Google Messages: How to enable or disable RCS chats
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Previously, US carriers were slow to warm up to the RCS messaging protocol. While iPhone owners have had iMessages for years, Android users often relied on third-party messaging apps likeWhatsApp. Google hasled the push for RCS since 2019, bringing in a new secure standard to the Google Messages app.
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What is RCS Messaging, and what’s different about it vs. regular text messages (SMS)?
Rich Communications Services (RCS) is a communication protocolthat replaces MMS and SMS messages on Android devices. It was created in 2007 but only grew gradually until Google began pushing it.
RCS messaging just might be the way of the future
In 2019, Google worked closely with the GSMA, its members, and carriers worldwide tocreate a universal profilefor RCS that uses Android’s Messages client. Many Android users can now use RCS Messaging, which was adopted on iOS in the September 2024iOS 18 update. With both parties using RCS chat, a unified messaging experience with Android and Apple is possible. Still, itcomes with growing pains.
The RCS update offers a better messaging experience with features similar to those in iMessage, WhatsApp, and Facebook Messenger. It also includes privacy features, like encrypted messaging, enhanced media sharing, group chats, and real-time typing indicators.
Most modern Android phones ship with Google Messages as the default texting app. Google has RCS available on the app if the carrier/region supports it. Though the option is not on by default, it has to be enabled through the settings.
This guide focuses on the Google Messages app, the default onGoogle Pixel phones, which is also available on Samsung, OnePlus, Motorola, and others. It requires downloading Google Messages from the Play Store (if it is not already preinstalled). However, it isn’t guaranteed to work if the feature isn’t available in your region or your carrier doesn’t support it.
Google Messages may prompt you to activate RCS before you set it up
The Messages app prompts you to activate RCS if you haven’t done so already during setup. When the prompt below shows up, you’re ready to set up and use RCS.
You can tell you’re sending RCS Chat messages when the input dialog box saysChat messageorRCS message. If Google Messages doesn’t prompt you to turn on RCS Chat, follow the instructions in the next section to turn it on.
How to turn on RCS chats in the Google Messages app
If you’re opening the Google Messages app for the first time or resetting your phone, you may need to activate chat features manually.
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How to turn off RCS chats in the Google Messages app
Even though RCS improves the texting experience, it might not be your preferred solution. You may want to turn it off if RCS isn’t for you. If you have issues with the connection, turning off the setting and reactivating it might be a good reason to do so.
To turn off the RCS chat features on your device, do the following:
With RCS turned off, the messages you send and receive revert to traditional SMS/MMS text format until you activate RCS again. Turning off RCS before you get a new phone is also advisable to avoid potential messaging issues from the previous device. If you keep your old phone, it’s easy to deactivate these settings. If you no longer have access to it, Google has aform you may fill out to deregister your phone number.
To avoid issues, don’t turn the chat features off and on multiple times in a short amount of time. Some people have been temporarily blocked from RCS chats when the feature is toggled on and off multiple times.Check out Google’s recommendationsif you’re locked out of RCS.
How to know if your message is sent by data, SMS, or MMS
You can tell how your message will be sent by looking at the Send icon while composing your message.
Understanding RCS chat statuses
Your RCS chat status tells you if RCS is activated on your device. To find it:
The first option is the status, and it can be one of the following:
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What RCS features does Google Messages have?
RCS chat can share high-resolution photos and videos, which is an improvement over traditional texts. it’s possible to also send messages over Wi-Fi and mobile data. You can identify whether someone turned on RCS by checking for a bubble badge on the home screen.
In the RCS chats section of the Settings menu, you’ll see more options to enhance your chats:
You can turn on the features you need and deactivate the ones you don’t need.
Google Messages default built-in features
There shouldn’t be carrier charges when you use RCS chat on Wi-Fi. When you’re away from Wi-Fi, the only charge is for mobile data, which is minimal when sending text. Be careful with video sharing if your mobile data plan is limited.
No more iMessage envy with Google Messages and RCS
RCS messaging is a step up from regular texting. It includes end-to-end encryption, media sharing, location sharing, and typing indicators. Apple has even given into the RCS standards for messaging. Apple adoptedRCS Messaging with iOS 18. With RCS chat activated on Apple and Android, texting between devices is easier withoutusing AirMessage.
We want to hear from you! Share your opinions in the thread below and remember to keep it respectful.
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If Google wants everyone to use RCS then they should open it up for third party SMS apps to use it as well.
It’s not really up to Google? They could do the same thing Apple did (or was forced to do in a roundabout way), but most people outside the US just use WhatsApp or other apps and most US users don’t switch their default client.
well RCS is technically available on google messaging and samsung messaging.
Why no 3rd party apps? Probably because they need special rooted access to link carrier sim to your messages.
So governments can still read messages and who its from, “probably” why dual sim don’t work.
RCS is a BS false sense of security encryption if intercepted
#1 who else would care/want to intercept millions of messages every minute?
#2 if encrypted.. how does the receiver read it?? How can a certain"law enforcement" escrow company keep transcript records of texts?maybe android emulator with receivers sim number then open it with google messaging app that decrypts it for them.(No too slow)jhave google send every message thru their severs and give them the HASH code..Duhh
Still not available for dual sim.
It’s disgusting, honestly.
Google has spent years trying to convince Apple, with all those cheesy ads, and it can’t even give Pixel users like me RCS on BOTH their SIMs at the same time.
What a joke of a company.
Apple will probably get there before Google does, which is enough said.
It only works on one SIM at the time? Isn’t that because the entire phone defaults to prioritizing one SIM for text/calls and optionally one for data?
Google RCS doesn’t support Google Voice (who knew?). so you’ll have to use your phone’s hardware number. That doesn’t work for me because people recognize my GV voice number, not the phone hardware number.
Seeing as I couldn’t use GV with RCS, I turned RCS off. Since then, my SMS messages are now hosed. When I try to open a message received, I get “Unknown conversation” and no apparent way to fix this.
I hate RCS messaging and Gemini…even though I keep optioning them off in message settings they keep re enabling the next day..How can I permanently turn RCS off ??? Thank you
My life is to complacen @trd for a while but I have to much atthis time to learn how to do anything else
Can you get this update off your phone and go back to samsung messaging? It says the RCS isn’t available for my phone. I have a samsung galaxy s23 ultra.
طلب تفعيل RCS فني عاجل
الرقم: +967772822525
المشغل: Yemen Mobile
نوع الهاتف: Samsung Galaxy Note 10+ (Android 12)
المشكلة: RCS كان يعمل وتوقف فجأة!
الحل المطلوب:
رفع الحظر الفني عن الرقم في سيرفرات RCS.
إعادة ربط الرقم بـ Google Jibe server.
إرسال إعدادات APN عبر SMS.
RCS no longer allows me to set up new groups. I get a message “RCS is setting up your group” that never goes away; and I never have a message window to create or send the message. For already established groups, responses to messages sometimes create a new group. thread with the same set of people, that isn’t connected to the original text thread.
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