SMS Text Recovery

Short Message Service, also known as SMS, is one of the most popular forms of communication there is today, according to Nielsen, with the average user sending and receiving more text messages than phone calls. SMS allows users to communicate almost instantly using a mobile phone, in the brief span of generally 160 characters or less. If you have accidentally deleted an important text message, it is often possible to retrieve it using an SIM (subscriber identity module) card recovery tool. This tool allows the user to access the phone's memory and to turn the text messages back on.

• 1

  Purchase a SIM card reader (see Resources). This device gives you access to the data on your memory card and will allow you to recover an SMS. Prices range between $50 and $199 as of October 2010.

• 2

  Power on your computer and insert the CD that came with your SIM card reader into the CD tray. Click "Next," agree to the terms and conditions and wait for the program to install. Click "Finish" upon completion.

• 3

  Turn off your mobile phone and take out the SIM card, located beneath the battery inside of your phone. Insert the card into the SIM card reader. Plug the device into the USB port on your computer using the card reader's USB cord.

• 4

  Click the "Start" menu on your computer and open the SIM software program. Navigate to "File" and "Download Text Messages." A list of messages appears in the window of the program. The deleted ones are marked in red; recover them by right clicking on them and choosing "Undelete Text Message."