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 is positioning Google Messages as the default for a consistent messaging experience on Android.
- 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-running default texting app. In a notice posted on your websiteThe company says it will discontinue Samsung Messages in July 2026. Before Samsung Messages disappears forever, Samsung recommends users switch to Google Messages.
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The company’s notice says: “Upgrade your messaging experience” by switching to the Google app to ensure a “consistent messaging experience on Android.”
Samsung is also directing users to check within the Samsung Messages app for the exact closing date, suggesting a gradual or region-specific rollout.
For long-time Samsung users and those who have kept up with developments, this is less of a sudden closure and more of a final nail in the coffin.
Samsung announced in July 2024 which would switch Galaxy phones to Google Messages as the default messaging app. The company has increasingly aligned itself with Google’s messaging strategy in recent years, pre-installing Google Messages as the default SMS/RCS app on many of its newer devices. In fact, the Galaxy S26 series features Google Messages as the default messaging app, while it skips Samsung Messages entirely.
Interestingly, not everyone will be affected by the death of Samsung Messages. The company notes that devices running Android 11 or earlier will continue to support Samsung Messages, possibly due to compatibility issues.
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