How to Read Someone’s Text Messages Without Their Phone?

In our hyper-dense, high-volume information age, there’s always so much happening around us each time, and it’s becoming more difficult to keep track of everything that matters to us. But one skill that can help us catch up is how to see someone’s text messages.

Some 23 billion text messages rip through the airwaves every single day, and on average, people send about 13 text messages each day. That means a person’s SMS can reveal quite a lot about them. How to read someone’s text messages without their phone is a life hack that can help you keep it all together when your relationship is going off the rails or when your kids are growing up too fast.

In this dossier, we’ll be sharing the best methods to read messages on another phone. Got zero experience with tech or phone tracking apps? Our method has a very low bar of entry. In fact, the only thing you need to use this method is a legitimate reason to track someone’s phone.

We’ll show you the easiest, quickest ways to get text messages forwarded from another phone to your phone without having access to the phone. If you’re ready to dip your toes in the waters, we’ve lined up the best apps that can help you hit the ground running quickly.

What Is an SMS Tracking App, and How Does It Work? 

Without any further ado, let’s jump straight into our number one recommended method to read messages on another phone – SMS tracking apps. These apps are designed to deliver copies of your target’s messages straight into your phone the moment they’re registered on their phone. With a reliable tracking app, you’re always just a few clicks away from all your target’s messages.

When installed on the target phone, the spy app latches on to the target’s phone software to execute clandestine tracking operations. Depending on the app you choose, the tracking operations can cover all their SMS, social media activities, calls, browsing activities, etc.

Some spy apps may require rooting or jailbreaking the target phone to get unrestricted access to the phone’s data. Others make things much easier, tracking whether or not the phone is rooted or jailbroken.

Another important aspect of spy apps is the user experience. With top-notch apps, you can enjoy a seamless, sweatless experience straight off the bat. You’ll start off with a swift installation process and then gain access to all your target’s SMS with just a few clicks anytime, anywhere.

All of this happens in total secrecy. SMS tracking apps are usually lightweight and low in resource requirements. They can operate non-stop, copying all your target’s SMS all day and all night without leaving behind the slightest clue.

Another thing you need to know is that some apps have extensive compatibility, working on a wide variety of phones. But many of them work only on Android phones running Android 4+ or iOS 7+. And those supporting older phones usually require jailbreaking or rooting. Always check the compatibility details when checking out SMS tracking apps.

Is It Legal to Read Someone’s Text Messages?

Depending on who you ask, learning how to get other people’s text messages is a highly controversial issue or a totally normal thing. The legality of SMS tracking tools is very relative and open to many interpretations. Phone tracking laws differ from location to location, so it’s always important to double-check with your local laws to ensure you’re on the right side of the law.

If you wonder, “How to read someone’s text messages without their phone for free,” you should know that it’s usually legal if the person is under your care, like your wards, seniors, and even employees. If you’re a protective parent, you’ll most likely have the legal green light to keep tabs on your kid’s communications since you make most of the decisions for them until they come of age.

Employee tracking is also legal in most places, but it usually requires the consent of your employees. Businesses may have the prerogative to subject all their employees to phone monitoring for security and productivity reasons. But they need to make it overt and get their employees to sign up officially.

Why Should I Monitor Someone’s Text Messages?

Your considerations should go beyond legal implications when considering spy apps. Sometimes, it might not be legal, but crucial and life-saving. And other times, it may be legal but ethically or morally inappropriate.

Here are some of the solid reasons we believe truly warrant asking, “How can I read someone’s text messages from my phone?”

Lack of Participation

If your loved ones suddenly lose interest in things they’re normally passionate about, it’s a behavioral change that shouldn’t be ignored. It could signal worse things to come or pivotal moments in their life. Chances are they may try to keep you in the dark, so it might be safer to just keep tabs on them secretly until you’re certain of what’s going on with them.

Less Conversation

You should also be very concerned when your loved ones always appear ‘switched off’ or ‘zoned out,’ being unresponsive to the casual jokes and conversations you always have going. If they’re steadily subbing your bond time with personal screen time, becoming increasingly glued to their phones, you need to find out about their new obsession.

Isolation

Another red flag you shouldn’t take lightly is increasing isolation. If your loved ones become closed out not because you hurt them or something bad happened that you know of, you should have a peek at their digital lives to find out what’s drawing them away from you.

Secrecy

One white lie every once in a while isn’t really a bad thing. But if your partner has become a chronic liar, always making up inconsistent lies and excuses, you shouldn’t just take things lightly. Secrecy is usually a serious sign of trust issues – one that could just keep getting worse if you don’t take drastic steps to gain closure in the relationship.

