Discover the Best Ways to Print Text Messages and What Tools You can Use to Keep a Record of Conversations

We’re all used to printing emails and invoices. But is there a way to print a text message conversation?

If you’re trying to print texts from the native messaging app on your phone, then the answer is no.

But before you move on, here are some quick workarounds that can make printing text messages easier:

• Taking screenshots of text message conversations
• Using third-party text message printing applications
• Sending texts directly to your email
• Using a business text messaging platform

Great. Now you’re aware of the best methods of printing text messages. But why would you need to print text messages in the first place?

• Maybe you’re a lawyer, or an accountant who endures ongoing conversations with clients via text message and you’re looking for a way to properly document billable hours. What better way than to have a printable pdf of your text conversations to stash in your working papers?
• Maybe you’re a bookkeeper that sends payment reminders through text because you get higher engagement from your clients than emailing them. But let's say one of your clients is disputing their payment date that was clearly communicated in your text. What do you do then?

Bottom line, anyone can end up in a situation where they need to have an accurate record of a conversation.

Read on for more.

Why would you need to print/maintain a record of text correspondence?

It’s essential to keep records of your conversations when you deal with clients. Whether you’re a lawyer, accountant, medical professional, etc.

The quality of your customer relationships is critical to the success of your business.

Having physically documented and easily accessible records of your conversations with customers has many uses, including:

1. Keeping track of billable hours
2. General record keeping
3. Settling discrepancies
4. Keeping receipts of transactions and orders

Now let's dive into each of these uses in a little more detail.

1. Recording Billable Hours

It’s impossible to properly assess consulting fees without proper documentation.

In-person meetings follow a set schedule. Phone calls show a clear time log. Text messages, on the other hand, require a little more effort to track.

That’s of course if you don’t have an application or business texting platform that will easily document your conversations with time-stamps.

2. General Record Keeping

Remote document sharing is becoming increasingly popular amongst businesses.

When a client or employee sends you documents, you need a way to properly store and access them.

Printing and stashing documents is an easy solution to save important records sent by clients and employees. You can combine it with digital record keeping, though keep an eye on duplicates and other redundant files to avoid clutter.

3. Settling Discrepancies

Regardless of what business you're in, disagreements will arise.

Minor miscommunications and misunderstandings between you and your clients can sometimes lead to distrust in you or your company.

When clients think they are receiving false information it can lead to hostility and negative sentiment. If your business is communicating with customers, you need to have a system in place for saving conversations.

A printed text conversation allows you to evaluate your customer service, and reassure your customers and clients with physical evidence.

4. Keeping Receipts of Transactions & Orders

Mobile payments through text messaging apps are becoming extremely popular.

Mobile payment methods like Apple Pay and Google Pay are blurring the line between banking and messaging.

Text-based payments are now yet another convenient payment option. But they can get difficult to record if payments are not printed out and organized properly.

Suggested Article: Finance SMS for Banks, Financial Services, Advisors, Lenders

How To Print Text Message Conversations

Although native messaging apps currently lack the functionality to print a text conversation, there are many workarounds to choose from.

Here are a few of those alternatives.

1. Taking screenshots
2. Third-Party text printing apps
3. Sending texts to email
4. Business text messaging platforms

1. Taking Screenshots

Taking screenshots is the quickest way to capture a printable version of a text message conversation without downloading an application.

How To Print iPhone Text Message Conversations from Screenshots

1. Find the portion of conversation you want to print in your messaging app
2. Take a screenshot by pressing the power button and volume up button at the same time
3. Open the photos app
4. Open image you want to print
5. Click the share button in the bottom left corner
6. Scroll down and find the “print” option
7. Select printer and choose your print settings
8. Click print in the upper right corner

How To Print Android Text Message Conversations from Screenshots

1. Find the portion of conversation you want to print in your messaging app
2. Take a screenshot (method of taking screenshots varies across devices)
3. Open the photos app
4. Open image you want to print
5. Tap the “share” icon
6. Select printer and choose your print settings
7. Select Cloud Print

Using screenshots to save text conversations is free and easy. However, you may run into some limitations depending on your needs.

Pros of printing screenshots

• Screenshots work great if you have a short conversation that you want to convert into a tangible copy.
• Taking a screenshot ensures that the text message conversation will maintain integrity. It will look the same as it does on your native messaging app.
• Screenshots will save directly to your photos app, which gives you some flexibility in deciding how you want to print.

Cons of printing screenshots

• Screenshots may not be the best method if you are looking to do more than print a short conversation.
• Long conversations will require numerous screenshots, which will become cumbersome and leave conversations disorganized.
• Directly printing your screenshots will use a sufficient amount of ink. It captures the backdrop and formatting of your messaging app.
• When taking multiple screenshots of a conversation, you should ensure that you don’t skip any messages.
• Users have the ability to frame conversations by including a controlled window of messages in a screenshot. This makes them less credible.
• You have to make sure that you manually capture all relevant messages to maintain the true context of the conversation.

2. Third-Party Text Printing Applications

If you find yourself frequently needing to save conversations, downloading a third-party app might be your best bet.

To start printing from a third-party texting app, simply go to the app store on your phone and type in “print text messages”.

Pros of Third-Party Printing Apps

• Third-party apps are much more efficient when you need to save and print conversations often. Instead of having to scroll and take multiple screenshots, you simply set a date range and select print.
• Many applications offer services that back up your messages. This ensures that messages won’t be deleted.
• Most third-party apps conveniently display the date, time, and phone number. This makes it easier to keep track of conversations and their context.

Cons of Third-Party Printing Apps

• Many apps that allow you to print text messages are paid or require an upgrade fee to access printing options.
• You have to give the app permission to view and store your personal messages.
• Third-party apps won’t always keep the original format and style of your native messaging app.

Suggested Third-Party Printing Apps:

• PrinterShare Mobile Print
• PrintEasy
• Legal Text Collector

3. Sending Texts Directly To Email

Now, sending your texts directly to your email is time-consuming and inefficient. Nevertheless, it is an option.

How To Send Texts Directly To Email on Android

1. Click on an individual message
2. Press and hold message
3. Select all messages you want to send
4. Select forward
5. Type in the email address you want to forward to

How To Send Texts Directly To Email on iPhone

1. Click on an individual message
2. Press and hold message
3. Select all messages you want to send
4. Select “More”
5. Select forward
6. Type in the email address you want to forward to

Note: when forwarding your messages to your email, formatting will not be carried over.

4. Business Text Messaging Platforms

Using a business text messaging platform is the best way to print text messages for professional needs.

It’s the easiest and most effective way to organize and print conversations. All of your conversations are clearly laid out in a central hub. You have the ability to filter and search contacts, which makes finding the messages you want to print easy.

Once you find the conversation, all you have to do is click on the print icon and select a date range.

Read our article explaining the benefits of business text messaging platforms

Here’s an example of how printing text conversations work in MessageDesk

With the simple click of a button, you can print your conversations in MessageDesk.

Once you click the printer button, you are prompted to select the date range of the messages you want to print.

And just like that, you have a printable PDF of your conversation.

Business text messaging platforms keep records of your conversation so they can be documented at any time.

Next steps

You may be asking yourself: why not just communicate through email?

While it’s easy to keep records of email conversations, there are plenty of reasons that businesses are switching to text messaging.

On average 98% of texts are opened within 1 minute of being received. Emails, on the other hand, only get opened around 30% of the time.

Texting is growing at a rapid pace in the business landscape. 39% of businesses and organizations have already begun implementing text messaging.

Ready to start texting your contacts? MessageDesk is here to help with smarter, simpler business text messaging.