81%
have screenshotted a text or DM because they might need it as proof
Rises to 90% among adults under 60.
TextPort Research · Original survey
The State of Texting as Evidence 2026
Text messages are the new evidence: 81.5% of adults have screenshotted a message they thought they might need later. This survey shows how Americans save, lose, and rely on the conversations that decide their disputes.
A national survey of 1,081 U.S. adults 18 and older, fielded June 12–16, 2026 via SurveyMonkey Audience national panel. Published July 13, 2026.
Key findings
The headline statistics, from 1,081 U.S. adults surveyed in June 2026.
38%
have had texts or DMs used in a legal, workplace, or other formal proceeding they were part of
58% among 45–60-year-olds; 74% among custody savers.
78%
have deleted or lost messages they later wished they had kept
Among custody savers: 93%.
75%
worry at least a little that someone could delete messages they might need later
39% are somewhat or very worried; 47% of custody savers are very worried.
66%
have saved message evidence for a serious matter: work, money, housing, fraud, harassment, or family
716 of 1,081 respondents.
32%
of people who tried to save a full conversation found it hard or couldn't do it at all
Respondents on iPhones: 41%. On Android: 20%.
Texts are the new evidence
Saving a text as proof is a mainstream habit. 81.5% of adults have screenshotted a message they thought they might need later, and 54.5% have needed to save an entire conversation for a serious or official purpose.
For many, that record has already mattered. 37.6% have had texts or DMs used in a legal, workplace, or other proceeding they were personally involved in.
The habit is near-universal under 60, then falls off a cliff: roughly 90% of adults under 60 screenshot for proof, against 60.6% of those over 60. Ages 45 to 60 are the peak evidence years: 58.4% have had texts used in a proceeding, the highest of any age band.
| Answer | Percent | Respondents |
|---|---|---|
| 18–29 | 37.0% | 135 |
| 30–44 | 45.0% | 340 |
| 45–60 | 58.4% | 281 |
| 60+ | 9.0% | 289 |
| Answer | Percent | Respondents |
|---|---|---|
| 18–29 | 90.4% | 135 |
| 30–44 | 90.0% | 340 |
| 45–60 | 89.3% | 281 |
| 60+ | 60.6% | 289 |
What Americans are saving
People save messages to hold onto something meaningful, and to protect themselves. Sentimental saving is the most common single reason, but the defensive reasons add up: 66.2% have saved message evidence for a serious matter, whether work, money, housing, fraud, harassment, or family. That is 716 of 1,081 respondents.
These are not quick exchanges, either. 18.5% of saved conversations reached back more than a year. The record people need is often the oldest part of the thread, and the hardest to recover once it is gone.
| Answer | Percent | Respondents |
|---|---|---|
| Preserving a meaningful or sentimental conversation | 44.7% | 395 |
| Proof for a personal disagreement with friends or family | 35.0% | 309 |
| A business deal, contract, or client | 30.3% | 268 |
| Fraud or a scam | 28.8% | 255 |
| A workplace or HR issue | 27.1% | 240 |
| An insurance or financial matter | 26.5% | 234 |
| Harassment, threats, or stalking | 23.1% | 204 |
| A landlord, rental, or housing dispute | 18.3% | 162 |
| Divorce or a breakup | 13.2% | 117 |
| Child custody or co-parenting | 10.5% | 93 |
| Other | 7.8% | 69 |
Base: 884 respondents who saved or screenshotted messages. Percentages sum to more than 100 because respondents could select multiple reasons.
The disappearing-message problem
Almost everyone has been burned by a message that is gone. 77.9% have deleted or lost messages they later wished they had kept. Loss is the norm, not the exception.
It worries them, too. 75.0% are at least a little worried that someone could delete messages they might need later, and 38.9% are somewhat or very worried. There is a contradiction here: apps made disappearing messages a default feature in the same years people started treating their phones as the record of last resort.
| Answer | Percent | Respondents |
|---|---|---|
| Not at all worried | 25.0% | 261 |
| A little worried | 36.2% | 378 |
| Somewhat worried | 18.9% | 198 |
| Very worried | 19.9% | 208 |
The custody files
Split the results by why people saved messages and one cluster stands apart. Family-law disputes, custody and divorce, are where texts most often become evidence and where the fear of losing them runs highest.
