Samsung Messages Ceases July Operations; Follow These Steps to Migrate to Google Messages

If Samsung Messages remains your default texting application, July will require you to take action. The service is being discontinued for U.S. users, and its texts, RCS conversations, and message history will not transfer automatically. All content will move to Google Messages; while the migration process is straightforward, it is not automatic. You must manually complete the required steps before the deadline, as delaying increases the risk of data loss.

A Samsung support page outlines the transition steps to Google Messages, covering devices running Android 12 and Android 13. Although Samsung has long bundled its own Messages app with Galaxy devices, it started shifting toward Google Messages in 2021.

Samsung’s guidance highlights Google Messages’ new capabilities, such as RCS‑enabled messaging with typing indicators, improved group chat handling, and higher‑resolution image sharing. The app also provides AI‑driven spam detection, multi‑device message access, and integrated Gemini AI functions. It is the default messaging app on most Android phones, including Samsung’s latest Galaxy S26, and alternative SMS applications are available on the Google Play Store.

Samsung has not specified the exact date in July when the service will be discontinued. A Samsung representative did not respond to a request for comment. After deactivation, only emergency‑services messaging will remain functional in Samsung Messages.

Although Samsung removed its messaging app from the default suite in 2021, it continued preinstalling the app alongside Google Messages until 2024. The Galaxy S26 cannot download Samsung Messages, and after the July sunset, other devices will also be unable to obtain it.

Samsung indicates that users of Android 11 or earlier are not impacted by the service termination, though they may still gain advantages by adopting a supported messaging app such as Google Messages. To transition, users should install Google Messages if it isn’t already present and set it as the default SMS application when prompted after launching.

The announcement also notes that owners of older Galaxy Watches running Samsung’s Tizen OS will lose access to their complete conversation history, as those watches cannot use Google Messages. While they can still read and send texts, newer Galaxy Watch models (Watch 4 and later) running WearOS retain full conversation access.

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