Samsung is shutting down its Messages application after many years of being available to users. They confirmed today that the app will cease working in July and that users will then be expected to use Google Messages as their default messaging option moving forward.
Samsung Messages Is Shutting Down
Samsung had already started phasing out its Messages app back in 2021, when it began shipping Galaxy phones with Google Messages as the primary texting app. By 2024, it stopped preinstalling its own app entirely.
Now, the final step is here. Once the shutdown hits in July, the Samsung Messages app will no longer function for regular texting. Only emergency messaging will remain active.
The company hasn’t confirmed an exact shutdown date yet, but the message is clear. If you’re still using Samsung Messages, you need to switch soon.
Why Samsung Is Moving Away
This is not something that happens by chance; Samsung has made a strategic choice to align itself with Google’s suite of services, making messaging a critical element of that partnership.
Google Messages has RCS built in, allowing SMS messages to be upgraded to features similar to WhatsApp and iMessage. RCS provides the following advantages over SMS: typing indicators, improved group messaging capabilities, and the ability to send high-quality photos and videos (without being degraded by compression).
RCS will also protect against spam, support multi-device synchronization, and provide some features based on AI that use Google’s related ecosystem. On the most recent Galaxy Series devices, RCS is pre-installed as the default messaging app.
What You Should Do Right Now
Don’t remain on Samsung Messages since they will cease working.
Download Google Messages from the Play Store if it’s not already on your phone.
Open the app and set it as your default SMS app when prompted. That’s it.
Your messages and contacts should carry over, but it’s still a smart move to back up important conversations just in case.
What About Older Devices?
Samsung says phones running Android 11 or older won’t be directly affected by the shutdown. Still, sticking with an unsupported app isn’t ideal, especially when it comes to security and reliability.
There’s also a catch for smartwatch users. Older Galaxy Watches running Tizen OS won’t fully sync with Google Messages, meaning you may lose access to your complete chat history on your watch. Newer models like the Galaxy Watch 4 and above, which run Wear OS, will continue to support full messaging features.
This move shows where Android messaging is heading. Instead of multiple competing apps from different brands, everything is being streamlined into one standard experience led by Google.
For users, it means fewer choices, but a more consistent and feature-rich messaging system across devices.
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