How To Check your AT&T Text Messages Online

Need to know how to check AT&T text messages online? Lost your phone or don’t have it with you but want to check your SMS? If you have an AT&T phone, you can check your SMS on its website. Or, if you’re a parent whose child has an AT&T phone, you can check their messages too.

The text message has become a primary way we communicate with each other. We don’t talk anymore unless it’s using FaceTime or WhatsApp and we certainly don’t just call people from our phone. We use apps, text, update social media and use video apps. But what about if you don’t have your phone with you?

Check AT&T text messages online

AT&T Messages is the service you want. You have to sign up for it as far as I can tell. In return, you can log into a specific web portal and see a list of all of your SMS. If you don’t have your phone for one reason or another, you can still keep in touch with everyone.

Despite its name, AT&T Messages isn’t a messaging app. It’s a backup and sync app that will keep copies of messages online for up to 90 days. You can view your text and picture messages from any internet enabled device simply with a login.

To use the service you will need to have a monthly contract and an AT&T phone. It does not support pre-paid contracts. If you’re an iPhone user, AT&T Messages isn’t compatible with iMessage. You will have to disable iMessage in order for this to work.

You need to sign up here but once done, you will be able to begin syncing your account to the cloud. Once your account is activated, you need to set up AT&T Messages Backup & Sync.

Open the AT&T Messages Backup & Sync on your phone and enable the service. There is a small setup wizard that sets everything up for you.

To check AT&T text messages online, visit this web page and use your login to access your account. You will see a list of your text and picture messages on the page where you can read, reply or whatever from within that page.

Using AT&T Messages to spy on your children

I know of a couple of different parents who use AT&T Messages to keep an eye on their kids. Their children use AT&T phones and the parents know the login to the website. They check text messages on a fairly regular basis as far as I can tell, being careful only to check without leaving any trace.

Is this legal? Is it right?

The legality of checking up on your kids depends on their age and where you live. If they are minors then keeping an eye on them is legal in most places as they are your responsibility. Older children still under your care are subject to the same, or similar laws. If you’re concerned about the legal side of this argument, you should seek professional legal advice.

I’m more interested in the moral argument. Is it right to spy on your children in this way? I have to say no I don’t think so.

I agree with location monitoring for your children or even spouse as I think that can offer a lot of value. I know an adult couple who both drive for Uber and have location tracking enabled on both of their phones. It sets their mind at ease and means they can go about their work with peace of mind. I think location tracking children makes perfect sense as long as they know that you’re doing it and why.

However, I do not think the parent has any right to monitor a child’s communications. Yes life is tough for kids now and there are so many things to go wrong, but as a parent, it’s our job to train our kids to recognize the risks and make intelligent decisions. Then we need to step back and let them make mistakes and use the judgment we taught them to do the right thing.

I consider spying on their text messages as a betrayal of trust. It’s hard enough as it is to get your child to trust you when you like to know where they are and what they are doing all the time. Spy on them and you undermine all the hard work you’re putting into raising them.

I’m not going to tell anyone else how to raise their kids. It is entirely up to you whether you monitor them or not. As long as you balance the need to learn, experience and learn from mistakes with safeguarding them I’m sure it will be fine.

Do you use AT&T Messages? Does it work? Is it reliable? Tell us your thoughts below!