Transfer SMS from Blackberry to Android

This article was published on March 14th 2012 at 1pm.

This started out as a personal project to try and understand the IPD file format used by RIM when backing up their devices, but I ended up developing a simple application that may be useful to someone. As input it takes a backup of a Blackberry device as generated by the “Blackberry Desktop Software” and exports the SMS messages to a format that can be used by the popular SMS Backup & Restore Android application. The program is named “Blackberry 2 Droid”.

If there’s enough interest, I’ll look at doing this in reverse – But at the moment I think more people are moving away from Blackberry than to it.

If you find this useful, please support me by liking this site on Facebook. Many thanks, Dave

Read more about Blackberry2Droid and download the latest version for free.

This article was written by Dave Hope. Dave is a Senior Software Analyst for a UK based retirement developer, in his spare time he enjoys digital photography and wine making.

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Bongaj2003

Hey, I would be interested in doing the reverse! Lol. My Android was stolen, but I had SMS backups and a friend has lent me a BlackBerry for a while. I trying to get everything back in sync and restored. Contacts, Calendar are easy. SMS possible?
victoria

I would be interested in the reverse as well!
Nirav_a_desai

i used the app it created the file but how do i move the file from my computer to my phone? so that sms backup restore actually finds the file, i have saved it everywhere but theres no way directly to save it where sms backup reads the file, i have a samsung galaxy s2
- http://hope.mx/ Dave Hope
  
  Connect the phone via USB and transfer it to there, then browse to it in SMS Backup & Restore. Your phone should appear as a USB drive in “My Computer”.
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acidikalien

Hi there, Tried to use the app after using BlackBerry Desktop Manager .BBB file that contains about 20k messages.. An error comes up that says “Could not locate any SMS messages” & Exception of Type ‘System.OutOfMemoryExcecption’ was thrown. Any ideas?? Thanks!
- Naresh Bhagtani
  
  As soon as I click on Convert after selecting the .bbb file, the Blackberry2Droid application says it could not locate any SMS messages in this file. Then it throws an exception System.OutofMemoryException. There are 172 messages in the bbb file because I converted the same into CSV and I can see all the messages in excel.
  - http://hope.mx/ Dave Hope
    
    Sorry you’re having problems, it sounds like the application is running out of memory when it tries to read your backup file for some reason. Would you be willing to send me the BBB file so that I can see if there’s anything In your backup that might be causing it?
    - acidikalien
      
      I figured out the problem. Blackberry Desktop v6x or v5x needs to be used for backup, with the latest version, all backups end in error. When I downgraded to v5 or v6, it worked beautifully.
      
      Thanks! Hope this will help others as well.
      
      PS: Another helpful app to view bb data after backup by v5x or v6x is IpdDump 0.3 RC4
      - http://hope.mx/ Dave Hope
        
        Please download the latest version of the app, which includes support for the new BBB file format.
Barios

I use a program called VeryAndroid SMS Backup. It is a smart Android SMS transfer software that can transfer SMS from iPhone, Blackberry, Nokia and Windows Mobile to Android. Works fine for me. So I recommend it here.
Naresh Bhagtani

As soon as I click on Convert after selecting the .bbb file, the Blackberry2Droid application says it could not locate any SMS messages in this file. Then it throws an exception System.OutofMemoryException. There are 172 messages in the bbb file because I converted the same into CSV and I can see all the messages in excel.
- http://hope.mx/ Dave Hope
  
  Sorry you’re having problems, it sounds like the application is running out of memory when it tries to read your backup file for some reason. Would you be willing to send me the BBB file so that I can see if there’s anything In your backup that might be causing it?
Dev Rad

Hi Dave, could you please make tool for transfering call logs from blackberry to android as well…
I use SMSBackup+ to backup my call logs and SMS to Gmail, unfortunately BB doesn’t have this kind off app (there are few apps, but the way they work is not as good SMSBackup+). So please consider… we can use Ritesh’s Call Backup & Restore to load the converted file to Android.
- Dev Rad
  
  By the way, I just found few bugs… tried both IPD and BBB backup files… the bugs are:
  1. The sender and receiver got switched. example: original message was you said “hi” and I said “whats up”… when the message converted and restored on Android, it will become me said “hi” and you said “whats up”.
  
  2. The time stamp was all wrong.. I dont know whether this is the fault in the program or its the way BB store time stamp on SMS.. anyway, when I restored the message on Android, usually there’s 6-12 hours gap between the original timestamp and the converted one. I also check the XML file, the gap already there, so it’s not SMS Backup & Restore fault. And I also already set the date, time, and time zone of both phones manually and identically (to avoid wrong time stamp due to automatic time update by network).
  
