Samsung has announced that it will officially end support for its Messages app in the United States starting in July 2026, signaling a full shift toward Google Messages as the default texting platform.
After the service ends, users will no longer be able to send messages through Samsung Messages, except for limited use with emergency service numbers or contacts marked for emergencies on their device. The app will also be removed from the Galaxy Store after July, and newer devices like the Galaxy S26 already prevent users from downloading it altogether.
The change applies to Galaxy devices running Android 12 and newer, while older devices will not be impacted. Samsung has already posted a notice on its US website, and users will start seeing in-app alerts that guide them through switching to Google Messages. On devices running Android 14 and above, the Google Messages app icon will automatically move to the home screen dock once the switch is completed.
To make the transition, users need to open or install Google Messages and set it as their default SMS app when prompted. After selecting it and confirming, Google Messages will take over as the main messaging app on the device.
Samsung is also ending support for its Messages app on Tizen based smartwatches. While users will no longer be able to view full message history on their watches, they will still be able to read and send texts.
For devices released before 2022, Samsung notes that switching apps could briefly interrupt ongoing RCS chats. These conversations can continue once both people switch to Google Messages, and regular SMS and MMS will still work during the transition period.
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Samsung is pointing to several improvements in Google Messages as part of the change, including stronger security with AI powered scam detection and spam filtering, better messaging through RCS with features like high quality media sharing and typing indicators, AI driven tools such as smart replies and photo remixing through Gemini, and the ability to continue conversations seamlessly across phones, tablets, and smartwatches.
