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SMS2VPS

Synchronize SMS from Android to your VPS, Google Drive, or Gmail – securely and on your terms.

SMS2VPS is a secure Android app that synchronizes incoming SMS to your chosen destination: a self-hosted VPS, Google Drive, or Gmail. Messages are stored securely and can be accessed remotely as a reliable backup solution. Synchronization only occurs after you manually activate it in the app settings.

SMS2VPS is now available on Google Play and can be downloaded using the link below.

Get it on Google Play

The app's code is hosted on GitHub as open-source and supports ongoing development.

How to Set Up SMS2VPS on Your Android Device and VPS

Before you start forwarding SMS to another device or server, install SMS2VPS from Google Play, open the app, and complete the basic setup on your phone and VPS.

Step 1: Accept Terms and Grant Permissions

Accept Terms
Immediately after installation, when you open the app, you will be presented with a welcome screen where you can view and accept these Terms of Use ('Terms') and this Privacy Policy ('Policy').
Choose SMS2VPS
Here you will see all apps available for use as your default SMS app. Select the SMS2VPS application.

Step 2: Configure VPS Settings

Open the VPS Settings view from the app and fill in the connection details:

After entering everything, tap the Save button in SMS2VPS so that the app remembers your settings. Then use the connection test in the app to verify that your VPS is reachable before activating synchronization.

Navigate to VPS Settings
To enable sending messages to your VPS, navigate to the VPS Settings view by tapping the logo icon in the top-right corner of the home screen.
Enter VPS credentials
Fill in the VPS IP address, username, storage path, password, and port. The default storage path is /root/sms and the default port is 22. After entering all fields correctly, press the SAVE button so the app remembers your settings. Note that these details are required to securely send messages to your VPS using SSH authentication.

Helpful VPS Commands

Run these commands on your VPS or Linux server to find the correct values for the VPS Settings view:

# Get external IP address
curl -s https://api.ipify.org
# Get internal IP address
hostname -I | awk '{print $1}'
# Get the username of the current logged-in user
whoami
# Get the home directory path of the VPS user
echo $HOME
# Show current directory (often useful when choosing storage path)
pwd

Use a Windows 11 PC Instead of a VPS

If you do not want to rent a VPS, you can also turn a Windows 11 computer into an SSH server and use it as the SMS synchronization target.

  1. Open Settings on your Windows 11 PC and go to System > Optional features. Click View features, search for "OpenSSH Server", select it and click Next > Install.
  2. After installation, open the Start menu, type services.msc and press Enter. In the Services window, find "OpenSSH SSH Server", open its properties, set Startup type to Automatic and click Start. Confirm with OK.
  3. Allow SSH through the firewall: open Windows Defender Firewall with Advanced Security, create a new Inbound Rule for Port, choose TCP and port 22, and allow the connection for the profiles you use (Domain, Private, Public).
  4. Find the PC's IP address by opening Terminal or Command Prompt and running ipconfig. Note the IPv4 address of the active network adapter.
  5. Create or choose a folder for SMS backups, for example C:\sms2vps\inbox, and make sure your Windows user has read/write permissions to that folder. You can create it from PowerShell or an SSH session with: mkdir C:\sms2vps\inbox.
  6. In SMS2VPS on your Android device, open the VPS Settings view and use the following values:
    • Host/IP address: the IPv4 address you found with ipconfig
    • Port: 22
    • Username: your Windows account name
    • Authentication: your Windows account password, or an SSH private key if you prefer key-based login (paste the full key including the BEGIN/END lines).
    • Remote directory: C:\sms2vps\inbox (the folder created above)

    When the target is a Windows OpenSSH server, always use Windows-style paths such as C:\sms2vps\inbox in the SMS2VPS settings, not Linux-style paths like /cygdrive/c/....

  7. From another device (or Termux on your Android phone), test the connection with an SSH client, for example: ssh your_username@your_windows_ip. If the login works and you can see the C:\sms2vps\inbox folder, you are ready to use SMS2VPS with this PC.