  Can you fix this please on the next release?
  - http://hope.mx/ Dave Hope
    
    Hi,
    
    I can certainly look into the first issue you’ve reported – It should be very easy to reproduce.
    
    As for the second, I believe the timestamp is correct – I’ll look into if there’s any way I can restore the timezone information with the messages.
    
    Thanks
    - Dev Rad
      
      Any progress? Anything I can do to help with testing perhaps?
      - http://hope.mx/ Dave Hope
        
        Hi Dev,
        
        Unfortunately I’ve not had much time as I’ve been working on other projects recently. I’ll take a look at the first issue you raised tonight and e-mail you a link to a private build you can try if that’s OK?
        
        Thanks,
        
        Dave
      - Dev Rad
        
        Yeah, sure.. just send it to my email address. I’ll look into it ASAP. Thanks.
      - Carla
        
        Good afternoon! Thanks so much for creating this converter. I’m having the same issues Dev is having — the senders are switched and the timestamp is way off. Any guidance you could offer would be very much appreciated.
      - http://hope.mx/ Dave Hope
        
        Hi Carla,
        
        Could you send me your backup file and give me an example message of where they’re switched?
        
        Thanks
        
        Dave
      - Rohit
        
        Hey Dave
        First of all, thanks for putting this tool together. It works quickly, and the instructions are clear!
        I also had the same bug that the two users above described. The sender/recipient are switched, and the time stamp on many messages are off by about 12 hours. I understand that there are probably a lot of things that you’re doing, but I was just wondering if you had a chance to take a look at this. Thanks!
      - http://hope.mx/ Dave Hope
        
        Hi Rohit,
        
        I’m still waiting on someone sending me a backup that exhibits this problem – and an example of what it SHOULD look like. If you could e-mail me a backup, and an example of the sender issue and what it should look like I can fix it asap
        
        Cheers
      - DevRad
        
        The new build, alpha 1 version (not yet released), corrected the “switched sender-receiver”. As for the timestamp problems, Dave already sent me 3 alpha builds, but none of them fix this issues. I assume the real problem is on the BB OS itself, like the timezone setting reset to 0 while the clock “still correct” making the user unaware of “the reset”, and thus making the timestamps incorrect when converted. I can’t go into details, but I’ve tested lots of scenarios with 3 different alpha builds provided by Dave himself and the incorrect timestamp only happens if the BB has different timezone than the Android when the SMS sent/received.
        
        Example: SMS received on our BB at 1AM with BB timezone set to GMT+7. But unknown to us, BB reset the GMT to 0 while the clock still point at 1AM thus making the timestamp wrong since the beginning. Then we convert this SMS and restore it on Android with GMT+7 resulting the SMS has a way-off timestamp.
        
        The funny thing is, if we backup the SMS, factory reset the BB, and restore them using BB Desktop Software, the BB device can show the correct original timestamp (even with the timezone reset bug issue). So the way BB OS stores data of SMS must’ve been very different than Android.
      - http://hope.mx/ Dave Hope
        
        Thanks Dev,
        
        If one more person can provide me with a backup demonstrating the switch sender/receiver I’ll gladly release a fix for that.
        
        I have an idea of the timezone issue, and how we can potentially address it but need some more samples to be sure.
        
        If anyone can send me their backup file, with SMS messages in, I’ll treat it in the up-most confidence and should be able to get these problems resolved.
Safigirl88

Do you have a Mac version of the Blackberry2Droid app? Thanks!
- http://hope.mx/ Dave Hope
  
  Sorry, there’s no version for Mac computers.
- http://hope.mx/ Dave Hope
  
  No, Sorry.
Rohail Wasim

You sir, are an awesome person.
DeadKidd

Sir, do you have an App doing the reverse of this? Would need that.. I’m trying to transfer my SMS backup file from android to my Blackberry curve..
- http://hope.mx/ Dave Hope
  
  That’s not something I have, sorry.
Cm214

What a find, fantastic tool, thank you! Saved me writing something to do what you’ve already achieved.
- http://hope.mx/ Dave Hope
  
  No problem! Glad it helped
Test

hello, I’m getting an output buffer error:

System.ArgumentException: The output char buffer is too small to contain the decoded characters, encoding ‘Unicode (UTF-8)’ fallback ‘System.Text.DecoderReplacementFallback’.
Parameter name: chars
at System.Text.Encoding.ThrowCharsOverflow()

anyway to increase the buffer?
- http://hope.mx/ Dave Hope
  
  That’s an odd error. Not something I’d have expected to see. What languages are your test messages written in? – Do they have any unicode characters in them?
  - test
    
