Set up Advanced Messaging or AT&T RCS for Android

AT&T Rich Communication Services (RCS) and Advanced Messaging (which also uses RCS) let you send higher-res photos and longer videos. Learn how to set it up on Android.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Expand All

Here’s what you need to do to use AT&T RCS on the AT&T network:

Be in our domestic coverage area, or outside our network coverage area using Wi-Fi data.
Have an AT&T Wireless^SM account with HD Voice
Have an Android® smartphone that supports RCS¹ and has RCS enabled
Or have any smartphone with Google Messages installed—be sure the app has Turn On RCS Chats enabled and a Connected status
Up-to-date software installed on your smartphone

Heads up: If you’ve blocked your line’s text messages or data, RCS won’t work. Be sure to turn off any text or data blocks to use this feature.

The feature is ON by default.

Open the default messaging app on your eligible AT&T smartphone and tap Menu, then Settings.
Choose Advanced Messaging and tap On or Off. If you’re using the Google Messages app, you can enable or disable chat features.
- Tap On to send read receipts.
- Tap Off if you don’t want to send read receipts.
Start sending and receiving messages and files.

Good to know: Everyone in your conversation must use RCS-eligible smartphones with RCS turned on. We started to feature Google Messages as the default messaging app on new Android^® smartphones with Android 12 OS and above that launched on or after February 25, 2022.

No, however, if anyone in your Advanced RCS group chat is using an Android RCS messaging app other than Google Messages:

Existing RCS group chats may be downgraded to MMS group messages, and you’ll need to set up the group message again.
Non-RCS messages may be grouped in a separate thread. There would be one RCS thread and one MMS thread.
Some chat members may be dropped from a group message thread and will need to be added back to the group.

To resolve these issues, we recommend all Android OS users switch to using Google Messages as their default messaging application.

If your group chat users are on Android using Google Messages or on iPhones with iOS 18 and above, they can use RCS.

More of your messages will be in SMS or MMS format rather than RCS.
Key RCS features such as typing notifications, delivery and read receipts, larger file sharing and groups won’t be available.
You may get dropped from a group RCS chat without being notified.
An attempt to send a group message could fail, and you may need to create a new group in order to continue with the same message participants.

To resolve these issues, we recommend all Android OS users switch to using Google Messages as their default messaging application.

Have an iPhone? Learn about RCS messaging for iPhone

Want more help? Try our device tutorials.

RCS vs. traditional messaging

Rich Communication Services (RCS) offers features like read and delivery receipts, is typing notifications, large file transfers, and larger group chats.

RCS varies by smartphone and software version.

Feature	Text messaging	RCS messaging
Delivery receipts		Yes
Read receipts		Yes
Typing notifications		Yes
File sharing up to 1MB	Yes
File sharing > 1MB		Yes
Group message up to 20 contacts	Yes
Group chat up to 100 contacts		Yes
Open group chat (others can leave or be added to the same thread)		Yes

When you upgrade from a current Advanced Messaging RCS for Android smartphone to a new smartphone featuring Google Messages:

We suggest you use Samsung Smart Switch or other transferring applications to move messages from your current Samsung device to your new one if you don’t choose Copy apps & data during initial device setup. Smart Switch is in the app section in the Samsung folder.
You can copy text, picture, multimedia, and RCS messages from your old Samsung device to your new one.
Once you transfer your apps and data to your new Android device, set Google Messages as your default messaging app for a better RCS messaging experience.

Good to know: If you recently upgraded to a new smartphone using the same phone number from your previous phone and you're having issues, such as missing text messages (SMS/MMS), you may need to turn off RCS chats on your previous phone:

Enter your phone number at Google Messages' Disable Chat page and follow the instructions.
On your smartphone, open the Messages app, go into Messages settings, then RCS Chats, features, and toggle on Turn on RCS Chats if it's toggled off.

See all important details

Last updated: October 4, 2024

Set up Advanced Messaging or AT&T RCS for Android

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

RCS vs. traditional messaging

Browse topics

Did you get the help you needed?

AT&T

Shop

Top phone & data plans

Featured deals

Best-selling

Shop cell phones by brand

Tablets & Watches

Accessories by Brand

Switch to AT&T

Resources