Users who still have Samsung Messages as their main messaging app will have to react during July. Samsung will then deactivate the app for US users, while SMS messages, RCS conversations and complete communication history will not be automatically transferred to another app.
Samsung announced the shutdown in advance and published instructions for switching to Google Messages, including devices still running Android 12 and Android 13. The company has delivered its own messaging app on Galaxy phones for years, but the transition to Google Messages began as early as 2021. The company has not yet announced whether the same deadline will apply to Europe and Serbia. However, prepare in time so that this decision does not catch you during the holidays.
The most important step is for the user to install Google Messages, if the application is not already available on the phone, and then set it as the standard “default” SMS application when starting it for the first time. Only then will the existing message history become available within the Google app.
The process is simple, but not automatic. That’s why Samsung advises that the transition be done before the deadline, in order to reduce the risk that part of the conversation will remain unavailable. The company has not yet announced the exact date in July when messaging through the old app will stop working.
Samsung Messages stops working, switching is not automatic
After deactivation, Samsung Messages can only be used to send messages to emergency services. The application will no longer be available for download, while it is no longer available on newer phones. The Galaxy S26, for example, uses Google Messages and cannot install Samsung Messages.
Google Messages brings RCS features like typing indicators, easier group chats and better quality photo sending. There is also AI spam recognition, spam filters, access to messages from multiple devices and some built-in Gemini capabilities.
Users are not obliged to switch to Google Messages, as there are other SMS applications in the Play Store. However, the Google solution is the preferred choice on most Android phones and Samsung recommends it as a direct replacement.
The shutdown won’t affect devices running Android 11 or earlier, but Samsung recommends users and their owners switch to a supported app. The old system may continue to work, but with no future support and no assurance that it will remain reliable.
A special restriction applies to older Galaxy Watches with the Tizen system. They will not be able to view the complete conversation history from the Google Messages app. They will still be able to read and send individual messages, while the Galaxy Watch 4 and newer models with WearOS will retain access to full conversations.
It is therefore best for users who are still using Samsung Messages not to wait for the last days of July. They need to install Google Messages, set it as the default app and make sure all conversations are visible before Samsung permanently disables the old service.