Among people who saved messages in a custody or co-parenting dispute, 74.2% had texts used in a proceeding, 92.5% have lost messages they regret, and 47.3% are very worried about deletion. No other group depends this heavily on a record it can lose.
| Reason messages were saved | Texts used in a proceeding | Lost messages they regret | Very worried about deletion |
|---|---|---|---|
| Child custody or co-parenting n = 93 | 74.2% | 92.5% | 47.3% |
| Divorce or a breakup n = 117 | 56.4% | 89.7% | 33.3% |
| Harassment, threats, or stalking n = 204 | 56.9% | 89.2% | 28.9% |
| A workplace or HR issue n = 240 | 61.2% | 84.2% | 30.4% |
| A landlord, rental, or housing dispute n = 162 | 67.9% | 92.6% | 35.2% |
Custody or divorce combined (n = 181)
64.1% had texts used in a proceeding, 91.7% have lost messages they regret, and 65.2% are somewhat or very worried about deletion.
Saving is harder than it should be
Wanting the record is one thing; getting it out of the phone is another. 32.0% of people who tried to save a full conversation found it hard or could not do it at all, and 8.6% never figured out how.
The difficulty is lopsided by platform: 40.7% of iPhone users found it hard or impossible, about twice the 20.3% on Android. And 12.5% of iPhone users gave up entirely, versus 4.7% on Android.
| Answer | Percent | Respondents |
|---|---|---|
| Very easy | 35.6% | 315 |
| Somewhat easy | 32.4% | 286 |
| Somewhat hard | 18.3% | 162 |
| Very hard | 5.1% | 45 |
| I couldn't figure out how to do it | 8.6% | 76 |
Device comparisons use the device the respondent took the survey on (388 on iOS, 469 on Android) as a proxy for their primary device.
The expectation gap
65.5% believe a screenshot would be accepted as evidence in court. Courts often ask for more: authentication of who sent it, the surrounding context, and a complete thread rather than a cropped image. This is a finding about what people believe, not legal advice, so confirm what your court requires.
Full results
Every question, with the base and the percentage and count for each answer.
Q1. Have you ever taken a screenshot of a text or direct message because you thought you might need it later as proof or a record?
Base: 1,081
| Answer | Percent | Respondents |
|---|---|---|
| Yes | 81.5% | 881 |
| No | 15.5% | 168 |
| Not sure | 3.0% | 32 |
Cite this finding
Q1. Have you ever taken a screenshot of a text or direct message because you thought you might need it later as proof or a record?
TextPort, The State of Texting as Evidence 2026. Fielded June 12–16, 2026. Base: 1,081 U.S. adults.
https://textport.com/research/texting-as-evidence-2026#q1
Q2. Have you ever needed to save, export, or print an entire text conversation for a serious or official purpose — not just a single screenshot?
Base: 1,081
| Answer | Percent | Respondents |
|---|---|---|
| Yes | 54.5% | 589 |
| No | 39.5% | 427 |
| Not sure | 6.0% | 65 |
Cite this finding
Q2. Have you ever needed to save, export, or print an entire text conversation for a serious or official purpose — not just a single screenshot?
TextPort, The State of Texting as Evidence 2026. Fielded June 12–16, 2026. Base: 1,081 U.S. adults.
https://textport.com/research/texting-as-evidence-2026#q2
Q3. You mentioned saving or screenshotting messages for a reason. What was that reason? Select all that apply.
Base: 884, asked of respondents who have saved or screenshotted messages
| Answer | Percent | Respondents |
|---|---|---|
| A business deal, contract, or client | 30.3% | 268 |
| Fraud or a scam | 28.8% | 255 |
| A workplace or HR issue | 27.1% | 240 |
| An insurance or financial matter | 26.5% | 234 |
| Harassment, threats, or stalking | 23.1% | 204 |
| A landlord, rental, or housing dispute | 18.3% | 162 |
| Divorce or a breakup | 13.2% | 117 |
| Child custody or co-parenting | 10.5% | 93 |
| Preserving a meaningful or sentimental conversation | 44.7% | 395 |
| Proof for a personal disagreement with friends or family | 35.0% | 309 |
| Other | 7.8% | 69 |
Cite this finding
Q3. You mentioned saving or screenshotting messages for a reason. What was that reason? Select all that apply.