    As far as I know, not. but there may be some international texts that I had received while traveling from friends. Not sure if the encoding is different in those.
  - test
    
    tried on a win2k8 intel x64 and it worked. failure was on win7 x64 on amd. weird, really.
  - rachna
    
    hi im getting the same message – except mine ends at parameter name:chars.
    
    im not sure of what to do. all my sms are in english.
    - http://hope.mx/ Dave Hope
      
      Make sure you’re using the latest version. If you are email me the backup file you have and I’ll take a look.
Nezar

Amazing App, but it could not support Arabic language
etchkoobi

Is the sender/receiver swap issue fixed yet?
- http://hope.mx/ Dave Hope
  
  I need someone to provide me with a file that has this problem, showing how they’re swapped so that I can resolve this.
  - Rob
    
    Do you still need a file? I’ve just tried to copy my SMSs over and I have this problem.
Dayanni

fantastico !!!!! otimo programa
http://twitter.com/aescart1 Escartin Aurélien

congrats, it works very well
Toan N.T.

Love you, Dave…I have to try to sync Contacts & SMS from BB to Android.

It takes me days to do this.

Just want to share with all people here:

1. Connect BB & Android by Bluetooth

2. Change Option in BB of Address Book Transfer = All Entries

3. Transfer to Android (it names Phonebook.vcf)

4. Go to Android Contacts to import, if OK -> finished, if not, go to 5.

5. If can’t import contacts, go to Gmail, import this vcf to Gmail Contacts

6. Then open Contacts in Android -> Accounts, choose your gmail acc & sync -> Finished.
Justin Marquez

hi there.. which email do i use to send you the sms file? i’m having the reciever/sender swap issue as well
Justin Marquez

hi.. what email can i send my sms file? im having the sender/receiver swap issue as well..
Meee

absolutely fantastic! thank you so much, couldnt find the storage folder myself so just put it in my documents and worked perfectly! thank you so much!
- http://hope.mx/ Dave Hope
  
  Try this version and let me know if it helps – http://hope.mx/Downloads/Blackberry2droid-1.0.2-alpha4.exe
Mark M

I’ve found a workaround for those with the sender/receiver swap, which happened with me transferring from BB 8520 to Nexus 4.

If you look at the generated XML file using notepad, you should see type=”1″ or type=”2″ within each entry. Swap those round using Replace All and hey presto!

Fantastic program, Dave!
- http://hope.mx/ Dave Hope
  
  Thanks Mark, I’ll take a look at changing the it the next release, someone remind me in a week or so to upload it!
  
  Sent from my iPad
- http://hope.mx/ Dave Hope
  
  This pre-release version should resolve that problem, let me know if it does – http://hope.mx/Downloads/Blackberry2droid-1.0.2-alpha4.exe
rohme

HI..just downloaded blackberry2droid-1.0.2-alpha4 and tried to run it but my system shows up with this message – ” Blackberry2droid-1.0.2-alpha4.exe is not a valid Win32 application ” ….whats the problem ? if u can help…i need to transfer my sms from blackberry 9700 to my new samsung s2
- http://hope.mx/ Dave Hope
  
  When does that message appear? When you double-click it to run? If so, it sounds like you don’t have the .Net Framework installed.
  - rohme
    
    hi..thanks for replying, Yes message appears when i double-click to run it …. but i have following listed (installed )in my control panel program list :-
    Microsoft .Net framework 2.0 – SP2
    Microsoft .Net framework 3.0 – SP2
    Microsoft .Net framework 3.5 – SP1 and am having windows xp (professional ) SP3 – build- 2600 installed in my notebook.
    i am still unable to run this file..same message..
    Need your help..
    thanks
    - http://hope.mx/ Dave Hope
      
      I’ve re-downloaded it and it seems to work fine for me. Do you get the same problem if you download the last stable release (not alpha 4) from http://hope.mx/blackberry2droid ?
      
      I wonder if your download was corrupted somehow, perhaps by Anti-Virus software or similar?
      - rohme
        
        Hi..Dave….i uninstalled the last download…again downloaded the new version and disabled my anti virus for sometime and also uninstalled magicberry and one android software…..and it worked….i was able to run your file and transferred all my messages ( except few ) from blackberry to my new android phone. Thank you very much
DEBBIE O

Fantastic app Dave. You are a lifesaver.
Juan

it says unhanded exception has occurred in your application when i chose the back file.
- http://hope.mx/ Dave Hope
  
  Can you email me your backup file so I can investigate?