Edgar Cervantes / Android Authority
TL;DR
- An upcoming Google Messages update will remove the convenient SIM selector from the compose section.
- The setting is moving to the conversation details section, adding an extra step to the process of swapping SIMs for texting individual contacts.
Google Messages is making a small change to how texting works for dual-SIM users. No one asked for it, but the app is adding an extra step for selecting the SIM you want to use for sending messages to individual contacts.
Currently, in Google Messages for Android, you can select the SIM for sending messages directly from the SIM swap icon in the compose box. The app also remembers your selection for the next time you want to send a message to that contact. The good thing about this arrangement is that if you ever wish to quickly swap SIMs while texting individual contacts, you can just tap the SIM icon in the compose box and do so. Unfortunately, Google is thinking of getting rid of this convenience.
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While digging through Google Messages version 20250209_01_RC00.phone.openbeta_dynamic, we noticed that the SIM swap icon for changing lines while texting has been removed. The setting to change SIM for individual conversations has been moved to the profile/conversation details section, as shown in the screenshots above. When you choose a SIM there, the change applies only to individual conversations, not Google Messages as a whole.
Although this may seem like a small UI change, it adds an extra step when selecting a SIM for texting individual contacts. The SIM icon in the message composition section was much more convenient and easier to find. After the update, you’ll only see a prompt saying, “Sending with (XYZ SIM name),” when messaging a contact.
That said, you can still set a default SIM for texting, which will apply to all conversations in Google Messages. To do this, go to Settings > Network & Internet > Calls & SMS > SMS. If you prefer not to use a default SIM, select “Ask every time.”