TextPort, The State of Texting as Evidence 2026. Fielded June 12–16, 2026. Base: 884 U.S. adults.
https://textport.com/research/texting-as-evidence-2026#q3
Q4. Roughly how far back did that conversation go?
Base: 884, asked of respondents who have saved or screenshotted messages
| Answer | Percent | Respondents |
|---|---|---|
| Days | 33.7% | 298 |
| Weeks | 24.5% | 217 |
| A few months | 23.3% | 206 |
| Over a year | 11.0% | 97 |
| Multiple years | 7.5% | 66 |
Cite this finding
Q4. Roughly how far back did that conversation go?
TextPort, The State of Texting as Evidence 2026. Fielded June 12–16, 2026. Base: 884 U.S. adults.
https://textport.com/research/texting-as-evidence-2026#q4
Q5. When you tried to save or export the full conversation, how easy or hard was it?
Base: 884, asked of respondents who have saved or screenshotted messages
| Answer | Percent | Respondents |
|---|---|---|
| Very easy | 35.6% | 315 |
| Somewhat easy | 32.4% | 286 |
| Somewhat hard | 18.3% | 162 |
| Very hard | 5.1% | 45 |
| I couldn't figure out how to do it | 8.6% | 76 |
Cite this finding
Q5. When you tried to save or export the full conversation, how easy or hard was it?
TextPort, The State of Texting as Evidence 2026. Fielded June 12–16, 2026. Base: 884 U.S. adults.
https://textport.com/research/texting-as-evidence-2026#q5
Q6. Have you ever deleted or lost messages that you later wished you had kept?
Base: 1,045
| Answer | Percent | Respondents |
|---|---|---|
| Yes | 77.9% | 814 |
| No | 22.1% | 231 |
Cite this finding
Q6. Have you ever deleted or lost messages that you later wished you had kept?
TextPort, The State of Texting as Evidence 2026. Fielded June 12–16, 2026. Base: 1,045 U.S. adults.
https://textport.com/research/texting-as-evidence-2026#q6
Q7. Some apps make messages disappear automatically or let people delete messages on both sides. How much does it worry you that someone could delete messages you might need later?
Base: 1,045
| Answer | Percent | Respondents |
|---|---|---|
| Not at all worried | 25.0% | 261 |
| A little worried | 36.2% | 378 |
| Somewhat worried | 18.9% | 198 |
| Very worried | 19.9% | 208 |
Cite this finding
Q7. Some apps make messages disappear automatically or let people delete messages on both sides. How much does it worry you that someone could delete messages you might need later?
TextPort, The State of Texting as Evidence 2026. Fielded June 12–16, 2026. Base: 1,045 U.S. adults.
https://textport.com/research/texting-as-evidence-2026#q7
Q8. If you needed to, do you believe a screenshot of a text message would be accepted as evidence in a court or formal proceeding?
Base: 1,045
| Answer | Percent | Respondents |
|---|---|---|
| Yes, definitely | 29.3% | 306 |
| Probably | 36.2% | 378 |
| Probably not | 16.8% | 176 |
| Definitely not | 1.8% | 19 |
| I don't know | 15.9% | 166 |
Cite this finding
Q8. If you needed to, do you believe a screenshot of a text message would be accepted as evidence in a court or formal proceeding?
TextPort, The State of Texting as Evidence 2026. Fielded June 12–16, 2026. Base: 1,045 U.S. adults.
https://textport.com/research/texting-as-evidence-2026#q8
Q9. Have text messages or DMs ever actually been used in a legal, workplace, or other formal proceeding that you were personally involved in?
