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To switch from Google Messages, open Settings > Apps > Default apps > SMS app, choose the messaging app you want, and accept Android’s confirmation if it appears. The exact menu names vary by phone. Before switching, check whether the new app supports the features you rely on—especially RCS—and test sending and receiving messages afterward.
Changing the default app is a settings change, not a guarantee that every conversation, feature, or backup will move exactly as it did in Google Messages. Check the new app’s SMS/MMS, RCS, history, and privacy details first. If messages stop arriving after the change and RCS was enabled, Google advises considering turning RCS chats off.
Change the default SMS app
Android’s default SMS app handles ordinary carrier text messages. You can change it without uninstalling Google Messages; choosing a different default changes which app Android uses for SMS and MMS. This setting tells Android which installed app should handle SMS. It does not, by itself, establish that the new app supports every feature you used in Google Messages.
- Install the app you want to use, if it is not already on your phone. Check that it is intended to handle SMS/MMS if you want to replace Google Messages for ordinary carrier messages.
- Open Settings.
- Tap Apps > Default apps > SMS app.
- Select the new messaging app. Confirm the change if Android asks you to set it as the default.
- Send a test SMS, then ask someone to send you one. Check that both messages appear in the new app and that its notifications work.
On some phones, the labels or menu location differ. Search Settings for SMS app if you cannot find the option, or consult your phone manufacturer’s instructions. Google also notes that opening a messaging app may prompt you to make it the default. In that case, follow the app’s prompt and review Android’s confirmation before proceeding.
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After switching, make sure the new app remains selected as the SMS default. Then test both directions: send an ordinary SMS to someone and have someone send an SMS to you. Check the conversation in the new app and make sure notifications arrive. If the app is meant to replace your regular SMS/MMS app, a successful test of an internet-based conversation alone is not enough to confirm that carrier text messaging works.
What changes—and what happens to message history
Google says messages are stored in the device’s SMS database, which other apps may be able to access. Changing the default routes new messages to the app you select; it does not guarantee that the destination app will display, import, or restore every conversation in the same way. Check the new app’s instructions and verify that important conversations are visible before relying on it.
In practical terms, there are two separate questions: where Android directs new messages, and how the new app presents message history. Changing the default answers the first question. It does not promise that the new app will organize, display, or restore history just as Google Messages did. If you switch apps and a conversation is not shown as expected, do not assume that the default-setting change has migrated every part of it. Consult the destination app’s guidance about its access to existing messages and its history behavior.
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Before switching, identify conversations you particularly need to keep or refer to. After the change, open the relevant conversations in the new app and verify that the expected history is visible. This is especially useful before relying on the new app for an important exchange. If the app’s documentation does not explain how it handles existing messages, ask its developer or check its support information rather than assuming that selecting it as the default performs an import.
Android backups may include SMS and MMS. Google says RCS messages are included in backups when you use Google Messages, but restoration depends on the phone and Android version. A device backup is not a universal promise that an app-to-app migration will preserve every message or feature. If a conversation is important, confirm the destination app’s history and restore behavior before switching.
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Backup and app switching are related but not interchangeable. A backup may help when restoring a device, but Google’s guidance does not promise that every message will move directly from Google Messages into any other messaging app, or that a restore will look identical across Android versions. Check the backup and restore instructions for your phone and the destination app. Do not rely on a general backup statement as proof that a particular app can import every conversation or RCS feature.
Check RCS before you switch
RCS is not simply another name for SMS. Its availability can vary by device, carrier, and region, and an RCS conversation requires the other participants to have RCS as well. Do not assume that RCS features or conversations will work the same way in another app. Check with the app’s developer and your carrier whether the specific RCS features you use are supported.
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1Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute2Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems3Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesThink about the conversations and capabilities you depend on before changing apps. If you use Google Messages for RCS conversations, find out whether the candidate app supports RCS on your device, with your carrier and in your region. Also consider whether the people you message have access to RCS. Support in an app alone does not mean every conversation will use RCS: availability depends on the device, carrier, region, and participants.
Google’s RCS FAQ also warns that proprietary features and non-interoperable messaging from a previous app will not necessarily be usable after switching to Google Messages. More broadly, app-specific capabilities do not automatically transfer when you change messaging apps; verify what the destination supports rather than treating the default-app setting as a migration. The same caution applies when switching away from Google Messages: do not assume another app will carry over a feature just because it handled the conversation before.
If a particular RCS feature is essential, make that a compatibility check rather than a post-switch discovery. Read the destination app’s current feature information and ask the developer or carrier about support for your setup. If the documentation does not establish support, treat it as unverified. You can still choose a different app for SMS/MMS, but be prepared for RCS behavior or app-specific capabilities to differ.
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If messages stop arriving after the change
If incoming messages stop after you switch and RCS was enabled in Google Messages, Google recommends considering turning off RCS chats. Google provides an in-app control and a web deactivation portal for cases where you cannot access the phone. Follow Google’s current RCS deactivation instructions, then test receiving messages again. This is a troubleshooting step, not a guarantee that every delivery issue has the same cause.
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- Confirm the new app is still selected under Settings > Apps > Default apps > SMS app.
- Check that the app has the permissions it requests to operate as your messaging app and that its notifications are enabled.
- Test an ordinary SMS separately from an RCS conversation. Their behavior can differ.
