Samsung Messages App Officially Shuts Down Today in the US as Galaxy Users Move to Google Messages for Good

Samsung's longtime default texting app, Samsung Messages, is being discontinued in the United States as of today, ending a service that has shipped on Galaxy devices since 2009 and pushing millions of remaining users to complete their transition to Google Messages.

According to Samsung's official End of Service notice posted on its U.S. support website, the company said it would discontinue the Samsung Messages application in July 2026 and encouraged customers to "upgrade to Google Messages as their default messaging app today to maintain a consistent messaging experience on Android." While that notice referred broadly to a July timeframe, device notifications sent directly to some users identified a specific date. A screenshot obtained by a Chicago television station showed one such alert stating that Samsung Messages was being discontinued on July 6, 2026, a date multiple outlets have since confirmed as the formal shutdown.

The change applies only to the U.S. market and affects devices running Android 12 or later. Samsung has said users on Android 11 or older operating systems are not affected by the discontinuation and will continue to be able to use Samsung Messages as they have in the past. For everyone else, the shutdown marks a hard stop for the app's core function. Once the cutoff takes effect, Samsung said, "sending messages via Samsung Messages on your phone will no longer be possible, except for emergency service numbers or emergency contacts defined in your device." Basic MMS and SMS messaging will remain available in the lead-up to the cutoff, but general texting through the app effectively ends today for eligible devices.

The discontinuation also extends beyond the phone itself. Samsung's Message Continuity feature, marketed as "Call & Text on Other Devices" and used by some customers to send texts from a paired tablet or computer, will be disrupted once the app is formally discontinued. Owners of Galaxy Watches released before the Galaxy Watch 4, which run on Samsung's older Tizen operating system, face an additional limitation, since those devices cannot run Google Messages and will lose access to full conversation history syncing on the watch, even though basic message reading and sending will continue to function.

Samsung has framed the shutdown as part of a broader push toward standardizing Rich Communication Services, or RCS, across the Android ecosystem. RCS is widely viewed as Android's answer to Apple's iMessage, enabling higher-quality photo and video sharing, real-time typing indicators, read receipts and improved group messaging when all participants have the feature enabled. Samsung's notice states that Android users need Google Messages installed for RCS to function as intended, and that iPhone users must be running iOS 18 or later to participate in those enhanced features across platforms.

Beyond messaging protocols, Samsung has also pointed to security and artificial intelligence capabilities as reasons for the switch. Google Messages includes AI-powered scam detection and spam filtering designed to identify and block suspicious texts, along with Gemini-powered features such as suggested replies and, in some cases, experimental image-generation tools within chats. The app also supports end-to-end encryption in supported conversations and allows users to move seamlessly between a phone, tablet or smart watch without losing continuity, according to Samsung's messaging on the transition.

Today's cutoff is the latest step in a gradual retreat from Samsung's own messaging platform that industry observers say has been underway for years. Samsung stopped making Samsung Messages the default texting app on its devices in 2021 in favor of Google Messages, and in 2024 it stopped pre-installing the app on select flagship devices, including the Galaxy Z Fold 6 and Z Flip 6 in the United States. Owners of the newer Galaxy S26 series already cannot download Samsung Messages from the Galaxy Store, a restriction that will extend to all other devices once today's discontinuation takes effect. After the cutoff, the app will no longer be available for download by any user in the affected market.

For customers who still rely on Samsung Messages, the recommended transition process is straightforward. Users can open Google Messages, download it from the Play Store if it is not already installed, and select the option to set it as their default SMS app. Samsung has said that message history and conversations should transfer automatically between the two apps, though the company has noted the process can take up to roughly 24 hours to complete depending on the volume of data involved. On some devices released before 2022, Samsung has also warned that switching apps may cause a temporary disruption to ongoing RCS conversations, though normal service is expected to resume once all parties involved have moved to Google Messages.

Not every feature is expected to carry over cleanly. Samsung Messages had offered chat folders and automatic deletion of older message threads, organizational tools that Google Messages does not currently replicate. Google has said it plans to introduce a visual customization feature called Chat Themes, which would allow users to assign custom color palettes and wallpapers to individual conversations, though that feature has not yet been fully deployed across the platform.

The transition has not been without confusion. Some users have reported receiving unsolicited text messages warning that Samsung Messages was about to be discontinued and urging them to click a link to switch apps, a pattern cybersecurity commentators have flagged as ripe for exploitation by scammers. One Android user in Running Springs, California, described receiving a text that read, in part, that Samsung Messages was ending on July 6, 2026 and that he needed to change to Google Messages. Samsung does not typically send standalone text messages containing links asking customers to switch apps, and security experts have urged users to avoid tapping on unsolicited links and instead make the switch directly through their device's settings or the Google Play Store.

For most affected Galaxy owners, the practical impact of today's shutdown will be limited so long as they have already completed the move to Google Messages. For those who have not, Samsung's guidance is direct: open Settings, navigate to installed apps, and change the default messaging application before texting functionality becomes limited to emergency contacts only.