Base: 1,045
| Answer | Percent | Respondents |
|---|---|---|
| Yes | 37.6% | 393 |
| No | 62.4% | 652 |
Cite this finding
Q9. Have text messages or DMs ever actually been used in a legal, workplace, or other formal proceeding that you were personally involved in?
TextPort, The State of Texting as Evidence 2026. Fielded June 12–16, 2026. Base: 1,045 U.S. adults.
https://textport.com/research/texting-as-evidence-2026#q9
Q10. How much do you agree with this statement: "I think of my phone as a record of important conversations I might need later."
Base: 1,045
| Answer | Percent | Respondents |
|---|---|---|
| Strongly agree | 27.6% | 288 |
| Agree | 36.7% | 383 |
| Neither agree nor disagree | 25.3% | 264 |
| Disagree | 7.6% | 79 |
| Strongly disagree | 3.0% | 31 |
Cite this finding
Q10. How much do you agree with this statement: "I think of my phone as a record of important conversations I might need later."
TextPort, The State of Texting as Evidence 2026. Fielded June 12–16, 2026. Base: 1,045 U.S. adults.
https://textport.com/research/texting-as-evidence-2026#q10
Methodology
TextPort surveyed 1,081 U.S. adults 18 and older through the SurveyMonkey Audience national panel. The survey was fielded from June 12, 2026 to June 16, 2026.
The modeled margin of error is ±3 percentage points at the 95% confidence level (modeled error estimate).
1,045 respondents completed the full questionnaire; demographic and attitudinal questions are based on completes. 51.7% of respondents were women and 48.3% men; 12.9% were 18–29, 32.5% were 30–44, 26.9% were 45–60, and 27.7% were over 60. Device-type comparisons use the device the respondent took the survey on (388 on iOS, 469 on Android) as a proxy for their primary device.
Results are unweighted. Follow-up questions about a specific saved conversation were asked only of the 884 respondents who reported saving or screenshotting messages for a reason.
- Respondents
- 1,081
- Fielded
- Jun 12–16
- Margin of error
- ±3pts
- Population
- U.S. adults 18 and older
Cite this report
Journalists, researchers, bloggers, and AI agents are welcome to quote any figure in this report with attribution to TextPort and a link back to this page.
Published under CC BY 4.0. Cite TextPort and link to this page when reusing the work.
Citation
TextPort, “The State of Texting as Evidence 2026,” July 2026 survey of 1,081 U.S. adults. Available at textport.com/research/texting-as-evidence-2026.
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Frequently asked questions
-
In TextPort's 2026 national survey of 1,081 U.S. adults, 81% said they have taken a screenshot of a text or direct message because they thought they might need it later as proof or a record. Among adults under 60 the figure rises to 89.8%.
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38% of U.S. adults say text messages or DMs have actually been used in a legal, workplace, or other formal proceeding they were personally involved in. Among 45-to-60-year-olds it is 58.4%.
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Yes. 78% of respondents have deleted or lost messages they later wished they had kept. Among people who saved messages during a custody or co-parenting dispute, it is 92.5%.
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75.0% of adults are at least a little worried that someone could delete messages they might need later, and 38.9% are somewhat or very worried. Among people who saved messages during a custody dispute, 47.3% are very worried.
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32.0% of people who tried to save or export a full conversation found it hard or could not do it at all. On iPhones that figure is 40.7%, versus 20.3% on Android.
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Among survey respondents who saved messages for a child-custody or co-parenting reason, 74.2% had texts or DMs used in a proceeding they were personally involved in, the highest of any dispute type measured.
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65.5% of Americans believe a screenshot of a text message would be accepted as evidence in a court or formal proceeding. In practice courts often require more: authentication of the sender, surrounding context, and a complete rather than cropped thread. This is a finding about public belief, not legal advice.
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Yes. The State of Texting as Evidence 2026 is free to cite, quote, and republish with attribution to TextPort and a link to https://textport.com/research/texting-as-evidence-2026. A shareable PDF of the full results is available at the top of this page.
About TextPort
TextPort turns message screenshots and screen recordings into chronological PDFs, spreadsheets, and text files on iPhone, iPad, Mac, and Windows.
