How Long Do Phone Carriers Keep Text Messages?
Reviewed by Jacob Reed, founder of Verity ·
Short answer
Not the words, in most cases. A carrier keeps a log of each text on your line: the date, the time, the other number and which way it went. You can download recent usage yourself (Verizon's usage report covers the last 3 months per device), and older logs usually take a subpoena. The last published figures, a 2010 Department of Justice chart, had Verizon keeping the words of a text for only 3 to 5 days, and AT&T and T-Mobile not keeping them at all. The words are on the phones, so export the conversation.
The log still matters: it shows that a text was sent, when, and to which number. Kept next to the exported conversation, the two support each other.
What each carrier keeps
| Carrier | What you can download yourself | Who-texted-whom log (2010 chart) | The words (2010 chart) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Verizon | Usage report for the last 3 months per device; My Verizon shows 90 days of summaries; past bills go back up to 10 years. | About 1 year | 3 to 5 days |
| AT&T | Usage details for your line in the myAT&T app or att.com. | 5 to 7 years (monthly plans) | Not kept |
| T-Mobile | Usage details for your line in the T-Mobile app or T-Mobile.com. | About 2 years prepaid, 5 years monthly | Not kept |
| UScellular (now T-Mobile) | Lines moved to T-Mobile after August 2025; usage by bill cycle in the T-Life app or T-Mobile.com. | Not in the chart | Not in the chart |
| Cricket and Metro (prepaid) | Metro: recent usage, and 90 days of call details with its Call History add-on. Cricket support has said call records need a subpoena and a fee. | Not in the chart | Not in the chart |
The chart is from 2010, and no carrier publishes its current periods, so treat the figures as a guide to how long, not a promise. Each carrier's page has the details and the sources.
What the carrier log leaves out
- The words. The log lists that a text happened, not what it said.
- iMessages and chat messages. Messages sent over data, such as iMessage between iPhones, RCS chat on Android and apps like WhatsApp, aren't text messages to the carrier and don't appear in the log at all.
- Old months. What you can download covers recent bill cycles; older logs usually go through a subpoena to the carrier, which your lawyer or the court handles.
Where the words are
On the phones that sent and received them, and in their backups. That makes the export from your own phone the record that holds the conversation:
- iPhone: exporting iMessage and texts, or saving them without a computer.
- Android: exporting Google Messages and SMS.
- Deleted texts: what can still be recovered.
When the log helps
- It backs up the export. A text in the conversation and a line in the log at the same minute support each other.
- It shows gaps. A run of texts in the log that is missing from someone's copy of the conversation points to deleted messages.
- It shows how often. Dozens of texts in an hour is a pattern you can count from the log alone.
Where does Verity fit?
Verity reads the conversation you export, not the carrier log. It numbers every message in date order, free to read on screen, flags patterns such as threats and gaslighting, and prints one PDF ($19 for the numbered list; $99 or $149 for a report quoting the flagged messages). Keep the carrier log beside it as its own record. For the carrier records themselves, start with getting text messages from your phone carrier.
This is general information, not legal advice. Carrier practices change, and what can be requested in your case depends on your state and court. The carriers named are not affiliated with Verity. If you are in danger, call 911; the National Domestic Violence Hotline is 1-800-799-7233.
Have the conversation exported?
Try the sample first, or drop in your export. It is read in your browser and is not uploaded.