How to Create a Secure Encrypted Backup of SMS and Call Logs on Android (No Root)

Before you start

Gather the following items before you begin. Skipping any of these can cause the backup to fail or leave your data exposed.

• Android device running Android 9 or later. Newer versions may limit the ADB backup feature, but the steps still work on most devices.
• PC (Windows, macOS or Linux) with adb installed and available in the system PATH.
• Java Runtime Environment (JRE) – required to run the Android Backup Extractor (ABE) tool.
• Android Backup Extractor (ABE) – a small .jar file that can decrypt and unpack the .ab backup created by ADB.
• At least 500 MB of free storage on your PC for the intermediate files.
• A USB cable you trust for data transfer.
• Make sure the phone is charged to ≥50 % to avoid interruptions.

All steps are performed without rooting the device, so the backup respects the app‑level permissions granted by Android.

What the process does

ADB’s backup command creates a single .ab file that contains the selected app’s data. By adding the -encrypted flag you protect the file with a password you choose. The file is then unpacked with ABE, which produces a .tar archive. Inside the archive you’ll find XML files such as mmssms.xml (SMS/MMS) and contacts2.xml (call logs). These XML files can be opened with any text editor or converted to CSV for easier reading.

Step‑by‑step backup

Optional: Convert XML to a readable spreadsheet

Many users prefer CSV over raw XML. A quick way is to use the free Python script below (requires Python 3).

import xml.etree.ElementTree as ET
import csv, sys

def sms_to_csv(xml_path, csv_path):
    tree = ET.parse(xml_path)
    root = tree.getroot()
    with open(csv_path, 'w', newline='', encoding='utf-8') as f:
        writer = csv.writer(f)
        writer.writerow(['address','date','type','body'])
        for sms in root.iter('sms'):
            writer.writerow([
                sms.get('address'),
                sms.get('date'),
                sms.get('type'),
                sms.get('body')
            ])

if __name__ == '__main__':
    if len(sys.argv) != 3:
        print('Usage: python sms_to_csv.py input.xml output.csv')
        sys.exit(1)
    sms_to_csv(sys.argv[1], sys.argv[2])

Run it like python sms_to_csv.py mmssms.xml sms.csv. Open the resulting sms.csv in Excel or Google Sheets.

Troubleshooting

• Backup command finishes instantly with an empty file

  This usually means the device’s backup service is disabled. Go to Settings → System → Backup and ensure “Back up to Google Drive” (or similar) is turned on. The ADB backup command relies on that service.

• ADB reports “cannot open backup file”

  Check that the destination folder on your PC is writable and that you have enough free space. Use an absolute path, e.g. adb backup -f C:\backups\sms_backup.ab ….

• ABE says “Incorrect password”

  Make sure you typed the same password you entered on the phone. Passwords are case‑sensitive. If you forget it, the backup cannot be decrypted – you’ll need to create a new backup.

• XML files are empty or missing

  Some manufacturers (especially those with heavy custom skins) block ADB backup for the telephony provider. In that case, you can fall back to third‑party apps like “SMS Backup & Restore” which store their own encrypted XML files. The tutorial’s workflow still applies; just replace the ADB step with the app’s export.

• Android 12+ refuses to create a backup

  Starting with Android 12, the adb backup command is deprecated and may be disabled by the OEM. If the command fails with “Backup disabled”, you must use an app‑based solution (e.g., “SMS Backup & Restore”) or root the device.

Safety notes

That’s it! You now have an encrypted backup of your SMS and call logs that can be stored offline, transferred to another device, or archived for future reference—all without rooting your Android phone.