Set up the OpenSSH server from PowerShell

Alternatively, you can install and configure the OpenSSH server on Windows 11 directly from an elevated PowerShell window using the following commands:

# 1. Install the OpenSSH server capability
Add-WindowsCapability -Online -Name OpenSSH.Server~~~~0.0.1.0
# 2. Register the sshd service (note the spaces after binPath= and start=)
sc.exe create sshd binPath= C:\Windows\System32\OpenSSH\sshd.exe start= auto
# 3. Start the sshd service
Start-Service sshd
# 3b. Verify that the service is running
Get-Service sshd
# 4. Set the service to start automatically
Set-Service -Name sshd -StartupType 'Automatic'
# 5. Open port 22 in Windows Firewall for incoming SSH connections
New-NetFirewallRule -Name sshd -DisplayName 'OpenSSH Server (sshd)' -Enabled True -Direction Inbound -Protocol TCP -Action Allow -LocalPort 22
# 6. Generate an SSH key pair for SMS2VPS (recommended)
ssh-keygen -t ed25519 -C "sms2vps-key"
# 7. Add the public key to authorized_keys on this Windows PC
type $env:USERPROFILE\.ssh\id_ed25519.pub >> $env:USERPROFILE\.ssh\authorized_keys
# 8. Find the IPv4 address of your Windows 11 PC
ipconfig

Once the SSH connection test succeeds and SMS2VPS has saved your settings, you can activate SMS synchronization and store all messages directly on your Windows 11 machine.

To verify that everything works, send a test SMS to your phone and on the Windows PC run Get-ChildItem C:\sms2vps\inbox and Get-Content C:\sms2vps\inbox\*.txt in PowerShell to see the saved message files.

How to Receive Text Messages on Another Android device?

Only after the user has installed the SMS2VPS application on the Android phone from which text messages are forwarded, can Termux and OpenSSH be used on the receiving Android device.

Step 1: Install Termux

The Termux application is available for download from the Google Play Store, the F-Droid website. Once installed, open the Termux app to begin the setup process.

Step 2: Configure OpenSSH in Termux

After opening Termux, enter the following commands one by one in the command line:

# Update package lists
pkg update
# Install OpenSSH program
pkg install openssh
# Start SSH daemon
sshd
# Set a password for SSH connection
passwd
# Get your Android phone's IP address (look for "inet" in the output)
ifconfig
# Check the username
whoami
# List available storage folders
ls -la ~/storage/

Step 3: Configure the Receiving Device in SMS2VPS

Next, you need to configure the receiving device on the SMS2VPS app's VPS Settings page as follows:

  • IP address: Enter the IP address that you saw when you ran the ifconfig command.
  • Username: Enter the username that you obtained from the whoami command.
  • VPS storage path: You can enter your desired folder path where you want the .txt file to be saved. You can check available folders with the ls -la ~/storage/ command from Step 2. For example: /storage/emulated/0/Download
  • Password: Enter the same password that you created with the passwd command.
  • Port: You can enter 8022, which is the default port used by the Termux application. However, if you want to change it temporarily to another port (for example, port 2222), follow the steps below.

Step 4: Changing the Port (Optional)

Temporary Port Change

To temporarily change the port to 2222, run the following commands:

# Stop the current SSH daemon
pkill sshd
# Start SSH daemon on port 2222
sshd -p 2222

💡 Tip: Make sure both devices are connected to the same network for the SSH connection to work properly. You can verify the connection by testing the SSH connection from the receiving device before configuring SMS2VPS.

Use SMS2VPS over Different Networks

The examples above assume that your Android device and VPS (or receiving device) are on the same local network. If your phone is on mobile data or a different Wi‑Fi network, you can still use SMS2VPS reliably by creating a secure, private network between your phone and server using tools such as Tailscale, ZeroTier, or Twingate.

The steps below assume that you have already installed SMS2VPS, configured everything in the VPS Settings view, and successfully tested a normal SSH connection to your VPS or receiving device.

