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To change which app handles SMS messages, open Settings > Apps > Default apps > SMS app, then select the messaging app you want. Some phones label the same area Choose default apps.
Notifications are controlled separately. Open Settings > Notifications > App notifications, choose the messaging app, and adjust its notification switch and available categories. Google Messages also has in-app controls at Messages > profile icon > Messages settings > Notifications. Changing the default app does not automatically change alert behavior. Android menus differ by manufacturer, model, Android release, and app; Google notes that settings can vary by phone in its Android notification guide.
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Understand the two settings before you start
Android treats the default texting app and notification behavior as different controls. The default app determines which installed application opens and manages SMS conversations. Notification settings determine whether that app can alert you, how it sounds or vibrates, and whether its messages appear while the phone is locked or under an interruption filter.
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You can therefore select a new SMS app and still receive no alerts if notifications for that app are disabled. Conversely, you can leave the default app unchanged and silence its notifications. Work through the settings in that order when troubleshooting: select the app first, then configure its alerts.
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What you need
- An Android phone with the messaging app you intend to use installed.
- Access to the phone’s Settings app. Menu names can differ on customized Android interfaces.
- If you want conversation-level controls, a messaging app and device that expose those controls. Google states that not every messaging app offers the same notification settings.
Change the default SMS or texting app
Use Android’s Default apps menu
- Open Settings.
- Tap Apps.
- Open Default apps. On some phones, this is labeled Choose default apps.
- Tap SMS app.
- Select the messaging app you want to handle text messages.
Android applies the selection immediately. The chosen app becomes the system’s SMS handler, while other messaging apps remain installed unless you remove them yourself. If the exact labels are different, use the Settings search field for default apps or SMS app; manufacturer software may place the same control under a slightly different heading.
Confirm that the switch took effect
Return to the SMS app entry and check that the app you selected is shown as the current choice. You can also open a conversation from a contact or the app launcher and verify that the intended application opens. If Android presents a confirmation prompt when you first launch the new app, accept it only after checking that it is the app you want to use.
Switch back when necessary
Use the same Default apps route whenever you want to return to the previous messaging app. This is useful when testing an alternative app, resolving a compatibility problem, or checking whether an alert issue is specific to one app. The selection itself does not turn notifications on or off, so review notification permissions separately after switching.
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Use Android’s notification settings
- Open Settings.
- Tap Notifications.
- Choose App notifications.
- Select the messaging app.
- Turn the main notification switch on or off, or open the categories listed below it and adjust each category.
The available categories depend on the phone and the app. One category may cover incoming messages while another controls a different type of alert. If you see separate switches, inspect each one rather than assuming the master switch describes every behavior.
When notifications are enabled, the category controls may let you choose an alert style, sound, vibration, pop-up behavior, or lock-screen visibility. The exact choices are not identical on every Android phone, so use the labels shown on your device. Google’s Control notifications on Android instructions describe the common route and warn that settings vary by phone.
Open notification controls from an alert
If a message notification is currently visible, touch and hold it. Android can open the relevant notification settings directly, allowing you to change the app or category that produced that alert. This shortcut is especially helpful when several categories exist and you are unsure which one generated a particular banner.
After changing a category, send or receive a test message and observe the result. Check the notification shade, sound or vibration, and lock screen separately; a phone can show a notification silently, make a sound without a pop-up, or hide sensitive details on the lock screen depending on the options exposed by the device.
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Find the in-app controls
- Open Google Messages.
- Tap the profile icon.
- Tap Messages settings.
- Tap Notifications.
Google Messages can expose controls that complement Android’s system-level settings. The help documentation distinguishes options for Incoming messages from Default settings notifications, and it includes a control for sounds when sending messages. If a setting is unavailable in the app, use Android’s App notifications screen instead.
How the two layers interact
Android’s app and category switches can block an alert before Google Messages’ preferences matter. For example, enabling an in-app preference cannot produce a notification when the operating system has disabled the app’s notifications. Conversely, turning off a sound at the system or category level can override an in-app sound choice. Check both layers when the visible setting appears correct but the behavior is not.
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Google’s instructions for these controls are available in Change Messages notifications & settings. The page applies specifically to Google Messages; another messaging app may use different names or provide fewer controls.
