The period of the Samsung Messages app is formally coming to an finish. After years of preinstalling Google’s different on its latest Galaxy units, Samsung is lastly transferring to deactivate its legacy texting platform for good this July. For many who have averted the change till now, the transition is not optional-failing emigrate means risking a serious disruption in the way you ship and obtain each day chats.
On a web page with details about the change, Samsung factors to directions on the best way to swap over to Google’s Messages app, together with for telephones which are nonetheless on Android 12 and Android 13. Samsung has traditionally preinstalled its personal Messages app on Galaxy telephones, however started transitioning towards Google Messages as early as 2021.
To encourage folks to modify to Google Messages, Samsung’s directions record new options provided by Google Messages, like RCS-enabled texting for options like typing indicators, simpler group chats and sending higher-quality pictures. Google’s Messages app additionally has AI-powered spam detection and spam filters, multi-device entry to messages and a few built-in Gemini AI options. It is also the app that almost all Android telephones use as their default texting app, together with Samsung’s more moderen Galaxy S26. There are different SMS texting app alternate options within the Google Play Retailer should you do not wish to use the one made by Google.
Samsung has not mentioned when precisely in July messaging will not work within the app. A Samsung consultant did not instantly reply to a request for remark. As soon as the app is deactivated, solely messaging to emergency providers will work on Samsung Messages.
Whereas Samsung did cease together with it because the default texting app in 2021, it wasn’t till 2024 that Samsung stopped preinstalling the texting app alongside Google Messages. The Galaxy S26 cannot obtain the Samsung Messages app, and different telephones will not be capable to obtain it after the app’s July sundown.
Samsung mentioned customers of Android 11 or decrease aren’t affected by the top of service, however would additionally probably profit from switching to a supported texting app like Google Messages. To change to Google Messages, the corporate asks customers to obtain the app if it isn’t already put in and to set it because the default SMS app when prompted after launching it.
The submit additionally notes that anybody utilizing an older Galaxy Watch that runs on Samsung’s Tizen working system will not have entry to their full dialog historical past since these watches can not use Google Messages. Samsung mentioned that they’ll nonetheless be capable to learn and ship textual content messages, however the firm’s newer watches (Galaxy Watch 4 and later) that run WearOS will nonetheless have entry to full conversations.
