Extract text from Samsung backup files (SBU)
To convert SBU backups to another format, you need Samsung Kies or other Backup software.
To convert other file formats to the "Mobile Backup Archive" file type, you need software like Samsung Kies or a similar tool.
The .SBU file is primarily a proprietary backup archive generated by Samsung Kies, a legacy synchronization application for older Samsung mobile devices. These files store copies of user data, including contacts, SMS messages, call logs, calendar events, and memos, serving as a disaster recovery point if the physical phone is lost or reset. A smaller percentage of .SBU files are uninstallation backups created by SetupBuilder, used to roll back system changes if software installation fails.
Users typically need to convert .SBU files when they switch away from the Samsung ecosystem or upgrade to a modern phone that no longer supports the outdated Kies software. The extreme disadvantage of this format is its closed, proprietary nature. The data is securely packed in an undocumented binary format that requires the original Kies software to read and restore. It is practically impossible to open these files directly in standard desktop software, and attempting to view them in a text editor yields unreadable gibberish. You cannot easily view your backed-up messages or contacts without a compatible device.
The ideal conversion targets for the contents of an .SBU file are standard formats: VCF (vCard) or CSV for contacts, and TXT or XML for SMS messages and call logs. Extracting to these formats ensures your data is future-proof and readable across any modern device, though some device-specific metadata or formatting may be lost during extraction.
Because .SBU is a closed, proprietary format designed exclusively for device restoration, standard online file converters completely fail to process it. Only the original software was designed to properly read or export this data. However, just drag and drop your file into convert.guru to identify the format, view it, and convert it when possible. Our platform can inspect the raw binary file and attempt to show internal plain-text content or extract embedded standard formats if they are not completely encrypted.
Convert.Guru analyzes your SBU file, detects the exact format, and lets you read the text inside.
Users also converted SME, SPB and FACE files.
If you want to convert SBU file to BAK, BACKUP, OLD, TMP, TEMP, ARC, ZIP, TAR, GZ, 7Z, RAR or ISO, you can use Samsung Kies or similar software from the "Mobile Device Data Backup" category. In the File menu, look for Save As… or Export….
To convert SNAPSHOT, OLD, IMG, RESTORE, ISO, COPY, VMDK, TMP, VHD, BAK, ARCHIVE or BACKUP files to SBU, try Samsung Kies or another comparable tool in the "Mobile Device Data Backup" category.
The history of Convert.Guru began over 25 years ago in California with Tom Simondi’s file-format database. A former contributor to Space Shuttle development and a software pioneer of the 1980s, Simondi established a trusted resource for file type analysis that was even referenced by Microsoft Windows XP. Today, we use modern technology to process and convert thousands of file formats while continually improving our SBU converter.