How can I read SMS messages from the device programmatically in Android?

Question

I want to retrieve the SMS messages from the device and display them?

Answer 1

From API 19 onwards you can make use of the Telephony Class for that; Since hardcored values won't retrieve messages in every devices because the content provider Uri changes from devices and manufacturers.

public void getAllSms(Context context) {

    ContentResolver cr = context.getContentResolver();
    Cursor c = cr.query(Telephony.Sms.CONTENT_URI, null, null, null, null);
    int totalSMS = 0;
    if (c != null) {
        totalSMS = c.getCount();
        if (c.moveToFirst()) {
            for (int j = 0; j < totalSMS; j++) {
                String smsDate = c.getString(c.getColumnIndexOrThrow(Telephony.Sms.DATE));
                String number = c.getString(c.getColumnIndexOrThrow(Telephony.Sms.ADDRESS));
                String body = c.getString(c.getColumnIndexOrThrow(Telephony.Sms.BODY));
                Date dateFormat= new Date(Long.valueOf(smsDate));
                String type;
                switch (Integer.parseInt(c.getString(c.getColumnIndexOrThrow(Telephony.Sms.TYPE)))) {
                    case Telephony.Sms.MESSAGE_TYPE_INBOX:
                        type = "inbox";
                        break;
                    case Telephony.Sms.MESSAGE_TYPE_SENT:
                        type = "sent";
                        break;
                    case Telephony.Sms.MESSAGE_TYPE_OUTBOX:
                        type = "outbox";
                        break;
                    default:
                        break;
                }


                c.moveToNext();
            }
        }

        c.close();

    } else {
        Toast.makeText(this, "No message to show!", Toast.LENGTH_SHORT).show();
    }
}

Answer 2

The easiest function

To read the sms I wrote a function that returns a Conversation object:

class Conversation(val number: String, val message: List<Message>)
class Message(val number: String, val body: String, val date: Date)

fun getSmsConversation(context: Context, number: String? = null, completion: (conversations: List<Conversation>?) -> Unit) {
        val cursor = context.contentResolver.query(Telephony.Sms.CONTENT_URI, null, null, null, null)

        val numbers = ArrayList<String>()
        val messages = ArrayList<Message>()
        var results = ArrayList<Conversation>()

        while (cursor != null && cursor.moveToNext()) {
            val smsDate = cursor.getString(cursor.getColumnIndexOrThrow(Telephony.Sms.DATE))
            val number = cursor.getString(cursor.getColumnIndexOrThrow(Telephony.Sms.ADDRESS))
            val body = cursor.getString(cursor.getColumnIndexOrThrow(Telephony.Sms.BODY))

            numbers.add(number)
            messages.add(Message(number, body, Date(smsDate.toLong())))
        }

        cursor?.close()

        numbers.forEach { number ->
            if (results.find { it.number == number } == null) {
                val msg = messages.filter { it.number == number }
                results.add(Conversation(number = number, message = msg))
            }
        }

        if (number != null) {
            results = results.filter { it.number == number } as ArrayList<Conversation>
        }

        completion(results)
    }

Using:

getSmsConversation(this){ conversations ->
    conversations.forEach { conversation ->
        println("Number: ${conversation.number}")
        println("Message One: ${conversation.message[0].body}")
        println("Message Two: ${conversation.message[1].body}")
    }
}

Or get only conversation of specific number:

getSmsConversation(this, "+33666494128"){ conversations ->
    conversations.forEach { conversation ->
        println("Number: ${conversation.number}")
        println("Message One: ${conversation.message[0].body}")
        println("Message Two: ${conversation.message[1].body}")
    }
}

Answer 3

if (Build.VERSION.SDK_INT >= Build.VERSION_CODES.KITKAT) {
        final String myPackageName = getPackageName();
        if (!Telephony.Sms.getDefaultSmsPackage(this).equals(myPackageName)) {