General Preparation

Option 1: Tailscale

  1. Create a free Tailscale account at tailscale.com.
  2. Install the Tailscale app on your Android phone from Google Play and sign in using the same account.
  3. Install Tailscale on your VPS or receiving device and authenticate it to the same Tailscale account.
  4. On the VPS, run tailscale ip -4 (or check the Tailscale admin console) to see the private Tailscale IP address.
  5. Open the SMS2VPS app and in VPS Settings set Host/IP address to the Tailscale IP you found in the previous step.
  6. From another SSH client on your phone, test the connection to the Tailscale IP and SSH port. When the test works, you can safely activate SMS synchronization over Tailscale.

Option 2: ZeroTier

  1. Create a ZeroTier account at zerotier.com and create a new network.
  2. Install the ZeroTier One app on your Android phone and join it to your network using the network ID.
  3. Install the ZeroTier client on your VPS or receiving device and join it to the same network.
  4. In the ZeroTier web console, authorize both devices so they become fully connected.
  5. On the VPS, run ip addr (Linux) or check your ZeroTier interface to find the private ZeroTier IP address (usually starting with 10.).
  6. Enter this ZeroTier IP in the Host/IP address field in the SMS2VPS VPS Settings view and test the SSH connection before enabling synchronization.

Option 3: Twingate

  1. Create a Twingate account and set up a new remote access network following the Twingate documentation.
  2. Deploy a Twingate Connector in the same network as your VPS or receiving device.
  3. Install the Twingate client app on your Android phone and sign in with your Twingate account.
  4. Configure access so that your phone can reach the VPS via its internal IP address or hostname through Twingate.
  5. On your phone, open an SSH client and verify that you can connect to the VPS over the Twingate connection using the same host, port and credentials that you use in SMS2VPS.
  6. Once the SSH test succeeds, keep the Twingate client connected on your phone and enable SMS synchronization in the SMS2VPS app.

These tools create a secure, encrypted tunnel between your phone and server so that SMS2VPS can deliver messages even when your Android device and VPS are on different networks, without exposing your VPS directly to the public internet.

Key Features:
Synchronizes incoming SMS to your user-configured VPS after activation
Stores messages as .txt files on your server
View messages directly in the app or via FTP
Send SMS through your phone's native system when set as default app
Must be set as default messaging app to access SMS data
User controls all synchronization settings and destinations
Secure, private, and self-hosted backup solution
Optional synchronization to Google Drive (as .txt files)
Optional synchronization via Gmail (email notifications)
Complete message history backup and archival
Key Features:
  • Synchronizes incoming SMS to your configured VPS after user activation
  • Stores messages as .txt files on your server
  • View messages directly in the app or via FTP (e.g. FileZilla)
  • Send SMS through your phone's native system when set as default app
  • Must be set as default messaging app to function (Android requirement)
  • Secure, private, and self-hosted backup solution
  • Optional synchronization to Google Drive or Gmail (Google OAuth approved)
  • Complete message history backup and archival

🔐 Important: User Control & Data Privacy

SMS2VPS only accesses and synchronizes messages after you:

You retain full control over which destinations receive your SMS data, when synchronization occurs, and can disable it at any time from the app settings. No data is transferred automatically without your explicit activation.

🔒 SSH-2 Protocol Security

SMS2VPS uses the SSHJ library to establish secure SSH connections to your VPS server. When you activate SMS synchronization, the app utilizes the SSH-2 protocol, which is the modern and secure version of the SSH protocol and the current industry standard for secure remote connections.

This ensures that all communication between your Android device and VPS server is encrypted and protected against unauthorized access, maintaining the privacy and security of your SMS data during transmission.

🌍 Real-World Use Cases for SMS2VPS

Imagine you're traveling abroad and want to leave your Android phone safely at home, perhaps to avoid roaming charges or simply because you don't need it while away. However, you still want to stay connected to important text messages sent to your phone. With SMS2VPS, you can securely synchronize all incoming SMS messages from your device to your private server after setting it up. This ensures you never miss a message, no matter where you are.

