RCS uses Wi-Fi or mobile data for richer messaging; SMS/MMS goes through your carrier. In Google Messages, the mode can change when RCS is unavailable, or you can switch an undelivered RCS message to SMS/MMS. Check the compose-bar label to see which mode a new message will use.
What changes between RCS and SMS/MMS?
| What you’ll notice | RCS | SMS/MMS |
|---|---|---|
| How it’s sent | Over mobile data or Wi-Fi through Google or a carrier’s RCS service. | Through your carrier’s messaging service. |
| Messaging features | Can support typing indicators, read receipts, high-resolution photos and videos, and richer group chats when RCS is available to everyone in the conversation. | Does not show RCS typing indicators or read receipts; multimedia and group messaging use carrier SMS/MMS. |
| Availability | Depends on the participants’ devices and settings, as well as app, carrier, and regional support. | Can be used when RCS is unavailable, subject to carrier service. |
| End-to-end encryption | Available only for eligible conversations; check the chat for a lock icon. | Not end-to-end encrypted. |
| Cost considerations | Uses data. Wi-Fi without a charge avoids additional message-transmission cost; mobile-data use is subject to your plan. | Carrier charges, if any, depend on your plan. |
Google’s RCS security and delivery explanation and RCS FAQ describe these differences. Availability and charges depend on the services and plans involved.
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How to tell which mode a message will use
Look at the compose bar in Google Messages: “RCS message” indicates RCS, while “Text message” indicates carrier SMS/MMS. Don’t use bubble color alone to identify the mode. The label tells you what the message is set to use; it does not by itself confirm delivery or encryption.
What happens when you switch an undelivered message?
There are two different changes people mean by “switching.” If RCS is unavailable for a conversation, Google Messages may use SMS/MMS according to your settings. Separately, you can manually change an undelivered RCS message to carrier text:
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- In Google Messages, find the undelivered message and tap its timestamp.
- Choose “Switch to text (SMS/MMS)”.
Google says switching an undelivered message deletes the queued RCS message. The replacement is sent as SMS/MMS, so it does not have RCS’s end-to-end encryption. See Google’s message delivery controls for the documented fallback behavior.
When is an RCS conversation encrypted?
RCS is not automatically end-to-end encrypted in every conversation. Google’s help page describes encryption for eligible Google Messages conversations when both participants use Google Messages, both have RCS enabled, and messages travel over data or Wi-Fi. Look for the lock icon in the conversation to check its encryption status; don’t infer encryption just from seeing an RCS label.
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Cross-platform support is configuration- and rollout-dependent. In a May 11, 2026 announcement, Google said beta end-to-end encrypted RCS messaging was beginning to roll out for iPhone users on iOS 26.5 with supported carriers and Android users on the latest Google Messages. That announcement does not establish that every Android-to-iPhone RCS chat is encrypted. Check the lock icon in the actual conversation. Google’s encryption help explains the indicator and eligible-chat conditions.
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With RCS disabled, Google Messages can no longer use RCS features such as typing indicators and read receipts. To adjust the setting, open your profile picture or icon, then go to Messages settings → RCS chats. Some app versions label this section Chat features. Google’s RCS setup instructions cover the setting and related controls.
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