fingers are not sufficiently slender for speedy phone use.
Also, the text and photos are much larger. No magnifying glass is needed.

https://messages.google.com/web?redirected=true

[tired&retired]

Yes, email it.

I usually cut and paste it into Samsung Notes and then save it as a Word file.

I then attach the word file document to an email.

Photos I just save as jpeg files and attach to the email.

This way I still have formatting and editing capabilities.

[minnesota_bound]

#18 Thanks for the link. I set it up on my phone and pc.

To connect your cell phone to your computer then get the free app: Phone Link
https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/sync-across-your-devices?r=1
It works with Windows 10. It is clumsy but works. Easy to copy images over or save a text message.

To read the QR code just tap on your camera icon and then hold the phone close to the QR code then you can tap on the link on the phone to get the app. Look at the pc web browser as it is linked and follow directions.

You can open any photo and save them to your pc. You can drag a photo onto your desktop screen. I did not see how to save all or several images at once from Phone Link
You can plug in a usb cable from the phone to the pc and open then go to the DCIM folder to copy and paste the photos to your desktop or folder. That is the quickest way anyhow for many images.

I saw a popup describing how to save as many as you want but the how to disappeared..... and I cannot figure out how to get it back.

You open the phone on the pc by clicking on the cell phone icon in the upper left. You can drag the screen around like you do on the cell phone, just use the mouse. Or do the following: Phone Link> Apps and then Gallery for the photos or any app to view it.

Steps: Phone Link open on the pc. Click on phone in upper left> drag the screen to get to your icon for photos. Mine is called ‘Gallery’.
Click on it. On my phone I can click on Pictures or Albums. I click on Albums which allows me to select multiple images then click on Camera.
Hold the mouse icon on the photo until you see circles on each image. Check the ones you want. Now HOLD down the mouse icon again till you see a pop up say the number of images you are copying then drag onto the desktop or into a folder.
Now you can use the free Irfanview or your favorite image editor to resize or edit the images.

You can save SMS text messages.
Make phone calls. You need a microphone plugged in so.... use your phone.
It asks to start up with Windows so allow and you will see an icon in the lower right corner of the pc screen.

Or go to the Start button> Phone Link. Right click on it and Pin to Start menu or More> Pin to Taskbar