Consider monitoring the well-being of elderly parents who live alone. If you're not physically nearby, SMS2VPS allows you to see what messages they receive on their phone in real-time (with their consent and after proper configuration). This offers peace of mind and an opportunity to assist quickly if needed.

But the uses extend much further. Imagine a small business owner who wants to centralize customer communications received via SMS but prefers not to rely on third-party services. By synchronizing messages to their own VPS, the business can automate responses, integrate message data with CRM systems, or trigger alerts for urgent requests with full control over their data privacy.

Or take developers and hobbyists who want to integrate SMS-based controls or notifications in their IoT projects. API integration is still in development, but in future SMS2VPS will also provide a reliable API to capture SMS inputs and route them to custom backend applications for automated processing.

Additionally, journalists or field agents can use the app to securely transmit incoming SMS updates from mobile devices back to a main office without exposing sensitive information over unsecured networks.

Whether it's personal safety, family care, business automation, or technical innovation, SMS2VPS provides a secure, versatile bridge for your Android SMS communication. By synchronizing messages in real-time to a self-hosted environment (after user activation), it empowers users with privacy, control, and instant access to their phone's text messages from anywhere in the world.

🔍 Privacy Notice

The information you provide through our Contact Us form is used solely for the purpose of providing technical support. For complete details on how we protect your information, please read our full Terms of Use & Privacy Policy.

☁️ Google Drive & Gmail Integration

These integrations are optional and disabled by default. You can enable them manually from the Google Settings tab after signing in with Google OAuth.

You can choose to synchronize your SMS messages to Google Drive (as text files) or send them via Gmail (as emails). Our application has been officially verified by Google, ensuring secure and reliable integration with Google services. For the most current information on Google's free usage limits, please refer to: Google Storage Plans and Gmail Sending Limits

How to enable: Simply go to the app settings, sign in with your Google account, select your preferred Google service, and manually activate synchronization. No data is sent to Google services until you explicitly enable this feature.

Important note: When using Google services, be mindful of API limits and quota – this app uses OAuth and approved integrations to remain within Google policies.

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📱 Why SMS2VPS Must Be Set as the Default Messaging App

To enable the full functionality of SMS2VPS, it must be set as your phone's default messaging app. This is because the Android operating system allows only the default SMS app to access incoming and outgoing text messages securely and directly. For more details, see Google's official guide on changing your default SMS app .

Important note: Changing the default messaging app does not transfer your existing SMS message history to the new app. Your previous messages remain stored in your original messaging app and can be accessed by switching back to it at any time.

When SMS2VPS is set as the default app, it can receive all incoming SMS messages and, after you manually activate synchronization in the settings, safely synchronize them to your chosen destination – such as your VPS server, Google Drive, or Gmail – in real time.

SMS2VPS cannot access, send, or synchronize any messages unless it is the default SMS app and you have enabled synchronization manually. Without this setting, the app cannot function as intended due to Android OS restrictions.

If at any time you wish to return to your original SMS app, you can easily switch back from the system settings. Additionally, if you uninstall SMS2VPS, your phone automatically restores the previous default messaging app.

This means you can safely test SMS2VPS without permanent changes to your device's configuration. While active, the app manages your new text messages in the background (after you activate synchronization), offering enhanced features for secure message backup and synchronization. Note that only messages received after setting SMS2VPS as default will be synchronized – historical messages from your previous app are not automatically included.

❓ Frequently Asked Questions

How does SMS2VPS ensure the security of my SMS messages?

SMS2VPS ensures security by allowing users to synchronize SMS messages only to user-defined destinations (VPS, Google Drive or Gmail). Synchronization requires explicit user activation.

Can I choose where my SMS messages are backed up?

Yes. You can select VPS, Google Drive, or Gmail as your backup destination.

Is SMS2VPS compatible with all Android devices?

SMS2VPS is designed to work on Android devices with broad compatibility.

What makes SMS2VPS different from other SMS backup solutions?

SMS2VPS focuses on user control and data privacy—no third-party server stores your messages.

Do I need technical expertise to use SMS2VPS?

No. The app is designed to be easy to use even without technical knowledge.