How to send SMS message in Android

In Android, you can use SmsManager API or device’s Built-in SMS application to send a SMS message. In this tutorial, we show you two basic examples to send SMS message :

1. SmsManager API

    SmsManager smsManager = SmsManager.getDefault();
    smsManager.sendTextMessage("phoneNo", null, "sms message", null, null);

2. Built-in SMS application

    Intent sendIntent = new Intent(Intent.ACTION_VIEW);
    sendIntent.putExtra("sms_body", "default content"); 
    sendIntent.setType("vnd.android-dir/mms-sms");
    startActivity(sendIntent);

Of course, both need SEND_SMS permission.

<uses-permission android:name="android.permission.SEND_SMS" />

P.S This project is developed in Eclipse 3.7, and tested with Samsung Galaxy S2 (Android 2.3.3).

Note
The Built-in SMS application solution is the easiest way, because you let device handle everything for you.

1. SmsManager Example

Android layout file to textboxes (phone no, sms message) and button to send the SMS message.

File : res/layout/main.xml

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<LinearLayout xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
    android:id="@+id/linearLayout1"
    android:layout_width="fill_parent"
    android:layout_height="fill_parent"
    android:orientation="vertical" >
 
    <TextView
        android:id="@+id/textViewPhoneNo"
        android:layout_width="wrap_content"
        android:layout_height="wrap_content"
        android:text="Enter Phone Number : "
        android:textAppearance="?android:attr/textAppearanceLarge" />
 
    <EditText
        android:id="@+id/editTextPhoneNo"
        android:layout_width="fill_parent"
        android:layout_height="wrap_content"
        android:phoneNumber="true" >
    </EditText>
 
    <TextView
        android:id="@+id/textViewSMS"
        android:layout_width="wrap_content"
        android:layout_height="wrap_content"
        android:text="Enter SMS Message : "
        android:textAppearance="?android:attr/textAppearanceLarge" />
 
    <EditText
        android:id="@+id/editTextSMS"
        android:layout_width="fill_parent"
        android:layout_height="wrap_content"
        android:inputType="textMultiLine"
        android:lines="5"
        android:gravity="top" />
 
    <Button
        android:id="@+id/buttonSend"
        android:layout_width="fill_parent"
        android:layout_height="wrap_content"
        android:text="Send" />
 
</LinearLayout>

File : SendSMSActivity.java – Activity to send SMS via SmsManager.

package com.mkyong.android;
 
import android.app.Activity;
import android.os.Bundle;
import android.telephony.SmsManager;
import android.view.View;
import android.view.View.OnClickListener;
import android.widget.Button;
import android.widget.EditText;
import android.widget.Toast;
 
public class SendSMSActivity extends Activity {
 
 Button buttonSend;
 EditText textPhoneNo;
 EditText textSMS;
 
 @Override
 public void onCreate(Bundle savedInstanceState) {
  super.onCreate(savedInstanceState);
  setContentView(R.layout.main);
 
  buttonSend = (Button) findViewById(R.id.buttonSend);
  textPhoneNo = (EditText) findViewById(R.id.editTextPhoneNo);
  textSMS = (EditText) findViewById(R.id.editTextSMS);
 
  buttonSend.setOnClickListener(new OnClickListener() {
 
   @Override
   public void onClick(View v) {
 
     String phoneNo = textPhoneNo.getText().toString();
     String sms = textSMS.getText().toString();
 
     try {
    SmsManager smsManager = SmsManager.getDefault();
    smsManager.sendTextMessage(phoneNo, null, sms, null, null);
    Toast.makeText(getApplicationContext(), "SMS Sent!",
       Toast.LENGTH_LONG).show();
     } catch (Exception e) {
    Toast.makeText(getApplicationContext(),
     "SMS faild, please try again later!",
     Toast.LENGTH_LONG).show();
    e.printStackTrace();
     }
 
   }
  });
 }
}

File : AndroidManifest.xml , need SEND_SMS permission.

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<manifest xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
    package="com.mkyong.android"
    android:versionCode="1"
    android:versionName="1.0" >
 
    <uses-sdk android:minSdkVersion="10" />
 
    <uses-permission android:name="android.permission.SEND_SMS" />
 
    <application
        android:debuggable="true"
        android:icon="@drawable/ic_launcher"
        android:label="@string/app_name" >
        <activity
            android:label="@string/app_name"
            android:name=".SendSMSActivity" >
            <intent-filter >
                <action android:name="android.intent.action.MAIN" />
                <category android:name="android.intent.category.LAUNCHER" />
            </intent-filter>
        </activity>
    </application>
 
</manifest>

See demo :

2. Built-in SMS application Example

This example is using the device’s build-in SMS application to send out the SMS message.

File : res/layout/main.xml – A button only.

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<LinearLayout xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
    android:id="@+id/linearLayout1"
    android:layout_width="fill_parent"
    android:layout_height="fill_parent"
    android:orientation="vertical" >
 
    <Button
        android:id="@+id/buttonSend"
        android:layout_width="fill_parent"
        android:layout_height="wrap_content"
        android:text="Send" />
 
</LinearLayout>

File : SendSMSActivity.java – Activity class to use build-in SMS intent to send out the SMS message.

package com.mkyong.android;
 
import android.app.Activity;
import android.content.Intent;
import android.os.Bundle;
import android.view.View;
import android.view.View.OnClickListener;
import android.widget.Button;
import android.widget.Toast;
 
public class SendSMSActivity extends Activity {
 
 Button buttonSend;
 
 @Override
 public void onCreate(Bundle savedInstanceState) {
  super.onCreate(savedInstanceState);
  setContentView(R.layout.main);
 
  buttonSend = (Button) findViewById(R.id.buttonSend);
 
  buttonSend.setOnClickListener(new OnClickListener() {
 
   @Override
   public void onClick(View v) {
 
    try {
 
         Intent sendIntent = new Intent(Intent.ACTION_VIEW);
         sendIntent.putExtra("sms_body", "default content"); 
         sendIntent.setType("vnd.android-dir/mms-sms");
         startActivity(sendIntent);
 
    } catch (Exception e) {
     Toast.makeText(getApplicationContext(),
      "SMS faild, please try again later!",
      Toast.LENGTH_LONG).show();
     e.printStackTrace();
    }
   }
  });
 }
}

See demo :