How to Set Up Google Messages and Enable RCS Texting

Google Messages is the official texting app recommended for Android phones, and it comes pre-installed on many Android devices, including Pixel phones. On some Samsung phones, Samsung Messages is the default instead — but you can switch to Google Messages if you prefer.

The core function of Google Messages is the same as any texting app: send and receive SMS and MMS text messages. But Google Messages also supports a newer messaging standard called RCS — which stands for Rich Communication Services. RCS is like a significant upgrade to traditional texting, and when both you and the person you're messaging use an RCS-capable app, the experience improves substantially.

With RCS active, your messages are encrypted end-to-end (meaning only you and the recipient can read them). You can see when someone has read your message (read receipts), see when they're typing (a typing indicator), react to messages with emoji, send high-quality photos and videos (not compressed like MMS), and share your location. This is the experience iPhone users have had with iMessage for years, and RCS brings something similar to Android.

To check if RCS is active on your phone, open Google Messages, tap the three dots in the top right, go to Settings, and tap Chat Features. If it shows "Connected," RCS is active. If it says something like "Verify your phone number," follow the on-screen steps to enable it.

RCS only works when both people use a compatible app. When you text someone who doesn't have RCS — like someone on an older phone, a feature phone, or someone using a basic texting app — Google Messages automatically falls back to SMS or MMS, so your messages still go through normally. You can tell the difference: RCS conversations typically say "Chat" instead of "SMS" near the send button.

Google Messages also works on your computer. Go to messages.google.com in any browser and scan the QR code with your phone. After linking, you can send and receive texts from your computer without picking up your phone — useful when you're at a desk.

If you're on Samsung and want to switch your default texting app to Google Messages, download it from the Play Store, open it, and choose Set as Default when prompted.