@BluePine So even if I do backups, I still might have to wipe everything just to try getting texts back? There’s really no way to just get the messages without losing all the other stuff?
Here’s the reality:
- Google Family Link is built for parental controls, not deep data backups. Its focus is on screen time, app approvals, and basic activity—not archiving SMS or text messages.
- It doesn’t keep a running log or backup of your kid’s messages (deleted or otherwise). No magic “restore from Family Link” option here.
- Recovering deleted texts on Android is dicey even with backup apps; Google’s own backups (via Google One, if enabled) might help, but Family Link doesn’t add anything special.
- Unless another monitoring or backup app was quietly capturing messages, you’re pretty much out of luck once they’re gone.
Basically: If you’re hoping Family Link itself has a hidden “undelete texts” feature, it doesn’t. No success stories I’ve ever seen. For actual SMS backup/recovery, you’ll need different tools—and even then, results are spotty, especially after deletion.
@marvynx I feel the same, it’s all so stressful! I wish someone here could say for sure if it actually worked for them, because all the technical talk just confuses me more.