Change alerts for one conversation
Use the conversation notification menu
- Wait for a notification from the conversation you want to change.
- Touch and hold that notification.
- Choose the available conversation behavior: Important, Default, or Silent.
These choices affect that conversation rather than every message handled by the app, when the phone and app support conversation controls.
| Conversation setting | What it does | When to choose it |
|---|---|---|
| Important | Can alert even when Do Not Disturb is active and may show the conversation as a bubble. | Use for a conversation that must be able to interrupt a quiet period. |
| Default | Uses the ordinary notification behavior, including sound or vibration according to your settings. | Use for normal message alerts. |
| Silent | Suppresses the notification alert while leaving the conversation available in the notification shade or app, depending on the phone. | Use when you want messages to arrive without a sound or vibration. |
Not every messaging app exposes these three choices. Google’s Android guidance says, “Important: Not all messaging apps offer these notification settings.” If the options do not appear after you touch and hold a conversation notification, look for a category-specific control in the app’s notification settings or use the app’s own conversation settings.
Conversation controls are narrower than the app-wide switch. Silencing one thread does not silence every conversation, and changing a different thread does not change the app’s global notification permission.
Keep Do Not Disturb and Modes from suppressing alerts
Why an enabled notification can remain quiet
Do Not Disturb and Android Modes can filter interruptions independently of the messaging app’s notification switches. A message notification may be enabled at the app and conversation levels but still produce no sound or vibration while a mode blocks it.
Check the active mode and its filters
- Open the phone’s Settings and locate Do Not Disturb or Modes. You can also open Quick Settings and inspect whether a mode is active.
- Review the mode’s allowed people and apps.
- Check any schedule or automatic rule that could activate the mode at the time messages go quiet.
- If your phone offers separate notification and interruption options, verify that messaging alerts are allowed under the active mode.
Google’s current Android guidance covers filters for people, apps, and other interruptions. Some of the Modes steps apply only to Android 14 or later, and manufacturers may organize the controls differently. Use Google’s Modes and Do Not Disturb guide for the terminology used by your Android version.
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When supported, marking a conversation Important can allow it to alert despite Do Not Disturb. This is a conversation-level exception, not a blanket exemption for every message from the app. If the Important option is missing, the app or device may not support that exception.
Choose the right level of control
| Goal | Control to use | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Choose which app handles SMS | Android Default apps > SMS app | Changes the system’s selected texting app. |
| Stop every alert from one messaging app | Android Notifications > App notifications | Turns that app’s notifications on or off, subject to the controls available on the phone. |
| Adjust only one type of alert | The app’s notification category | Changes the behavior of that category without necessarily changing other categories. |
| Silence or prioritize one thread | Touch and hold the conversation notification | Sets Important, Default, or Silent for that conversation when supported. |
| Prevent alerts during a schedule or activity | Do Not Disturb or an active Mode | Filters interruptions independently of app notification permissions. |
Use the narrowest control that matches your goal. A conversation setting is less disruptive than disabling the entire app, while a mode is appropriate when you want a temporary rule that affects multiple apps or people.
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Control lock-screen and visual behavior
Sound is only one part of a notification. On the messaging app’s Android notification page, inspect any options for pop-ups, banners, badges, vibration, and lock-screen display. A category can be allowed to alert but configured not to pop up, or it can appear in the notification shade without revealing message text on the lock screen. Because manufacturers expose different combinations, follow the wording on your phone rather than looking for one universal switch.
Test the result with the screen both on and locked. If a notification appears in the shade but not on the lock screen, the category or the phone’s general lock-screen notification policy is filtering its presentation. If it appears visually but makes no sound, review the category sound and vibration choices, then check whether the conversation is Silent or a Mode is active.
Understand notification categories before changing them
Categories let you change one type of event without changing every message alert. Google Messages may distinguish Incoming messages from Default settings notifications, and the app can also expose a sound control for sending messages. Other apps may list fewer or differently named categories.
When diagnosing a problem, open each category and note its current alert style. A master app switch can be on while the incoming-message category is disabled, and enabling an unrelated category will not restore message alerts. After every change, receive a new message so you can tell which category responded.
Troubleshoot common notification problems
No text notifications appear at all
- Confirm that the intended app is still selected as the default SMS app.
