I bought a Fairphone 5 with Android (inferior price than /e/OS…).
I wanna install, test /e/OS then LineageOS so I need to back up my files (audio, video, photo) & my messages (SMS, missed calls).
My files OK but where are the messages?
PC - USB cable - smartphone, I searched in the folders, nothing…
SMS messages in Android are being stored in a database, not in a files folder.
Export and import the most failsafe and easy way is provided by specialised Apps, example: SMS Import / Export | F-Droid - Free and Open Source Android App Repository (can do contacts and call log, too).
Thanks!
Why need that app? Why not just copy paste as e.g. audio, video?
Because this would not be the most failsafe and easy way.
I’m not keeping you from copying the messages database directly, please go right ahead.
You will have to find out how to do this. It’s possible, but you as a normal user on the phone might not have access easily. Find advice in the internet that’s not outdated.
A specialised, still maintained App knows how to do this.
Why could advice in the internet be outdated? Because things in Android can change over time or be slightly different across devices.
Does the given method still work this way? Will the target device accept the source database without a fuss? Who knows.
A specialised, still maintained App most probably will account for this.
The directory is:
/data/user_de/0/com.android.providers.telephony/databases
but root needed, as usual:
patch boot.img from FP5-VT2I-factory.zip, images by Magisk:
The FP5 rooted, copy paste the databases folder to a non-root directory e.g.:
adb shell su -c cp -r /data/user_de/0/com.android.providers.telephony/databases /storage/emulated/0/Download
(: internal memory, SD card e.g.: /storage/B883-1E21/Download)
then copy paste to the PC as usual.