SMS Desk

A private SMS app for India.

It shows who really sent each message, reads your balances and card dues from bank SMS, and keeps all of it on your phone. No account, no server, no internet permission.

For Android. Not on Google Play yet.

Organise your SMS, and know what each one is

SMS Desk sorts your messages into tabs, like any good SMS app. Three things set it apart.

Know who really sent it

Every message shows its sender ID as it arrived. Fakes of your bank are marked in red, with the reason on the same line.

Red: a known bank's name without its real operator code.
Grey: no operator code, so not a registered Indian sender.

Transactions

JM-HDFCBK-S

₹2,500 spent on card xx1234. Avl bal ₹12,430.

10:42

HDFCBK

Not HDFC Bank. Its real IDs look like JM-HDFCBK-S.

Your account will be blocked today. Update your KYC at the link below.

09:15

CASHBK

No operator code · not a registered Indian sender

You have won a cashback. Claim it now.

Mon

Stays on this phone

No account, no server, no internet permission. Your messages, balances and rules never leave the phone.

Android doesn't let an app reach the internet unless it asks for that permission. SMS Desk doesn't ask.

What SMS Desk can use

SMSTo show, sort and send your messages Yes

ContactsTo show names instead of numbers Yes

NotificationsTo alert you to new messages Yes

InternetNothing can be uploaded Not requested

Your money, from your SMS

Balances, card dues and spends, read from your bank alerts. Each shows the date it came from.

The Transactions tab takes only bank sender IDs on the app's list, so a look-alike sender can't land there.

Finance

HDFC Bank · a/c xx1234

₹12,430

as of 28 Oct, from HDFC Bank SMS

ICICI Bank · credit card xx5678

₹8,240

as of 27 Oct, from ICICI Bank SMS

Card bill₹8,240 due 5 Nov

From your latest bank SMS. Your bank app has the exact figure.

Alerts that actually show

Phones hide notifications in many quiet ways. SMS Desk checks that each alert actually showed. If one didn't, it tells you which switch is off.

Notifications turned off for the app
A message category set to off or silent
Battery settings stopping it in the background
Do Not Disturb not letting messages through

SMS Desk

A message from JM-HDFCBK-S at 10:42 came in without an alert. Battery settings stop this app from running in the background.

Fix

FAQ

When can I get it?

SMS Desk is in testing and isn't on Google Play yet. When it is, the link will be on this page.

Does it work on iPhone?

No. iPhones don't let apps read SMS, so SMS Desk is for Android only: Android 8 and newer.

Why does it need to be my default SMS app?

Android gives new messages only to the default SMS app. SMS Desk asks once. You can switch back any time in your phone's Settings, under Apps › Default apps.

Will my old messages show up?

Yes. Your SMS are kept by Android, and SMS Desk reads the ones already on the phone.

Is the balance my bank's figure?

No. It's read from your latest bank SMS, and it shows the date that SMS came. Your bank app has the exact figure.

Can anyone else read my messages?

Not through SMS Desk. The app has no internet permission, so it can't upload anything. There's no account and no server. Messages you send go through your mobile network like any SMS.

How do I back up?

Save a backup file to a folder you pick, by hand or on a daily or weekly schedule. The file is yours. SMS Desk doesn't upload it anywhere.

Coming soon

SMS Desk isn't on Google Play yet. There's no sign-up list, because we don't collect email addresses. Check back here.

Android 8 and newer.