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Random freezes, missing sound and display glitches usually trace back to one bad driver. Find and replace yours safely.Free scan · under a minuteYes, you can install and keep more than one SMS app on an Android phone, but only one is selected as the default SMS app for normal incoming texts. New SMS messages go to that app—not to every messaging app installed on the phone.
Which app receives new texts?
The app selected in Android’s SMS app or Default messaging app setting handles ordinary incoming SMS and is the app you use to send new SMS messages. Opening another messaging app, or keeping its icon on your home screen, does not make it a second default recipient.
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Android’s Telephony API documentation distinguishes the default app’s delivery role from other limited access: only the default SMS app receives the system’s SMS delivery event and can write to the SMS Provider. Other apps may have restricted access to message data or receive a separate event for specific purposes, such as phone-number verification. That is not the same as two full messaging apps independently receiving every new text.
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- Open Settings.
- Tap Apps, then Default apps or Choose default apps.
- Tap SMS app or Default messaging app.
- Select the app you want to handle new SMS messages.
On many phones, the path is Settings > Apps > Default apps > SMS app. Manufacturers can change menu names and locations, and custom Android versions may differ. If you cannot find the setting, search Settings for “SMS app.” Google Messages may also offer to become the default when you first open it.
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What happens to your old messages when you switch?
Changing the default app changes where new SMS messages are handled; it does not necessarily erase your existing message history. Google says SMS messages are stored in the device’s SMS database and that, after making Google Messages the default, you can review your text-message history there. Whether another app displays all stored conversations in the same way depends on the app and device, so switching should not be treated as a guarantee that every app imports or synchronizes history identically.
To switch away from Google Messages, choose a different default SMS app in the phone’s settings. Google also lists uninstalling Google Messages as an option.
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If texts stop arriving after you switch apps
First confirm that the app you intend to use is still selected as the default SMS app. Then check the SIM and basic service conditions. Google’s troubleshooting guidance includes:
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- Make sure the SIM is inserted properly and the phone has a signal.
- Check that airplane mode is off.
- Confirm that your carrier supports the message type involved—SMS, MMS, or RCS—and that your plan or account has the required service or credit.
- If messages stopped after changing apps, check whether RCS chats need to be turned off.
- If the problem affects only one sender, check that the sender is not blocked and that the number and country code are correct.
These checks cover different message types and service conditions; a failure to receive an RCS or MMS message is not necessarily the same issue as a failure to receive ordinary SMS.
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- YOUR CONTENT, SUPER SMOOTH: The ultra-clear 6.7" FHD+ Super AMOLED display of Galaxy A17 5G helps bring your content to life, whether you're scrolling through recipes or video chatting with loved ones.¹
- LIVE FAST. CHARGE FASTER: Focus more on the moment and less on your battery percentage with Galaxy A17 5G. Super Fast Charging powers up your battery so you can get back to life sooner.²
- MEMORIES MADE PICTURE PERFECT: Capture every angle in stunning clarity, from wide family photos to close-ups of friends, with the triple-lens camera on Galaxy A17 5G.
- NEED MORE STORAGE? WE HAVE YOU COVERED: With an improved 2TB of expandable storage, Galaxy A17 5G makes it easy to keep cherished photos, videos and important files readily accessible whenever you need them.³
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