16 quick and easy tips for RCS and Chat

Google Messages is now the default messaging app for every major U.S. carrier’s Android phones. The biggest RCS-enabled messaging app around, it’s constantly being developed with useful new features. However, many of these aren’t immediately obvious to most users.

We gathered our favorite tips and tricks for Google Messages in this article. Whether you’re trying it out for the first time or want to improve your texting game, you’ll certainly find something here to help you.

Use Google Messages for Web to send texts from your computer

Google Messages isn’t only available on Android phones. It’s available on any browser through Messages for Web, which allows you to read and send text messages from your desktop browser.

Here’s how to set up Google Messages on a desktop browser:

1. Open Google Messages for Web on your desktop browser.

2. Open the Google Messages app on your phone. The Google Messages app is available in the Play Store if you uninstalled it.
3. Tap the three-button menu in the upper-left corner of your screen.
4. Tap Device pairing.
5. Tap QR code scanner.

6. Scan the QR code that appears on Messages for Web.
7. If you’re using a private computer, tap Yes on the Remember this computer? window. This isn’t a strictly necessary step, but if you don’t do this, you’ll have to reconnect your phone each time you open the website.

Enable RCS chat features

One of the biggest drawbacks to MMS/SMS messaging is its lack of end-to-end encryption functionality. RCS-enabled apps like Google Messages have this functionality along with a slew of features like typing indicators and read receipts. However, the features only work with other RCS apps. You’ll know RCS is enabled when a lock icon appears next to your messages.

Here’s how to enable chat features in Google Messages:

1. Tap your profile picture in the upper-right corner of your screen.
2. Tap Messages settings.
3. Tap Chat features.

4. Toggle the Enable chat features switch on.
5. Tap Verify your number.

6. Enter your phone number and tap Verify now.
7. After enabling the chat features, you can toggle the rest of the switches to enable other RCS features.

Schedule a text in Google Messages

Sometimes you don’t want to send a message immediately, but it’s easy to completely forget to respond. Google Messages makes it easy to send text messages at a later time.

Here’s how to schedule a text:

1. Type your message into the chatbox.
2. Tap and hold on to the Send button.
3. Tap a preselected date and time, or tap Pick date and time to choose your own time.

Mark important messages

Some messages are too important to lose, so Google Messages allows you to “star” a message for easy reference. Follow these steps to keep track of your most important messages:

1. Tap and hold on the message you wish to star.
2. Tap the star button at the top of your screen.

3. To see your starred messages, return to Google Message’s homescreen.
4. Tap the three-button menu in the upper-left corner of your screen.
5. Tap Starred.

Set message reminders

Everyone’s had that moment when they’ve forgotten to respond to a time-sensitive text message. Avoid disaster by letting Google Messages remind you about a text message.

Here’s how to use the feature:

1. Tap and hold on the desired message.
2. Tap the Reminder button (it looks like an alarm clock) at the top of your screen.

3. Tap a preselected date and time, or tap Pick date and time to choose your own time.
4. After setting the reminder, an alarm clock icon appears next to the message. Tap this to update the reminder.

After the time set has expired, a reminder missed message appears next to the conversation. When you send another message, this disappears.

Share your location on Google Messages

You can share your location in the Google Maps app, but there’s a nifty little shortcut hidden within Google Messages that lets you do it without changing apps.

Here’s how to share your location in just a couple of taps:

1. Open a conversation.
2. Tap the plus button in the lower-left corner of your screen.
3. Tap Location.

4. Tap Send this location to send your current location.
5. Tap the search button in the upper-right corner of the screen to search for and send a different location.

Pin conversations

Pinning a conversation keeps it at the top of your conversation list, even when you receive new texts. You can pin up to three conversations, and they’ll also show up on Messages for Web. However, you can only pin the messages on the Android app.

1. Tap and hold on the conversation you wish to pin.
2. Tap the Pin button at the top of your screen.
3. To unpin a message, repeat the previous steps.

Categorize conversations

Personal texts, OTP codes, appointments, and offers clutter Google Messages. Categories fix this problem by sorting your messages into three groups (All, Personal, and Business).

These categories appear just below the search bar in Google Messages. Simply tap a category to sort your messages.

Here’s how to turn on the feature:

1. Tap your profile picture in the upper-right of your screen.
2. Tap Messages settings.
3. Tap Message organization.
4. Toggle the View messages by category slider to on.

See iMessage reactions

Google Messages users can now view iMessage reactions. But if you’re still seeing the “Liked your SMS message,” you’ll need to enable this option. Unfortunately, you can’t reply with reactions to your iPhone-owning friends.

Here’s how to see iMessage reactions from your friends who use iPhones:

1. Tap your profile picture in the upper-right corner of your screen.
2. Tap Messages settings.
3. Tap Advanced.
4. Toggle the Show iPhone reactions as emoji slider to on.

Auto-delete authentication codes

Authentication codes usually expire after a few minutes, so why keep them hanging around any longer? While you can always manually delete them, Google Messages can automatically delete these codes after 24 hours.

Here’s how:

1. Tap your profile picture in the upper-right corner of your screen.
2. Tap Messages settings.
3. Tap Message organization.
4. Toggle the Auto-delete OTPs after 24hrs slider to on.

Receive automatic birthday and message reminders

Google Messages can automatically suggest reminders, and remind you of your contact’s birthdays. These conversations are moved to the top of your conversation list until either a message is sent or the reminder is dismissed.

Here’s how to let Google save you the embarrassment of missing someone’s birthday:

1. Tap your profile picture in the upper-right corner of your screen.
2. Tap Messages settings.
3. Tap Suggestions.
4. Tap Nudges.

5. Toggle the Suggest messages reminders slider to on.
6. Toggle the Birthday reminders slider to on.

Make a video call inside a conversation

Rather than switching apps, you can video call your contact from inside Google Messages. You’ll need to invite them to Google Duo first, but it’s a quick and simple process for them. Here’s how to call someone whether they have Duo or not.

Call a contact already on Duo

1. Open the conversation you wish to call.
2. Tap the Duo button in the upper-right corner of your screen.
3. Tap the red Call button in the lower-right corner of your screen.

Call a contact who doesn’t have Duo

1. Open the conversation you wish to call.
2. Tap the Duo button in the upper-right corner of your screen
3. Tap the Compose an invite button to send an SMS with an invite link.

4. Send the SMS and wait for your contact to accept the invite.

Change the notification sound for each conversation

Some conversations are more important than others. Changing the notification sound for each conversation will let you know whether you should drop everything and grab your phone or finish what you’re doing first.

Here’s how to change the notification sound:

1. Open a conversation.
2. Tap the three-button menu in the upper-right corner of your screen.
3. Tap Details.

4. Tap Notifications.
5. Scroll down and tap Sound.

6. Choose a sound and tap Save in the upper-right corner of your screen.

Always send videos by Google Photos link

Sending a video over MMS can take a lot of time and data. Instead, you can link to your video stored within Google Photos. It’s quicker and cheaper than sending a video via MMS.

Here’s how:

1. Tap your profile picture in the upper-right corner of your screen.
2. Tap Messages Settings in the pop-up window.
3. Tap Google Photos.
4. Toggle the Always send videos by link switch.

Google Messages with RCS is a game changer

Google Messages is a brilliant way to text your contacts, as it provides a massive amount of useful features. But if end-to-end encryption is your priority, you’ll want to check out one of these third-party messaging apps.