Samsung Messages has shut down, but here's a workaround and what to do next

If you’re still using Samsung Messages and tried to open the app today, you’d have already gotten a rude shock. Samsung has shut down the Samsung Messages app in the US, as previously notified. You can no longer use it for texting (you can still use it with the workarounds mentioned later), as the text field is now greyed out. If you’re scratching your head about what to do next, it’s time to switch to Google Messages.

Samsung Messages users should switch to Google Messages

To switch to Google Messages, all you need to do is download the app and set it as your default messaging app:

1. Download Google Messages from the Play Store.
2. The first time you open the app, a message appears: “To use Messages, make it your default SMS app.” Tap the “Set default SMS app” button.
3. Select Google Messages. Google Messages is the white icon with the blue conversation bubble.
4. Tap “Set as default.”

All your conversations and messages should automatically transfer between Samsung Messages and Google Messages in a while.

You can still use Samsung Messages with this workaround, but you shouldn’t

Samsung has made it abundantly clear that the Samsung Messages app has no future, so we strongly recommend that all users make their peace with this decision and switch to another app right away.

However, if you’d still like to continue using Samsung Messages, you can uninstall app updates to get it back to a functional state:

• Navigate to Settings > Apps > Samsung Messages (or just Messages) > More options and tap on “Uninstall Updates.”
• Open the Galaxy Store, navigate to Menu > Updates > Samsung Messages > More options, and uncheck the “Enable auto-update” option.

Once you do these steps, Samsung Messages will work as usual, and you should be able to send texts. However, the big caveat here is that Samsung Messages is officially discontinued and no longer supported. The app could have bugs or security issues affecting the US market, and these will never be fixed. You should only use this workaround as a temporary, stopgap solution merely to confirm that all your conversations and messages have carried over to another texting app like Google Messages.

Uninstalling updates or deleting the data of Samsung Messages (or Google Messages, for that matter) will not delete or impact your text messages.

Note that newer phones, like the Galaxy S25 series, S26 series, Z Fold 6, Z Flip 6, Z Fold 7, and Z Flip 7, do not come preloaded with Samsung Messages in the first place, so this workaround will not work, as there will be no base app in the stock firmware to fall back to. You will have to sideload an older release to get it working again.

The discontinuation is also limited to the US market. Other regions should be able to continue using Samsung Messages. Don’t pin your hopes on newer app releases becoming functional again in the US, though, as Samsung’s decision to discontinue the app is permanent. It’s time to move on.