Cannot get sent sms (text messages) from device

Question

I would like to get all the sent sms (text messages) from a device. I can get all of them from the inbox with:

public List<SMS> getAllInboxSMS(Context ctx) {

    List<SMS> inboxSMSList = new ArrayList<>();

    try {

        Uri uriSms = Uri.parse("content://sms/inbox");
        Cursor c = ctx.getContentResolver().query(uriSms, new String[]{"_id", "thread_id", "address", "person", "date", "body"}, "read=0", null, null);

        if (c != null && c.moveToFirst()) {
            do {
                inboxSMSList.add(new SMS(c));
            } while (c.moveToNext());
        }

    } catch (Exception e) {
        Log.e("getAllInboxSMS", e.toString());
    }

    Log.i("inbox", "size: " + inboxSMSList.size());
    Log.i("inbox", inboxSMSList.toString());

    return inboxSMSList;
}

However if I modify

Uri.parse("content://sms/inbox");

to

Uri.parse("content://sms/sent");

The returned list size is 0.

I tried to set the app as default sms app but it doesn't work in that way either.

I work on Lollipop (Android 5).

Please help if you can.

Answer 1

To read all messages for inbox or sent programmatically in Android use following function.

public List<Sms> getAllSms(String folderName) {
List<Sms> lstSms = new ArrayList<Sms>();
Sms objSms = new Sms();
Uri message = Uri.parse("content://sms/"+folderName);
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")));

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

return lstSms;}

Call above function to get all messages from inbox or send folder.

getAllSms("inbox"); // Get all sms from inbox


getAllSms("sent"); // Get all sms from sent

To get all sms from inbox or sent folder use following function

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 following permission in your AndroidManifest.xml

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

for marshmallow device support you to check runtime permission

for reference runtime permission