- If the issue began after changing RCS settings, use Google’s RCS instructions to review or deactivate RCS chats.
Distinguish a missing notification from a missing message. Open the new app and check whether a test message is present; then check its notification settings if it is present but did not alert you. If an ordinary SMS works but an RCS conversation does not, that points to a different feature path, so review RCS support and settings instead of assuming the default-app selection is wrong.
Google’s RCS guidance includes an in-app option to turn chats off and a web deactivation portal for situations where the phone is inaccessible. Use Google’s current instructions for the steps, since the available controls may depend on access to the device. Turning off RCS is a troubleshooting option Google specifically recommends considering when messages stop after a switch; it is not a universal fix for every delivery problem.
Choose an app that fits the messages you send
Compare candidates on SMS/MMS support, RCS compatibility for your carrier and region, message-history behavior, privacy policy and permissions, and any features you depend on, such as desktop access or customization. The available documentation supports these two examples, but does not establish a comprehensive list of current apps with equivalent RCS support.
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Use a short checklist when evaluating a candidate:
- SMS/MMS: Does the app handle the ordinary carrier messages you want it to replace? Do not infer this from a general claim that it is a messaging app.
- RCS: Does the app support the RCS features you use, with your device, carrier, region, and conversation participants? Verify rather than assuming compatibility.
- History and restore: What does the app say about access to existing SMS database messages, and what does it say about history after a device restore?
- Privacy and permissions: Read the current privacy policy and app listing, and check which permissions the app requests and why.
- Other features: Check whether it offers features you rely on, such as desktop access or customization. Do not assume they match Google Messages.
These checks are more useful than choosing an app based only on its name or appearance. The default SMS setting determines which app Android uses for SMS/MMS; it does not tell you whether the app offers RCS, a particular history experience, or other app-specific functions.
| App | What the cited documentation establishes | What to verify before switching |
|---|---|---|
| Fossify Messages | Its F-Droid listing describes it as an SMS/MMS messaging app. Its privacy policy says it does not request Android Internet permission and explains that SMS/MMS permissions are used when it is the messaging app. | Review the current app listing and privacy policy yourself. Those statements do not establish every security property or confirm RCS support, history migration, or compatibility with your carrier. |
| Signal | Signal Support says its current Android app cannot send or receive SMS/MMS; the earlier SMS functionality was removed. | Signal may serve conversations where both people use Signal, but it is not a replacement for ordinary carrier SMS/MMS. Check the current app’s capabilities if you need a particular feature. |
Fossify Messages is one documented option if your goal is an SMS/MMS app. Its privacy policy makes specific statements about Internet permission and the use of SMS/MMS permissions when it serves as the messaging app. Those statements are claims in the policy, not a complete assessment of every security property. Review the current listing and policy yourself, and separately confirm whether it meets your RCS, history, and carrier needs.
Signal is different: Signal Support says the current Android app cannot send or receive SMS/MMS, because its earlier SMS functionality was removed. It may be useful for conversations where both people use Signal, but that does not make it a replacement for ordinary carrier SMS/MMS. If you need one app to handle standard carrier texts, do not select Signal on the assumption that it will take over that role.
Regardless of which app you choose, confirm that it covers your needs before making it the default. A setting change alone does not establish support for RCS, restore behavior, or app-specific features. If you cannot verify a feature that matters to you, keep that uncertainty in mind and test the new setup before depending on it.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I change my default messaging app on Android?
Install the app you want to use, then open Settings > Apps > Default apps > SMS app and select it. Menu names vary by phone, so search Settings for “SMS app” if the path differs. Accept Android’s default-app prompt if it appears, then test sending and receiving an SMS.
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Will I lose my text messages if I change messaging apps?
Google says messages are stored in the device SMS database, which other apps may be able to access. But changing the default does not guarantee that the new app will show, import, or restore every conversation in the same way. Check the destination app’s instructions and verify important conversations after switching.
Will RCS still work if I switch SMS apps?
Do not assume it will. RCS availability varies by device, carrier, region, and participants, and app-specific or non-interoperable features may not transfer. Check the destination app’s current guidance and ask its developer or your carrier about support for your setup.
What should I do if messages stop arriving after I switch?
Confirm the new app is still the default SMS app, check its requested permissions and notification settings, and test ordinary SMS separately from RCS. If RCS was enabled in Google Messages, Google advises considering turning RCS chats off. Google provides an in-app control and a web deactivation portal if you cannot access the phone.
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Does Signal replace Google Messages for SMS and MMS on Android?
No. Signal Support says its current Android app cannot send or receive SMS/MMS; its earlier SMS functionality was removed. Signal can be used for conversations where both people use Signal, but it does not replace ordinary carrier SMS/MMS.
Can an Android backup move all my messages into another app?
Not necessarily. Google says Android backups may include SMS and MMS, and RCS messages are included when using Google Messages, but restoration depends on the phone and Android version. That is not a universal guarantee of app-to-app migration or identical history in another app.
The Bottom Line
To switch, select the new app under Settings > Apps > Default apps > SMS app, then test incoming and outgoing SMS. Before relying on it, verify SMS/MMS support, RCS compatibility, history and restore behavior, and the app’s privacy information. If messages stop after the change and you used RCS in Google Messages, follow Google’s RCS guidance and consider turning it off.
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