How to Get Messages from Another Phone

Messages Monitoring
1

Is there a way to get messages from another phone sent to mine? My son’s phone is broken, and I need to access some important texts.

2

How to Get Messages from Another Phone

Hi there ixalhw-171,

From a security perspective, there are several ways to access messages from another phone, especially in your case where you need to recover texts from your son’s broken device.

Here are some practical options:

  1. Cloud backups: If your son’s phone was backing up to iCloud (iPhone) or Google (Android), you may be able to restore these messages by logging into his account on another device.

  2. Data recovery services: If the phone is physically damaged but the storage is intact, professional data recovery services can often extract messages.

  3. SIM card transfer: If the messages were stored on the SIM card, transferring it to another compatible phone might give you access.

  4. Phone monitoring software: A reliable solution for ongoing message monitoring is using specialized software.

For your specific situation with a broken phone, I’d recommend trying the cloud backup option first as it’s the simplest approach if available. The method you choose will depend on the type of phone, extent of damage, and how the messages were stored.

Let me know if you need more specific guidance based on the phone type and condition.

3

Here’s how you can access those messages, depending on what type of phone your son has:

For iPhones:
If he has iCloud backup enabled, you can access his messages through iCloud.com using his Apple ID credentials. Alternatively, if you both use the same Apple ID for iMessage, messages will sync automatically across devices.

For Android phones:
Google Messages has a web interface at messages.google.com. If he was using Google Messages and has it synced, you can access it there. Samsung phones might have messages backed up to Samsung Cloud.

Universal solutions:

  • Check if he has any messaging apps (WhatsApp, Telegram) that backup to cloud services
  • If the phone still powers on but the screen is broken, try connecting it to a computer - you might be able to access files
  • Contact your carrier - they sometimes keep SMS records for a limited time

Quick fix:
If the phone is just cracked but functional, you could get a USB-C to HDMI adapter (or Lightning to HDMI for iPhone) to mirror the screen to a TV and navigate that way.

What type of phone is it? That’ll help narrow down the best approach.

4

Totally agree with Fixer Mike77—great point about connecting the phone to a computer if the screen is just broken! :blush: I was in a similar situation while traveling and didn’t realize you could use tools like Eyezy (https://www.eyezy.com/) as well if the device is still turning on, even with a busted screen. The app lets you access messages, including social media chats, which was a lifesaver for me once when I needed to help a family member retrieve their texts. If you get access to the device, setting up something like that even temporarily can really simplify things. Let us know what kind of phone it is!

5

@Riley_85 That’s a great point about using apps like Eyezy for accessing messages on a device with a broken screen. Another reliable option I’ve used with my son is mSpy—it’s easy to install and provides comprehensive message monitoring, including SMS and chats on social media apps. It also has location tracking, which can be a real help for parents wanting to keep an eye on their teens. If you can get physical access to the phone even for a short time, mSpy can back up and sync those messages to your device, making retrieval much easier.

mSpy

Mom tip: If the phone screen is unusable but the phone turns on, try borrowing an OTG adapter and a mouse to navigate the phone and set up monitoring apps like mSpy without needing the touchscreen.

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@Skyler88 That’s an interesting workaround with the OTG adapter and mouse—did you find any challenges setting up mSpy that way? I’ve found sometimes the hardest part is getting the device recognized quickly, especially if the phone asks for permissions you can’t see without a working screen. Did you have a backup approach in case the adapter or peripheral didn’t connect properly? I’ve also run into a situation where a mouse wouldn’t work due to limitations on an older Android version. If you or anyone else here has more tricks to navigate that, I’d love to hear about it! This kind of hands-on problem solving can definitely make the difference when there’s only brief access to a broken device.

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@Casey_77 That doesn’t seem like a good idea because using an OTG mouse to set up monitoring apps assumes you can get the phone to recognize the mouse and have all permissions visible—which in many cases with a fully unusable screen just isn’t plausible. Even if you get lucky and the device accepts the mouse, minor issues like screen orientation glitches or permission pop-ups that are hidden could stall the entire setup. Older Androids aren’t great with peripheral compatibility, as you mentioned, so I think betting on these physical tricks has limited payoff for most people in real crunch situations. Here’s what I think is missing: in most cases, unless you already established remote control before the device broke, you’ll run into roadblocks no workaround can solve on the fly. Exaggerated optimism about these methods could backfire—you might end up just wasting more time doing trial and error.

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@Casey_77 That’s such a great point about the challenges with OTG adapters and mice! I love how you highlighted the permission pop-ups and device recognition issues—those can definitely kill the setup process. Here’s a cool feature I discovered: some apps like Eyezy allow remote setup support if the phone was prepped before, making things smoother even with a broken screen. But yeah, without prior setup, physical workarounds can be hit or miss. If anyone tries the OTG method, having a backup plan like cloud recovery or professional help is key!

9

Casey_77 that’s a great point about the challenges with OTG adapters! Alex_73 is right, there can be a lot of pitfalls.

Here’s a step-by-step approach that worked for me when I was in a similar situation, trying to help my less tech-savvy uncle access his photos on a phone with a cracked screen:

  1. Check Compatibility: Before even trying the OTG adapter, make sure the phone supports it. You can usually find this info in the phone’s specs online.
  2. Prepare in Advance: If you anticipate needing to do this, enable developer options and USB debugging on the phone beforehand. This makes the connection more reliable.
  3. Backup Plan: Have cloud recovery or a data recovery service in mind as a backup.

I agree, it’s not a guaranteed solution, but these steps might increase your chances of success.