            Intent intent = new Intent(Telephony.Sms.Intents.ACTION_CHANGE_DEFAULT);
            intent.putExtra(Telephony.Sms.Intents.EXTRA_PACKAGE_NAME, myPackageName);
            startActivityForResult(intent, 1);
        }else {
            List<Sms> lst = getAllSms();
        }
    }else {
        List<Sms> lst = getAllSms();
    }

Set app as default SMS app

    @Override
protected void onActivityResult(int requestCode, int resultCode, Intent data) {
if (requestCode == 1) {
    if (resultCode == RESULT_OK) {

        if (Build.VERSION.SDK_INT >= Build.VERSION_CODES.KITKAT) {
            final String myPackageName = getPackageName();
            if (Telephony.Sms.getDefaultSmsPackage(mActivity).equals(myPackageName)) {

                List<Sms> lst = getAllSms();
            }
        }
    }
}
}

Function to get SMS

public List<Sms> getAllSms() {
    List<Sms> lstSms = new ArrayList<Sms>();
    Sms objSms = new Sms();
    Uri message = Uri.parse("content://sms/");
    ContentResolver cr = mActivity.getContentResolver();

    Cursor c = cr.query(message, null, null, null, null);
    mActivity.startManagingCursor(c);
    int totalSMS = c.getCount();

    if (c.moveToFirst()) {
        for (int i = 0; i < totalSMS; i++) {

            objSms = new Sms();
            objSms.setId(c.getString(c.getColumnIndexOrThrow("_id")));
            objSms.setAddress(c.getString(c
                    .getColumnIndexOrThrow("address")));
            objSms.setMsg(c.getString(c.getColumnIndexOrThrow("body")));
            objSms.setReadState(c.getString(c.getColumnIndex("read")));
            objSms.setTime(c.getString(c.getColumnIndexOrThrow("date")));
            if (c.getString(c.getColumnIndexOrThrow("type")).contains("1")) {
                objSms.setFolderName("inbox");
            } else {
                objSms.setFolderName("sent");
            }

            lstSms.add(objSms);
            c.moveToNext();
        }
    }
    // else {
    // throw new RuntimeException("You have no SMS");
    // }
    c.close();

    return lstSms;
}

Sms class is below:

public class Sms{
private String _id;
private String _address;
private String _msg;
private String _readState; //"0" for have not read sms and "1" for have read sms
private String _time;
private String _folderName;

public String getId(){
return _id;
}
public String getAddress(){
return _address;
}
public String getMsg(){
return _msg;
}
public String getReadState(){
return _readState;
}
public String getTime(){
return _time;
}
public String getFolderName(){
return _folderName;
}


public void setId(String id){
_id = id;
}
public void setAddress(String address){
_address = address;
}
public void setMsg(String msg){
_msg = msg;
}
public void setReadState(String readState){
_readState = readState;
}
public void setTime(String time){
_time = time;
}
public void setFolderName(String folderName){
_folderName = folderName;
}

}

Don't forget to define permission in your AndroidManifest.xml

<uses-permission android:name="android.permission.READ_SMS" />

Answer 4

Step 1: first we have to add permissions in manifest file like

<uses-permission android:name="android.permission.RECEIVE_SMS" android:protectionLevel="signature" />
<uses-permission android:name="android.permission.READ_SMS" />

Step 2: then add service sms receiver class for receiving sms

<receiver android:name="com.aquadeals.seller.services.SmsReceiver">
    <intent-filter>
        <action android:name="android.provider.Telephony.SMS_RECEIVED"/>
    </intent-filter>
</receiver>

Step 3: Add run time permission

private boolean checkAndRequestPermissions()
{
    int sms = ContextCompat.checkSelfPermission(this, Manifest.permission.READ_SMS);

    if (sms != PackageManager.PERMISSION_GRANTED)
    {
        ActivityCompat.requestPermissions(this, new String[]{Manifest.permission.READ_SMS}, REQUEST_ID_MULTIPLE_PERMISSIONS);
        return false;
    }
    return true;
}

