Ryan Haines / Android Authority
TL; DR
- Samsung Messages will be discontinued in July 2026 and users are asked to switch to Google Messages.
- The company defaults to Google Messages for a consistent Android messaging experience.
- Devices running Android 11 or earlier will not be affected by the shutdown.
Samsung has officially confirmed the end of the road for its long-standing default messaging app. In notice posted on its websitethe company says it will discontinue Samsung Messages in July 2026. Samsung advises users to switch to Google Messages before Samsung Messages disappears completely.
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“Enhance your messaging experience” by switching to the Google app to provide a “seamless messaging experience on Android,” the company’s notice says.
Samsung also advises users to check inside the Samsung Messages app for the exact shutdown date, suggesting a phased or region-specific release.
For long-time Samsung users and those keeping abreast of developments, this isn’t a sudden shutdown, but rather the final nail in the coffin.
Samsung It was announced in July 2024 it will switch Galaxy phones to Google Messages as their default messaging app. The company has increasingly aligned itself with Google’s messaging strategy over the past few years, pre-installing Google Messages as the default SMS/RCS app on many of its new devices. In fact, the Galaxy S26 series features Google Messages as its default messaging app while skipping Samsung Messages altogether.
Interestingly, the death of Samsung Messages won’t affect everyone. The company notes that devices running Android 11 or higher will continue to support Samsung Messages, possibly due to compatibility issues.
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