Personal Texts on a Work Phone: Save Them Before You Hand It Back
Reviewed by Jacob Reed, founder of Verity ·
Short answer
If personal conversations are on a work phone, assume they won't survive you leaving: employers usually own the device and often reset it when it comes back. Before then, read your company's phone policy, save the personal conversations you need in a way it allows, and keep the copy off the device. Don't take company information you aren't allowed to, and if a case is underway, tell your lawyer before you hand the phone back.
Plenty of co-parenting arguments happen on whatever phone was in your pocket, including the one work gave you.
Who owns what
The phone, and often the accounts on it, usually belong to the employer, and IT may be able to manage or erase it remotely. The details are in your company's acceptable-use or device policy: read it before you do anything else.
Saving your personal conversations
- Export each personal conversation as a file where the app allows it (see how to export your texts), or screenshot it in order with the dates in view.
- Move the copy to your own device or account by a route your policy permits; some employers block forwarding to personal email.
- Save only your personal conversations, not work chats, files or contacts you aren't allowed to keep.
Before you hand it back
- Ask IT what happens to the phone, and whether they can let you keep a copy of personal messages.
- Write down when you returned it and what was on it.
- If messages on it matter to a case, tell your lawyer first; they can ask for the data to be preserved. Deleting them yourself can cause problems of its own (see deleting texts during a case).
Going forward
Keep personal and co-parenting conversations on your own phone, where you control the record. If you are moving to a new one, see save your texts before switching phones.
A copy that doesn't depend on any phone
Verity reads your exported conversation in your browser, without uploading it, and numbers every message in date order. The $19 numbered list is a printable record that stays yours whatever happens to the device.
This is general information, not legal or employment advice. Follow your employer's policy, and ask a lawyer if you are unsure what you may keep.
Keep the conversation, not the phone
Drop in your export and read every message numbered in date order. It is read in your browser and is not uploaded.