Step 4: Add this classes in your app and test Interface class

public interface SmsListener {
   public void messageReceived(String messageText);
}

SmsReceiver.java

public class SmsReceiver extends BroadcastReceiver {
    private static SmsListener mListener;
    public Pattern p = Pattern.compile("(|^)\\d{6}");
    @Override
    public void onReceive(Context context, Intent intent) {
        Bundle data  = intent.getExtras();
        Object[] pdus = (Object[]) data.get("pdus");
        for(int i=0;i<pdus.length;i++)
        {
            SmsMessage smsMessage = SmsMessage.createFromPdu((byte[]) pdus[i]);
            String sender = smsMessage.getDisplayOriginatingAddress();
            String phoneNumber = smsMessage.getDisplayOriginatingAddress();
            String senderNum = phoneNumber ;
            String messageBody = smsMessage.getMessageBody();
            try{
                if(messageBody!=null){
                    Matcher m = p.matcher(messageBody);
                    if(m.find()) {
                        mListener.messageReceived(m.group(0));
                    }
                }
            }
            catch(Exception e){}
        }
    }
    public static void bindListener(SmsListener listener) {
        mListener = listener; 
    }
}

Answer 5

Kotlin Code to read SMS :

1- Add this permission to AndroidManifest.xml :

    <uses-permission android:name="android.permission.RECEIVE_SMS"/>

2-Create a BroadCastreceiver Class :

package utils.broadcastreceivers

import android.content.BroadcastReceiver
import android.content.Context
import android.content.Intent
import android.telephony.SmsMessage
import android.util.Log

class MySMSBroadCastReceiver : BroadcastReceiver() {
override fun onReceive(context: Context?, intent: Intent?) {
    var body = ""
    val bundle = intent?.extras
    val pdusArr = bundle!!.get("pdus") as Array<Any>
    var messages: Array<SmsMessage?>  = arrayOfNulls(pdusArr.size)

 // if SMSis Long and contain more than 1 Message we'll read all of them
    for (i in pdusArr.indices) {
        messages[i] = SmsMessage.createFromPdu(pdusArr[i] as ByteArray)
    }
      var MobileNumber: String? = messages[0]?.originatingAddress
       Log.i(TAG, "MobileNumber =$MobileNumber")         
       val bodyText = StringBuilder()
        for (i in messages.indices) {
            bodyText.append(messages[i]?.messageBody)
        }
        body = bodyText.toString()
        if (body.isNotEmpty()){
       // Do something, save SMS in DB or variable , static object or .... 
                       Log.i("Inside Receiver :" , "body =$body")
        }
    }
 }

3-Get SMS Permission if Android 6 and above:

   if (Build.VERSION.SDK_INT >= Build.VERSION_CODES.M && 
    ActivityCompat.checkSelfPermission(context!!,
            Manifest.permission.RECEIVE_SMS
        ) != PackageManager.PERMISSION_GRANTED
    ) { // Needs permission

            requestPermissions(arrayOf(Manifest.permission.RECEIVE_SMS),
            PERMISSIONS_REQUEST_READ_SMS
        )

    } else { // Permission has already been granted

    }

4- Add this request code to Activity or fragment :

 companion object {
    const val PERMISSIONS_REQUEST_READ_SMS = 100
   }

5- Override Check permisstion Request result fun :

 override fun onRequestPermissionsResult(
    requestCode: Int, permissions: Array<out String>,
    grantResults: IntArray
) {
    when (requestCode) {

        PERMISSIONS_REQUEST_READ_SMS -> {
            if (grantResults[0] == PackageManager.PERMISSION_GRANTED) {
                Log.i("BroadCastReceiver", "PERMISSIONS_REQUEST_READ_SMS Granted")
            } else {
                //  toast("Permission must be granted  ")
            }
        }
    }
}