how can i see my childs text messages and picture messages?
brendagail
Enthusiast - Level 1

im trying to find away to see all messages on my childs phone anybody know how?

Labels (1)
Tags (2)
1 Solution

Correct answers
Re: how can i see my childs text messages and picture messages?
AZSALUKI
Legend

sign in to My Verizon

select "My Billing" and then "View Bill"

on the right side of the page, select "Data, talk and text activity"

select "Text"

from here you can select which line you'd like to view and it will display all texts sent and recieved (just the number, date, and time....not the actual messages).  Please note that if you have an iOS device, this only shows SMS messages and does not include anything sent through iMessage.

View solution in original post

Re: how can i see my childs text messages and picture messages?
SydneyK
Master - Level 3

The only way you can read the actual messages is on the phone. When you go to your account in My Verizon, you will only see phone numbers and dates/times. You may be able to set up parental controls to turn off messaging at certain times, but I'm not certain.

I saw another member once post a solution that I thought was brilliant: Tell your child to hand over the phone for you to read the messages when you feel like it. If some have been deleted -- which you would know by comparing to My Verizon records -- take the phone away.

Good luck!

0 Likes
Re: how can i see my childs text messages and picture messages?
budone
Legend

SydneyK is correct. Ask for the phone and compare time stamps of messages against the log. If messages are missing, keep the phone.

Parenting, toughest job in the world, yet the best way to handle this issue

Re: how can i see my childs text messages and picture messages?
charles_shanell
Enthusiast - Level 1

Where exactly do you find the numbers and days at? Thats what I am on here looking for.

Re: how can i see my childs text messages and picture messages?
AZSALUKI
Legend

sign in to My Verizon

select "My Billing" and then "View Bill"

on the right side of the page, select "Data, talk and text activity"

select "Text"

from here you can select which line you'd like to view and it will display all texts sent and recieved (just the number, date, and time....not the actual messages).  Please note that if you have an iOS device, this only shows SMS messages and does not include anything sent through iMessage.

Re: how can i see my childs text messages and picture messages?
vzw_customer_support
Customer Service Rep

Hello brendagail,

Thank you for posting in our community! I know the importance of knowing your options for viewing text message content. Our children have phones and communicate primarily via text.

As SydneyK and budone advised, due to privacy laws, text message content is not available to view online. You are able to view text message times, dates, and the to/from numbers  by signing into your My Verizon Account using the steps that AZSALUKI provided. 

Please let us know if you have further questions.

Thanks,

TanishaS_VZW
Follow us on Twitter @VZWSupport

Re: how can i see my childs text messages and picture messages?
Toast
Newbie

If it is true that you cannot view text messages conversations on a phone then why does Verizon suggest going to the Verizon Wireless text  Messaging website on their own guidance page?

0 Likes
Re: how can i see my childs text messages and picture messages?
tikibar1
Community Leader
Community Leader

As pointed out in the posts above, the text message content is only available by viewing it on the phone itself.  The web site only allows you to view the text message logs.

0 Likes
Re: how can i see my childs text messages and picture messages?
Gadfly53
Enthusiast - Level 2

Tikibar1 didn't really answer your question, did it? Anyway, I think you need to get an answer from Verizon on that and let's see if they comment. I would advise that you give the link for the webpage to which you refer and make a direct quote so that it can be found and read in context.

That would help because I'm not really sure to which instruction you are referring.

Thanks,

Gadfly53

0 Likes
Re: how can i see my childs text messages and picture messages?
rcschnoor
Legend

Can you give us a link where Verizon's website says you can read text messaging on the website.

The only instance I know where you can read text messaging conversations on the Verizon website is if you actually send a text message from the website. If you go into MyVerizon and send a text from the website, I believe that there is an option you can check where any replies to the text you sent will be viewable from the website. This, however, is only valid for texts you send which originate from the website. Texts sent from your handset would not be available online.