Android Tutorial 12 : How To Receive SMS in Android

In this tutorial we will learn how to Receive a SMS and retrieve the Message and Sender's Phone Number.

To learn How to Send SMS read this How to Send SMS

We need to have a receiver class that will extend BroadcastReceiver class.

To receive SMS we to declare <uses-permission android:name="android.permission.RECEIVE_SMS"> in manifest file

Some More Good  Android Topics

Customizing Toast In Android 

 Showing Toast for Longer Time

Customizing Checkboxes In Android  

Customizing Progress Bar

Create a new Class SMSReceiver

In manifest we need to register  the SMSReceiver like this

<receiver android:name=".SmsReceiver"> 
            <intent-filter> 
                <action android:name=
                    "android.provider.Telephony.SMS_RECEIVED" /> 
            </intent-filter> 

 </receiver>

Your manifest file should look like this

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<manifest xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
      package="net.learn2develop.SMSMessaging"
      android:versionCode="1"
      android:versionName="1.0.0">

 <application android:icon="@drawable/icon" android:label="@string/app_name">
        <activity android:name=".SMS"
                  android:label="@string/app_name">
            <intent-filter>
                <action android:name="android.intent.action.MAIN" />
                <category android:name="android.intent.category.LAUNCHER" />
            </intent-filter>
        </activity>        
 
        <receiver android:name=".SmsReceiver"> 
            <intent-filter> 
                <action android:name=
                    "android.provider.Telephony.SMS_RECEIVED" /> 
            </intent-filter> 
        </receiver>
 
    </application>
    <!-- Permission to Receive SMS  -->
    <uses-permission android:name="android.permission.RECEIVE_SMS">
    </uses-permission>
</manifest>

SMSReceiver class

public class SmsReceiver extends BroadcastReceiver
{
    @Override
    public void onReceive(Context context, Intent intent) 
    {
        //---get the SMS message passed in---
        Bundle bundle = intent.getExtras();        
        SmsMessage[] msgs = null;
        String messageReceived = "";            
        if (bundle != null)
        {
            //---retrieve the SMS message received---
           Object[] pdus = (Object[]) bundle.get("pdus");
            msgs = new SmsMessage[pdus.length];            
            for (int i=0; i<msgs.length; i++)
            {
                msgs[i] = SmsMessage.createFromPdu((byte[])pdus[i]);                
                messageReceived += msgs[i].getMessageBody().toString();
                messageReceived += "\n";        
            }
 

            //---display the new SMS message---
            Toast.makeText(context, messageReceived, Toast.LENGTH_SHORT).show();
            // Get the Sender Phone Number
           String senderPhoneNumber=msgs[0].getOriginatingAddress ();   
       }                         
    }
}


 To get the Sender's Number use 
 msgs[0].getOriginatingAddress ()