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Google Messages may be preparing to remove the per-conversation “Only send SMS & MMS messages” option, which lets you force SMS/MMS instead of RCS for each contact. The change is not confirmed: the warning was found in a beta app build, and there is no reported public release date.
What may change in Google Messages
Android Authority reported on October 6, 2026, that strings in a Google Messages Android beta build—messages.android_20261002_00_RC00.phone.openbeta_dynamic—suggest the per-chat control could go away. The text reads: “The ‘Only send SMS & MMS messages’ setting is going away. Switch now, or let it update automatically.” Android Authority describes this as evidence from an APK teardown, not a Google announcement that the change has shipped.
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APK teardowns can surface work in progress that never reaches a public release. PhoneArena also reported the possibility but gave no exact date. Neither report establishes that ordinary users have already lost the option. PhoneArena
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How the three message controls differ
| Control | Scope | When SMS/MMS is used |
|---|---|---|
| “Only send SMS & MMS messages” | One conversation | Always for that conversation, instead of RCS; this is the option reportedly at risk. |
| Turn off RCS chats | All conversations | RCS is disabled globally, so the per-chat choice is not needed. |
| RCS resend/fallback behavior | Messages that fail to send over RCS | SMS/MMS is used only after RCS delivery fails, depending on the resend setting. |
The last two are the alternatives described by Android Authority and PhoneArena if the per-chat setting is removed. They are not equivalent: global RCS off changes how all chats work, while fallback still tries RCS first. Android Authority PhoneArena
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What to do if you rely on the per-chat setting
For now, the reports do not establish that you need to change anything. If your app still shows “Only send SMS & MMS messages,” it remains available to you. If Google eventually removes it, you can choose between turning RCS off across the app or leaving RCS on and allowing SMS/MMS resend when RCS delivery fails.
Google’s help page documents global RCS controls and resend behavior, but does not confirm removal of the per-conversation option. Google cautions that repeatedly turning RCS on and off is not advised because you may be removed from group chats. Google Messages Help: Turn on RCS chats in Google Messages
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How RCS availability works
Google says everyone in a one-to-one or group conversation must have RCS enabled for the conversation to use RCS. If RCS setup or delivery is not working as expected, Google’s troubleshooting guidance recommends checking that Messages is the default messaging app, along with internet and SMS connectivity, carrier status, the app and Android versions, and Google Play Services. Google Messages Help: Troubleshoot RCS chat
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