7 Samsung Messages tricks that will make you quit Google Messages

Most Samsung smartphones have their exclusive messaging app preinstalled alongside Google Messages. Select models like the Galaxy S24 and S22 series stand apart from their siblings as Google’s app is set as the default texting app.

On the surface, both apps work similarly. You can view your messages, filter them with a search button, and use Rich Communication Services (RCS) features. But there are other features unique to Samsung’s app. This guide walks you through its basics and provides some of our favorite tips and tricks for new users.

What can Samsung Messages do?

Samsung Messages can create and schedule messages for individuals or groups. The app also allows sending multimedia and personalizing your messages with colorful backgrounds. Other features you can use include the following:

• Search for messages.
• Star messages and pin messages for quick access.
• Block or delete messages and recover them within 30 days.
• Group messages into categories.

You can use Rich Communication Service (RCS) in Samsung Messages on some Galaxy phones. RCS is a texting standard that makes sending messages faster and simpler. Parties in a chat can turn on read receipts to let each other know when they’ve viewed a message.

You can also activate typing indicators, auto-download chat attachments, and send high-resolution media files. Most Samsung Galaxy smartphones running newer versions of the custom One UI skin have RCS. Whether it works on your phone depends on your carrier network and region.

You’ll find Samsung Messages in the Galaxy Store. You can’t install the app from the Google Play Store if you don’t own a Samsung phone. You must set it as your default messaging app to use all its features. Tap OK when you receive a prompt to do so, and your phone automatically switches your default messaging app to Samsung Messages.

Using the app without setting it as your primary messaging app disallows you from setting custom notification sounds, using categories, or deleting messages, among others. Here are seven tips to help you use Samsung Messages to your advantage.

Customize your chat rooms

Samsung Messages lets you spice up conversations in your chat room with preset colors. You can also use an image from the Gallery app as the conversation background. If you have trouble reading messages, magnify the text bubbles, bubble opacity, and text contrast for all your conversations or only one.

You must have an existing conversation with someone to personalize your chat room. Otherwise, send a new message to unlock the feature.

1. Launch Samsung Messages.
2. Open the chat room you want to customize.
3. Tap the three-dot icon at the top of your screen and select Customize chat room.

   

   

4. Use the colored circles to change your chat room background.

   

5. Under Bubble opacity, drag the circle left or right to make your text bubbles more or less transparent.
6. Under Text contrast, drag the circle left or right to adjust the text sharpness.
7. Tap the Gallery icon to use an image as your background.
8. Samsung Messages automatically saves your settings for your current chat room. Tap Apply to all chat rooms to make your settings appear in all conversations in the app.
9. To return the chat room to its original state, tap Reset.

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Schedule messages

If you forget to wish your friends a happy birthday or need to text someone at a particular time, Samsung Messages allows you to prepare texts to send later. You can schedule a message for the same day, but the time must be at least six minutes from your current time.

1. Open Samsung Messages.
2. Tap the Compose button in the lower-right corner.

   

3. Tap + beside Recipient to add someone from your contact list.
4. Alternatively, type the contact name to show its number, then tap to add it to the Recipient box. If you don’t have the person’s number saved on your contact list, type it in the Recipient box.
5. Type your message in the text box, then tap the arrow on its left side.

   

   

6. Tap +, then select Schedule message.

   

   

7. In the new tab that pops up, set a date and time. Tap Set schedule later to save your message as a draft. Your message isn’t sent until you are ready.
8. To schedule the message, tap Done and tap the paper plane icon.

   

   

9. A tiny clock appears beside your message, indicating that it is scheduled. If you want the message sent immediately, select the message and tap Send now.

   

   

Organize your messages for quick access

If you need to find a text quickly, Samsung Messages lets you star it as your favorite, pin it to the top of your messages list, or arrange it into categories. You can only star messages one at a time within a conversation and not an entire chat. However, you can categorize and pin multiple conversations simultaneously.

How to star messages in Samsung Messages

1. Launch Samsung Messages.
2. Open a chat and long press the text you want to add to your favorites.
3. Tap Star message. A yellow star appears beside the text.

   

   

4. Return to the Conversations menu and tap the three-dot icon beside the search button.
5. Select Starred messages to view your favorite texts.

   

How to pin conversations in Samsung Messages

1. Open Samsung Messages.
2. Long press the chat you want to pin to select it. You can choose multiple conversations.
3. Go to More > Pin to top. Your selected chats move to the top of your conversations list.

   

How to group messages into categories in Samsung Messages

1. Open Samsung Messages.
2. Tap + beside the Inbox tab.
3. Type a name for your category and tap Add.

   

   

4. Select the chats you want to group under the category and tap Done.

   

5. Repeat the process to add new categories to the app.

Create quick responses

Quick responses allow you to respond to texts without typing. You can save time by creating short texts to reply to common messages you receive. Samsung Messages creates these quick responses for you by default, but you can erase and rewrite them or add new quick responses.

1. Open Samsung Messages.
2. Tap the three-dot icon and select Settings.

   

3. Go to More settings > Quick responses.

   

   

4. Tap + to add a new response.
5. Tap any of the preset responses to edit them.
6. Tap the arrow button beside a response to reorder it.

   

7. To remove a response, long press it. Then tap Delete.

   

Send mass texts

Whether it’s a meeting reminder or a promotion for your new product, sending bulk SMS messages helps you reach a larger audience with less effort. You don’t need to send the same messages to many people serially. Samsung Messages lets you do it simultaneously. You only have to select the contacts, type your message, and tap the send button.

1. Launch Samsung Messages.
2. Tap the Compose button in the lower-right corner to start a conversation.

   

3. Tap + in the upper-right corner to add recipients.
4. Select the contacts you want to message on the list. If a recipient isn’t in your phonebook, type their number in the top text field. You can find contacts quickly by entering their name. The recipients you add appear above the screen.
5. When you have them in one place, tap Done at the bottom of the screen to continue.

   

   

6. Type your message in the text box and tap the paper plane button to send it.

   

Like assigning a custom ringtone to a contact on Android, you can make Samsung Messages play a personalized alert when someone messages you. That way, you’ll know who’s texting immediately without picking up the phone.

1. Launch Samsung Messages.
2. Open a conversation whose sound you want to customize.
3. Tap the three-dot icon in the upper-right corner.

   

4. Select Notification sound.
5. Choose your preferred sound to assign to the contact.

   

   

You can assign custom alert sounds for as many contacts as you want.

Recover deleted messages

Google Messages doesn’t have a recycle bin. When you delete a message, it’s gone forever unless you have a backup on Google Drive, Samsung Cloud, or your computer. However, the trash menu in Samsung Messages keeps deleted conversations for 30 days before deleting them permanently.

It’s active by default, and you can deactivate it from the app’s settings menu. Your messages have nowhere to go and are permanently erased when it’s inactive. However, there are many ways to recover deleted texts on Samsung phones.

Make texting interesting with Samsung Messages

Samsung Messages is an efficient app for organizing your messages. With the options of personalizing your chats and creating quick responses, you have everything you need to stop conversations from becoming dull.

Samsung’s RCS doesn’t work for everyone, and the messaging app is only available for Samsung users. Google Messages could be the right fit if you need a better messaging app. Here are some of our favorite Google Messages tips and tricks to start you off right.