Samsung Messages App is set to be sunsetted later this July according to an official confirmation from the brand as it urges users to switch to Google Messages for a “consistent Messaging experience” on Android. Here’s what the development is about and which users would be affected.
As per a confirmation via Samsung US website, Samsung Messages app will be discontinued in July 2026. The announcement further reads, “Upgrade to Google Messages as your default messaging app today to maintain a consistent messaging experience on Android.” Samsung says that users of an older Android OS (Android 11 or lower) are not affected by this End of Service.
This change was bound to happen considering Samsung’s Messages app lacks advanced features which Google Messages packs, such as AI-powered scam detection, AI features like Gemini integration, and multi-device connectivity. Also, Samsung Messages app has already been removed from the likes of Galaxy S26 series, which comes pre-loaded with Google Messages app as its default messaging app.
Also Read: Samsung 2026 OLED TV Lineup Announced: Details to Know
To switch to Google Messages, follow the process below:
- Open or download Google Messages. The first time you open the app, a message appears: “To use Messages, make it your default SMS app.”
- Tap the ‘Set default SMS app’ button.
- Select Google Messages. Google Messages is the white icon with the blue conversation bubble.
- Tap ‘Set as default’.
- Google Messages is now your default messaging app.
For users on Android 12 or 13, the app icon will not automatically appear on their home screen so they’ll have to manually add it after they make the switch from the Samsung Messages app to Google Messages.
Finally, once the app is discontinued, Samsung notes that older generation watches with the Tizen OS (i.e. watches before the Galaxy Watch 4) will not support Google Messages. Therefore, after the discontinuation of Samsung Messages, those older Tizen OS watches will no longer be able to see the full message conversation history on their watch; however, those watches will still enable the user to read and send text messages.
Once the Samsung Messages app is discontinued, sending messages via Samsung Messages on your phone will no longer be possible, except for emergency service numbers or emergency contacts defined in your device. For Samsung devices released before 2022, switching messaging applications may temporarily disrupt ongoing RCS conversations. However, RCS conversations can resume if both parties switch to Google Messages. MMS/SMS messaging will remain available during this period.
Author: Abhishek Malhotra
Source: The Mobile Indian
Reviewed By: Editorial Team
