1. Home
  2. Mobile
  3. Guides

Digital Trends may earn a commission when you buy through links on our site. Why trust us?

How to enable RCS messaging in Google Messages on Android phones

By

Not every major smartphone advance is hardware-based or flashy, and RCS messaging (rich communication services) is a solid example of that. While the initial premise may sound boring, RCS messaging is anything but. A massive upgrade to the outdated SMS-powered text messaging we’ve been enjoying since the 1990s, RCS messaging turns your text messages into a high-powered chat app, complete with read receipts, real-time reply indicators, and interactive media.

Recommended Videos

RCS has been in the pipeline for some time now, but it’s finally arrived on Android properly. First available as an exploit, Google rolled out RCS support for its Google Messages app in late 2019. However, it’s not turned on by default, so you’ll need to poke around to turn it on properly. While you’ll only get these features if both yourself and your recipient have RCS enabled, it’s still worth turning on, even if it’s only on the off-chance. Here’s how to enable RCS in Google Messages.

How to turn on RCS messaging in Google Messages

You’ll need to complete a few steps to turn on RCS messaging, but it’s important to take note of the specific requirements. RCS will need to be available in your region and your carrier should support it, but most importantly, keep in mind that RCS will need your Wi-Fi or mobile data connection to use the new chat features. Without a data connection, they simply won’t work. If your phone can’t find a connection, it will go back to SMS messaging. It’s not a major issue, but it’s something to keep in mind if you don’t have an unlimited plan.

Before enabling RCS messaging, make sure that your phone’s settings have Google Message as your default messaging app. If you have an Android One or Google Pixel, Google Message is your default. If your settings are something else, easily change it by going to the Settings app, then hitting Apps and notifications > Advanced > Default apps > SMS app. Then, select the Messages app as your default messaging app. If you don’t have it, first download the Messages app from the Play Store. It will ask you to set it as the default messaging app once you launch it.

Okay, so you have Messages set as your primary messaging app. The next thing to do is open the app and go to Settings. Do this by tapping the three vertical dots in the upper-right corner. Select Settings, then tap Chat features. Finally, Enable chat features to turn RCS messaging on. Tapping this option will cause a new bar to appear. It will show the message Setting up (in orange). Wait for setup to complete. Within a few seconds, the message should change to Connected (in green). It may not work the first time, but you can always retry the configuration by selecting Setting up. Of course, if your service provider or region doesn’t allow RCS, you won’t be able to execute the configuration. 

RCS messaging isn’t the only way to customize your messaging. You can toggle read receipts and typing indicators from here and learn more about the specific chat features offered by RCS.

Editors' Recommendations

Topics
Mark Jansen
Contributor
Mark Jansen is an avid follower of everything that beeps, bloops, or makes pretty lights. He has a degree in Ancient &…
We now know when Apple is adding RCS to the iPhone

Last November, Apple made a surprise announcement when it confirmed that RCS was coming to the iPhone in 2024. It's something iPhone and Android phone users alike have been waiting years for, but there was just one small problem: Apple never said when in 2024 RCS was coming. Thanks to Google, of all companies, we now have a better idea of when RCS is heading to the iPhone.

As spotted by 9to5Google, the Android website was recently updated with a new page dedicated to Google Messages. If you click on the "See more features" button for the section talking about RCS, there's a section titled "Better messaging for all" with the following text: "Apple has announced it will be adopting RCS in the fall of 2024. Once that happens, it will mean a better messaging experience for everyone."

Read more
Have one of these Google Pixel phones? You’re getting Circle to Search

Circle to Search — Google's excellent search tool that debuted on the Samsung Galaxy S24 earlier this year — is about to become available to more people. Specifically, it's coming to a bunch more Pixel devices, giving even more people a chance to use it for themselves.

As the name implies, Circle to Search allows you to circle or scribble anything on your screen to perform a Google Search for it. It's great for those times you see something on your phone and want to know more about it, but aren't sure how to type out a Google Search for it. It launched on the Galaxy S24, S24 Plus, and S24 Ultra in January and then quickly made its way to the Google Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro.

Read more
Google Pixel 9: news, rumored price, release date, and more

The Google Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro are Google's latest and most powerful devices, but it won't be that way for long. Rumors of the Google Pixel 8a mean this pair of flagships will be supplanted as the latest Google phones fairly soon — but they'll be able to hold on to the title of "most powerful" for a little while longer. The Google Pixel 9 range, while definitely on the way, isn't due to arrive any time soon.

But when it does, it's sure to be a pair of blockbusters. Leaks for the Pixel 9 family are a little thin on the ground at the moment, but it seems as if Google is planning on making some big changes this time around. If leaks are correct, we expect a new look and some exciting new AI features that go beyond what we've seen before.

Read more