topic retrieving sms and mms in Get Support

retrieving sms and mms

Tom751 — Tue, 23 Dec 2025 15:26:15 GMT

I would like to find out if I can get my SMS and MMS any other way while my phone is shut off.

I will go to the US for a week or two without my phone on me. Phone will be shut off and in Canada.

I will not get the roaming plan. I am not such a popular person that needs a phone on himself, anyway I am with some friends who I travel with.

Re: retrieving sms and mms

BKNS27 — Tue, 23 Dec 2025 15:36:58 GMT

@Tom751

Without your phone you won’t receive anything but you could forwards your calls to your friend’s phone.
If you both have WhatsApp on the phone. They should receive calls and text if it is call forward.

Re: retrieving sms and mms

slusagm — Tue, 23 Dec 2025 15:54:48 GMT

Actually if you are using Android, you can access Google Message via a browser on a computer, but your phone still has to be on

Re: retrieving sms and mms

Socrates8567 — Tue, 23 Dec 2025 16:07:52 GMT

You can't get SMS messages directly while your phone is off, as they wait on the carrier's server, but you can use services like Phone Link (Windows) or Google Messages for Web (Android) with Wi-Fi/data to receive them on another device if set up beforehand, or wait for your phone to turn back on within about 72 hours for standard SMS. For iPhones, enable Text Message Forwarding to another Apple device for SMS.

Just know this. If your phone is turned off and the SMS message is undelivered, the system will delete it after 5 days of attempts. There is no way to retrieve that message.