Samsung knows there’s no need to have two text messaging apps on your Galaxy phone, and it’s ending that confusion soon. The company has warned users that the Samsung Messages app will be discontinued in July 2026 and will exclusively use Google Messages going forward.
The mobile giant calls on Samsung Messages users to switch to Google for a “consistent messaging experience on Android” and claims multiple advantages in making the leap. Google Messages enables multi-device chat syncing, widely available RCS messaging, AI features like smart replies, and security measures that include SMS scam detection.
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Samsung notes that it won’t be possible to send messages to any recipients beyond emergency contacts through its in-house app after July. You already can’t download Samsung Messages on the Galaxy S26 family, but everyone else will lose the download option after the cutoff. Phones running Android 11 and earlier aren’t affected by the shutdown.
How to switch from Samsung Messages to Google Messages
It’s more complex for some users
The alert instructs users how to make Google Messages the default client. On Android 14 and newer, you only have to open Google Messages, choose “Set default SMS app” when prompted, and pick Google Messages from the list.
Galaxy owners using Android 12 or 13 have extra steps to complete, as Google Messages doesn’t automatically move to the home screen dock. You’ll need to remove Samsung Messages from the docks by long-pressing the app and choosing Remove. After that, you need to long-press Google Messages in the app drawer and choose “Add to Home.” You’ll then need to drag Google’s icon into the home screen dock.
Galaxy Watch models running Tizen (that is, everything before the Galaxy Watch 4) don’t support full conversation histories in Google Messages. Samsung adds switching to Google “may temporarily disrupt” existing RCS chats on devices made before 2022.
The history and long decline of Samsung Messages
From mainstay to unneeded excess
As with many of the brand’s proprietary apps, Samsung Messages was launched in 2009 to both differentiate Galaxy phones from rival Android devices and keep customers invested in its ecosystem.
While Samsung maintained the app and delivered a major upgrade in 2019 with the arrival of OneUI, there were mounting complaints that it was both falling behind and unnecessarily duplicating Google’s functionality. It was also part of a larger conflict between Samsung and Google over default apps. Fortnite creator Epic Games alleged in antitrust lawsuit testimony that Google paid Samsung $8 billion over four years to make sure Galaxy devices used Google apps as defaults, including the Play Store.
There were also concerns about truly reliable RCS support. While some carriers have explicitly supported Samsung’s implementation, Google’s RCS platform (Jibe) works on virtually every carrier and Android device. The move to Google Messages ensured that Samsung offered RCS to every customer without making special network arrangements or investing in app updates.
Whatever the motivations, Samsung began transitioning in 2021 when it made Google Messages the default messaging app on the Galaxy S21 and newer hardware. Samsung stopped preloading its Messages app on new phones in some regions in July 2024, beginning with the Galaxy Z Fold 6 and Z Flip 6. The Galaxy S25 line dropped Samsung Messages entirely.
The death of Samsung Messages reduces the variety of messaging apps on Android devices. However, it also ensures full compatibility with other Android handsets and eases switching. You can move to a Google Pixel or Motorola Razr while knowing that your chats and high-quality videos will remain intact.