Inappropriate Activities Can Be Traced

If you’re worried about the nature of activities your loved ones are currently engaging in, learning how to hack someone’s text messages from another phone might be an effective way to make sure they’re not getting in harm’s way.

Is It Possible to Read Someone’s SMS Without Installing Software on Their Phone? 

If you dread the thought of handling your target’s phone to install software, we understand your concerns. Their phone is a hornet’s nest, and you wouldn’t want to stir it. Thankfully, in some circumstances, it’s possible to track them totally remotely without having to pick up their phone to install the software.

But you’d need your target to have an iPhone and use iCloud backup for their files. If they have an iPhone, you can get their files via their iCloud account. Everything can be done through the internet, from start to finish. An SMS spy app can get you into their iCloud account from your device, and from there, you can access all their backed-up files, including their SMS.

This doesn’t work on Android phones since Android phones don’t have an automatic cloud backup service like iCloud. Unfortunately, you always need access to your target’s phone – at least for a quick second – if they have an Android phone.

Some spy app vendors claim to support remote installation for Android. But hardly a few of them ever live up to their claims. So we strongly advise you to ignore it when you see such claims when you see them.

You should also be wary of app vendors promising to let you read someone’s text messages online for free. We’re also yet to see any of them holding up their words. So, you’ll most likely end up with a defective, unreliable app, if not outright malware.

To help you get a head start on your search, here’s our list of the best SMS trackers that get the job done.

Best SMS Tracker – mSpy

Top of our list is mSpy, a well-rounded app that has consistently delivered leading-edge user experience for over a decade now. You’re guaranteed a quality, seamless experience no matter your tech background with mSpy. From the quick installation to the easy navigation, mSpy is the go-to SMS tracking app for just about anyone, from parents to spouses and employers.

Rest assured your target will never bat an eye at your spying campaign. You’ll have their nose deep into their phone data without them ever having the slightest clue. You can see all their incoming and outgoing SMS, instant messages, social media messages, and other communications.

All of this is available for $48.99 per month or even less with the 3-month or yearly plan.

Pros

• Comprehensive SMS tracking features covering all their phone messages.
• Wide compatibility – available on all Android phones with Android 4 and older and all iOS devices, including non-rooted and non-jailbroken phones.
• A compact, easily accessible dashboard.
• Reliable round-the-clock technical support.
• Affordable pricing – less than a dollar a day.

Cons

• Each license supports just one device, which could be a dealbreaker for parents and employees who need to monitor a large set of devices.

How to Install mSpy?

Here’s a detailed instruction on how to install mSpy on the target device:

1. Get your mSpy account at the mSpy official website, and select your target’s device type and subscription plan.
2. Follow the installation instructions in your confirmation email to set up the app. 

• For Android phones, you’ll need to load a confirmation link and code on your target’s phone.
• For iOS devices, you might only need to enter their iCloud credentials on your dashboard.

3. Start monitoring your target’s phone on your mSpy dashboard by scrolling down to the SMS tracker and social media tracker features.

Top-Rated App for How to See Someone’s Text Messages – eyeZy

eyeZy also has quite a lot to offer in SMS tracking. The AI-powered algorithm elevates the user experience by powering accurate predictions. It goes the extra mile by organizing and analyzing your target’s phone data to help you draw reasonable conclusions.

The Social Spotlight feature breaks down all their calls and texts in an easy-to-read report, complete with all details like time and date stamps and contact identities. The Plan Breaker weaves their texts together with other phone data like calendar entries, notes, and browser searches to help you draw conclusions about your target’s plans.

It combines extraordinary tracking capabilities with a simple, straightforward user experience to help you hit the ground running in no time.

All of this is available at a very attractive price. The monthly plan goes for $47.99 per month or $27.99 monthly for 3 months or $9.99 monthly for 1 year.

Pros

• Top-range SMS tracking features at a price that’s easy on the pocket.
• A massive collection of tracking features in addition to SMS tracking.
• A Friendly Installer feature that takes the hassle out of the installation process.
• Round-the-clock customer support.

Cons

• Pricing information is not readily at hand on the website.
• A license for multiple devices can add up really quickly.

Best SMS Tracker Without Them Knowing – Cocospy

If the remote installation is a big deal for you, Cocospy is right up your alley. Cocospy is one of those few apps that offer remote installation for Android, though it’s technically not a fully remote feature. The app can be fully activated in the target phone by sending an SMS that gets your target to click on the activation link.

