Unsuccessful SMS migration from old (Android 12, LOS) to new phone (Android 14, xiaomi.eu) using google messages app and SMS Backup&Restore

[Andi900rr]

I already posted this under an older thread with the title "google messages". I hope this title has more luck.

trying to migrate my SMS from a medieval Poco F1 (lineage) to the X4 in my profile. Changed to googles messages app on the F1. Factory resetted the X4 just to invoke the android "copy my files from another android phone" process as there seems no possibility to start it manually again. Guess it does not work because at this time, xiaomi's messenger app is set as standard app (and installing messages app would require google play already set).

Later tried "SMS Backup+" (could not get this working), then "SMS Backup & Restore", had to pass some hurdles (in the restore process either per google cloud or sending by device's wifi, this app must be set as standard app temporarily; stuck in a loop of the screen requesting to change the standard app; solution was to set standard app manually and closing and restarting). Then changed standard app to messages app again. Still empty. rebooted. Still empty. Deleted messages appdata, repeated the process and rebooted. Still empty. Read FAQ of "SMS Backup & Restore", it says:

I just performed a Restore but the Messages app does not show any messages. How do I fix this?​

"We’ve seen a few reports of this with the latest version of the Android Messages app. In some cases, users have reported that the messages started appearing once a new message was received after the Restore.
If the Messages app is not showing the recently restored messages then we suggest that you clear the storage of the Messages app from Phone Settings and after that it should start showing the messages properly."

Then, in google messages app, I "paired" both devices via QR code. Both logged in with (the same) my google account. Then, the messages app (on my X4) was showing all SMS, identically to my F1. But as soon as the "pairing" is stopped, all SMS dissapear again and messages is empty.
So as soon if I would delete/reinstall my F1, the SMS would be lost (I guess), because pairing only works temporarily.

One more possibility would be the "MI mover" app, not yet tried. Somehow I doubt it will work out of the box with googles messages app and I haven't yet seen the option "SMS" in the info/screenshots I yet googled.

Cannot believe this is such a PITA. And looking for a solution that works for future reinstalls/change of phone. Which is the reason I generally tend to prefer google apps rather than proprietary solutions that work within one manufacturer's brand in the first place.

Cheers

 

[Andi900rr]

Currently investigating what is described here:

Resolving SMS Backup and Restore Issues on Android 14 - PUPUWEB

SMS Backup & Restore stops working when upgrading to Android 14 due to sub_id value errors. Fix by editing the backup XML file to change all sub_id

pupuweb.com

First, I tried: sub_id="-1" (after restoring and changeing standard app back to google messages, messages showed some grey and empty messages flickering, I assumed this would be a loading screen, but after waiting long time this still did not work). Then, I tried sub_id="1", but still no luck.

I also sent one SMS after restoring of the manipulated xml file. Still no success, I did not even receive the SMS, although I am connected to mobile services and phone calls do work.

When restoring from the xml file, it was necessary to make "SMS Backup&Restore" the standard App (Settings -> Apps -> Apps verwalten -> three dots menu top right: Standard-Apps -> Messages: "SMS Backup & Restore") because the in-App change did not work (screen loop).
I also deleted google messages cache and data (Apps -> Apps verwalten -> Messages -> Delete data and cache) before restoring the xml file.
Also I copied the xml file locally from my PC (PC\POCO X4 Pro 5G\Interner Speicher\Android\data\com.riteshsahu.SMSBackupRestore\files) because in google drive, the edited xml file was not shown. After copying, I needed to reboot the X4 (more than once) before they would show up in the menu.

At this time, I am not really sure, if I have to also change the SIM card (to which mobile number all the SMS belong to) of my old phone to the new one (X4), before the SMS show up. Google messages help says, that the messages are not connected to the google profile and still belong to the phone number (SIM). So I swapped the SIM (after restoring the sub_id='1'). No success. So I restored again, deleted google messages cache and data, started messages. It was the showing again five grey messages, just like purely grey icons that were all flashing from black to grey at the same time like a loading animation. I have ca. 700 SMS in that xml file and I am currently still waiting...

This has gone ridiculous already, I think I will start a new thread with a better title and hope for help.

 

[Andi900rr]

After nearly one hour, google messages still shows this "flickering kind of a loading animation", seems to be unreasonably long to load just that tiny xml file.

At least, I understood what the sub_id is about; it seems to be the SIM slot where your SIM card is located (maybe more complicated in my case as both of my phones are dual SIM phones):

Fields in XML backup files – SyncTech

www.synctech.com.au

• sub_id - Optional field that has the id of the phone subscription (SIM). These are values like 0, 1, 2 etc. based on how the phone assigns the index to the sim being used.

I think next step to try will be to restore via SMS B&R and the MI message app and probably later switching to google messages app. This was at least working flawlessly on my old phone, i.e. after switching the standard app, all SMS were immediately loaded.

 

[Andi900rr]

Suprise. When opening MI messages app, all my SMS seem to be already there.

This is good, but also bad for google messages...

There are numerous reddit discussions where people with Android 14 solve this problem by deleting data and cache of their google messages app. And I read over and over again, that a google account backup into google drive includes SMS. But the data is in unreadably form.


I wanted to use mainly googles apps in order to NOT run into such headaches...
I probably won't be using Mi messages forever, mainly because Xiaomi cripples it's top devices by the SD-card slot like many other manufacturers.
When searching modern Android devices that have a SD-card slot AND somewhat (future?) support for custom ROMS, it reveals... nearly none.
Sony Xperia 1 III would have LineageOS support, but the 512GB version seems already out of stock in Europe, only some refurbished available.
Would love the Xiaomi 14 Ultra, but no SD-card slot :-(

However, I am still searching for a solution with google messages.

 

[Andi900rr]

After switching a few times between the Mi Message app and google messages app and a few more times deleting messages data and cache, my SMS appeared when starting google messages app.
works now and I don't question it.