In this article, we’ll show you how to check if your specific Android smartphone has RCS support.
The Benefits of RCS Messaging on Android
Rich Communication Service (RCS) has several perks over SMS/MMS. For example, you can send messages without a cellular connection. All you need is a connection to the internet.
Other key features include typing indicators, read receipts, and the ability to send files up to 105MB in size. You can also react to received messages with an emoji.
For more details, take a look at our guide to RCS messaging.
How to Check RCS Availability on Your Android Smartphone
Your Android smartphone must have RCS support to enjoy these benefits. Here’s how you can check if you have RCS available.
Download and install Google’s Messages app if you don’t already have it. Open the Messages app. Tap the three-dot menu on the top right. Select Settings from the list of options given in the pop-up menu. Tap General to open the general settings page. After that, select Chat features. If RCS is available on your device, you’ll see an option to Enable chat features. If your Android device doesn’t have this options, that means you can’t use RCS.
RCS support is still patchy, although Google rolled it out globally in 2020. It is only available on smartphones running Android 5.0 or later. Besides, ensure you have the latest version of Google’s Messages app installed and is set as the default messaging app.
But even with that, you need to keep in mind that RCS is not available on all devices and carriers. For Samsung Galaxy users, the OEM’s default messaging app also has RCS support.
If you’re not among the lucky few, you can still enjoy similar features plus more using the best instant messaging apps. These apps like WhatsApp and Telegram offer more features and have more broad support than RCS.
Text Better With Google RCS
RCS is the successor to SMS and MMS. The feature is, however, not available on all Android smartphones.
But despite this, RCS is a giant leap forward for better messaging on Android. It gives Android users the coveted features that Apple has long provided to iPhone users on iMessage.
