Court Copy · Guides · Privacy

Android: print texts from an SMS Backup & Restore file

The free Android app “SMS Backup & Restore” saves your texts as one .xml file. Court Copy reads that file in your browser and prints one conversation as a PDF, MMS pictures included.

1. On the phone, install SMS Backup & Restore (by SyncTech) from Google Play.
2. Make a backup of Messages (calls are not needed). Keep MMS and its pictures included if you want them printed.
3. Get the .xml file onto your computer: save the backup to Google Drive or another cloud folder and download it, or copy it over a USB cable.
4. Open Court Copy, click Choose .xml file, pick the conversation and the dates, and make the PDF.

Big files are fine: the page reads the file piece by piece, so a backup of several gigabytes does not have to fit in memory. The cover sheet lists the file's name, size and SHA-256 fingerprint.

Names come from the contact names saved in the backup file. Group texts (MMS) show who sent each message.

Open Court Copy: free preview of any conversation, nothing uploaded.