It also supports the iCloud installation option for iOS devices. So it lets you read someone’s text messages without installing software on their phone, both on Android and iOS devices. For the iCloud option, you don’t even have to download any software on your own phone. Simply enter your target’s iCloud credentials on the app’s web app on your browser. This installation also does away with rooting and jailbreaking requirements.

Once you’re in, you’ll have sweeping coverage of all their SMS, incoming and outgoing alike. Cocospy also lines up a host of other tracking features to keep you well-informed about all your target’s activities.

All of this comes in at $49.99 per month or $69.99 for 3 months or $119 for 1 year.

Pros

• A massive list of features to track others’ text messages.
• A seamless user experience.
• Offers remote installation for both Android and iOS devices.
• Data privacy is guaranteed – your target’s data is not accessible to any third party.

Cons

• Limited customer care options compared to others in this review.
• Doesn’t offer a free trial.

Ultimate Tracker for Text Message Spy Without Access to Phone – FlexiSPY

FlexiSPY gives SMS tracking an edge with a frequently updated list of features. Once every few weeks or so, you’ll get new features for tracking your target’s SMS and other phone activities. Currently, FlexiSPY lets you track your target’s SMS in more ways than one, including through the SMS tracker, the keylogger, keyword alerts, and screen recorders.

The SMS tracker works just like those of the other apps on our list, giving you a complete lowdown on all incoming and outgoing messages on your target’s phone. The keylogger lets you see all the messages they type out on any messaging platform.

With the keyword alert, you can monitor their SMS passively, checking up on them only when you get an alert about suspicious words or phrases popping up in their conversation.

The screen recorder can take you to their chat box, letting you see their incoming and outgoing messages in real-time on any messaging platform.

However, FlexiSPY is a high-end spy app. Its vast collection of features is matched by relatively higher pricing. The pricing starts at $29.99 monthly for the Lite plan, which only gives you barebone tracking capabilities. The impressive set of text tracking features is reserved for the premium plans.

Pros

• An ever-increasing set of features for tracking SMS and other phone data.
• Wide compatibility – work on Android, iOS, Symbian, and Blackberry devices.
• Solid technical support.
• Offers a free demo.

Cons

• A pricier price tag.
• The SMS tracker works only on jailbroken or rooted phones.

Best SMS Tracker With Remote Control – Spyera

If you need remote control in addition to SMS tracking, check out Spyera. It’s helped countless parents around the world to stay on top of what their kids do with their phones. Not only can you see all your kid’s messages, but you can also delete suspicious ones remotely and also block certain contacts from their phone.

But one of the app’s main drawbacks is the lack of support for iCloud tracking. That means you always need access to your target’s phone, even if they’re using an iPhone, to set up the app.

The app’s price starts at $49 monthly.

Pros

• Tracks SMS, social media texts, and a host of other phone communications.
• Speedy installation and seamless user experience.
• Round-the-clock support in multiple languages.
• Offer a 10-day money-back guarantee.

Cons

• Works only on jailbroken or rooted devices.
• Only credit card payments are accepted.

What Else You Can Track With Text Message Spy Apps?

Another great thing about our recommended means to set up text message spy without access to the phone is that they go beyond just SMS tracking to delve deeper into your target’s activities. You’ll get a full scoop on everything they do on their phone, including:

• Social Media. Gain unfettered access to all their social activities across popular platforms from Facebook to Twitter, Instagram, WhatsApp, Kik, Snapchat, Skype, etc. Spy app tracks just about every activity, from private chats to group chats, profile updates, etc. You can also track all the files they upload or download from any platform.
• Internet Activity. All the web pages they visit and the searches they carry out will be accessible on your interface. The browsing activity report comes with time and date stamps to help you make better sense of them.
• Location Tracking. Follow your targets every step of the way, everywhere. The location trackers from our recommended apps can track them to an inch of accuracy. You can also get geofencing alerts, where you set up notifications for when your target enters or leaves certain locations.
• Call Logs. Scroll through their complete call logs from your dashboard. Our app’s call trackers with time and date stamps and the contact details of the callers/receivers.

Final Thoughts 

There you have it, folks – effortless tracking solutions lay all your target’s phone data at your feet. Our recommended picks give you a full scoop on all your target’s incoming and outgoing messages. You’ll get high-tech SMS tracking capabilities combined with a sweatless user experience.

Some apps like mSpy and eyeZy offer free demos to help you test the waters risk-free. The others offer a money-back guarantee, which technically means you can read someone’s text messages online for free because you’re not risking your money.