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Send messages via RCS with your Android smartphone

RCS, what's that?

Google launches RCS via the Google Messages app. RCS stands for Rich Communication Services, which you can think of as the successor to the familiar SMS. After all, the way we send messages has changed tremendously since we started texting. We send more photos, chat with more than one person at a time, share our location and add magic to our conversations with GIFs and videos. RCS makes all this possible!

To use RCS, you need the following:

  1. An Android smartphone (Android 5.x or later).
  2. The Google Messages app.

Samsung? You can download the app in the Google Play Store.

Huawei? Whether you can download the Google Messages app depends on your version.

Other Android smartphone? The Google Messages app is installed on your phone as standard, and you already use it for texting.

The first time you open the app, you must:

  • Accept the general terms and conditions to use the messaging service.
  • Confirm that you want to use the Google Messages app as your standard messaging app.

The app asks you this automatically.

The person you are messaging must have also accepted the terms and conditions. What if they haven't? Then your message will be sent as a regular SMS or MMS. You can see in the text bar whether a message is sent as an SMS, MMS or RCS.

Your smartphone must be connected via Wi-Fi or mobile data.

Good to know:

  • You don't pay for RCS, only your usage counts.
  • The person you are messaging must have also accepted the terms and conditions. What if they haven't? Then your message will automatically be sent as an SMS or MMS. You can see in the text bar whether a message is sent as an SMS, MMS or chat message (RCS). You pay the normal tariff for MMSes and international SMSes.
  • Would you prefer to no longer use RCS, or are you using a handset that doesn't support RCS? No problem. Then you can simply send your messages as SMSes or MMSes.
  • Click the hamburger menu (three dots) in the top-right corner of your messages app to open the menu.
  • Go to Settings.
  • Select Advanced and click Chat functions.
  • Switch 'Chat function' on or off.

Google is launching RCS for Android users in several phases. You can see whether or not RCS is already active for your handset in the Google Messages app (Settings – Advanced – Chat functions). When you type a message, you can see in the text bar whether a message is sent as an SMS, MMS or chat message (RCS).

RCS is a service of Google, not BASE. Therefore, unfortunately, BASE can't help you if you have problems specifically with RCS. Are you experiencing problems with SMSes, MMSes or your mobile monthly plan itself? Then we are always here to help you!