RCS Messaging On Android Explained: What It Is And How To Set It Up

You may have heard about Rich Communication Services (RCS) as it pertains to messaging issues between Android and iOS devices. RCS is, in essence, a different format for text messaging much like Apple's iMessage. The intention behind it is to replace Short Message Service (SMS) and Multimedia Messaging Service (MMS), which have long been the cellular industry standard, with something more akin to what Apple offers. However, RCS is not actually iMessage, and it's not under Apple's control.

Functionally, RCS is similar to what most iOS users are familiar with. These messages can be sent over a regular cellular network or through Wi-Fi; it allows for read receipts (assuming you decide to turn them on); it enables sending higher-quality videos and images; and it adds tapback functionality so you can tap and hold on a message to react to it rather than typing out a complete response.

Despite the similarities, RCS and iMessage are still two completely different messaging formats — meaning you can't use RCS on an Apple device unless Apple eventually decides to allow it. This also means that texting between Android and Apple devices — with RCS for the former and iMessage for the latter — isn't entirely compatible at the moment, though they could be if Apple loosened its restrictions.

Some carriers may turn on RCS chats by default, in which case you don't have to do anything to start taking advantage of their, well, advantages. However, if your Android phone isn't set up for RCS yet (and your carrier does support it), here's what to do:

1. Keep an eye out for a "Do more with Messages" notification — this indicates when your carrier supports RCS, and that your phone isn't currently using it.
2. Open the Google Messages app and select Get Started.
3. Select Next.
4. Choose Yes when prompted to turn on RCS.

After the initial setup, you can turn RCS on and off by opening the Messages app and selecting your profile icon.

1. Select Message Settings.
2. Choose RCS Chats.
3. Turn off RCS Chats to disable the feature for Messages.
4. Enable RCS Chats to turn it back on.

You can also check your RCS chat status by selecting the RCS Chats option in Settings. Connected means you're all set to use RCS; Setting up means your number is still being verified (if this takes too long, tap Retry); and Disconnected means RCS is currently unavailable, possibly due to no internet connection.

Assuming your Android phone offers RCS (which requires Android 5.0 or newer) and your carrier supports it but the setup isn't working, there are a few things you can do to troubleshoot the problem.

1. Check RCS status by opening Messages and selecting your profile icon.
2. Choose Message settings, then select RCS Chats and check your status. Tap Retry if your phone isn't connecting.
3. Make sure your phone has a working internet connection by opening Settings and selecting Wi-Fi. If your current connection isn't working, try choosing a different one.
4. Set Google Messages as your default messaging app by opening Messages and setting it as your default when prompted.
5. Double-check that your number matches your SIM card by opening Messages and selecting your profile icon, followed by Messages settings.
6. Select Advanced, then choose Phone number and verify that it's correct or enter the correct number if it's not.
7. Turn off Google Fi message sync by opening Messages, tapping your profile icon, and selecting Messages settings.
8. Select Advanced, then choose Google Fi settings and turn off message syncing.

If you still can't get RCS set up after trying the above steps, the issue might be related to various software versions. If updates are available, take a moment to install them for the Messages app, Android OS, and Google Play Services.