- Open that app’s Android notification page and make sure its main switch is enabled.
- Inspect every listed category and enable the category responsible for incoming messages.
- Send a test message and watch the notification shade.
If the app does not appear in App notifications, open it once from the launcher and check again. If another app is receiving the messages, return to the Default apps setting and select the intended handler.
A notification appears, but there is no sound or vibration
First inspect the category that generated the alert and its sound or vibration choices. Next check whether the conversation was set to Silent. Finally, look for an active Do Not Disturb or Mode that blocks interruptions. These are separate layers, so changing only one may not restore an audible alert.
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That pattern usually points to a conversation-level setting rather than the app-wide switch. Touch and hold a notification from that conversation and select Default if you want ordinary sound or vibration. If no conversation menu appears, look for a per-conversation setting inside the messaging app; support varies.
Messages alert during the day but not at certain times
Check Do Not Disturb and Modes for schedules, automatic rules, and allowed-app filters. A recurring quiet period can explain a time-based pattern even when the messaging app’s notification settings have not changed.
The instructions do not match the phone
Manufacturers rename and rearrange Android settings. Search Settings for SMS app, default apps, notifications, or Do Not Disturb. Google Android Help states, “Important: Settings can vary by phone. For more info, contact your device manufacturer.” The common paths in this guide are starting points, not a guarantee of identical screens.
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Changing the default app did not change alerts
This is expected: app selection and notifications are independent. Configure notifications for the newly selected app, then review its categories and any in-app notification preferences. If a mode is active, adjust its filters as a separate step.
Practical setups
Use a new texting app but keep ordinary alerts
Select the new app in the SMS app menu, open its Android notification page, enable the app and incoming-message category, and send a test message. If the app provides its own notification screen, review it after the system settings so both layers agree.
Silence a group conversation without silencing private messages
Touch and hold a notification from the group, choose Silent, and leave other conversations at Default. If the phone does not offer conversation controls, use the messaging app’s own settings for that thread or its available notification category.
Allow an urgent conversation during quiet hours
Set that conversation to Important when the option is available, then verify that the active Do Not Disturb or Mode permits important conversations. This does not automatically allow every messaging notification through the mode.
Frequently asked questions
How do I change my default texting app on Android?
Go to Settings > Apps > Default apps (or Choose default apps) and tap SMS app. Select the installed app you want. The change applies immediately, and you can return to the same menu to switch back.
How do I turn off all text notifications?
Open Settings > Notifications > App notifications, select the messaging app, and turn off its main notification switch. This affects the whole app. If you only want to stop one kind of alert, leave the master switch on and disable the relevant category instead.
How do I stop notifications for one conversation?
Touch and hold a notification from that conversation and choose Silent, if your phone and app provide conversation controls. The thread can remain visible in the notification shade or app even though it no longer makes an alert. Not every messaging app supports this menu.
What is the difference between Important, Default, and Silent?
Important can interrupt Do Not Disturb and may show a bubble. Default follows normal sound or vibration behavior. Silent suppresses the alert. These choices apply to one conversation when supported, not automatically to every message in the app.
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Why do I see a message but hear no sound?
Check the notification category’s sound and vibration settings, then confirm the conversation is not Silent. Also inspect Do Not Disturb or the active Mode, which can block sound even while notifications remain enabled.
Why do messages appear on the phone but not the lock screen?
Review the messaging app’s category options for lock-screen visibility and sensitive-content display. Phones differ: some show an icon or generic alert while hiding the message text. Test with the phone locked after changing the category.
Can I let one person alert me during Do Not Disturb?
If conversation controls are supported, touch and hold that person’s notification and choose Important. Then check the active Mode’s allowed people, apps, and interruption filters. Important is a per-conversation exception, not a guarantee that every messaging alert will bypass the mode.
Why can’t I find the SMS app setting?
Use the Settings search field for SMS app or default apps. Manufacturers and Android releases rename or relocate the menu. Google Android Help advises that settings can vary by phone; consult the device maker’s instructions if the search does not locate it.
What to remember
- The default SMS app is selected under Android’s Default apps settings.
- App-wide alerts and categories are managed under Notifications, with optional controls inside the messaging app.
- A single conversation can have its own Important, Default, or Silent behavior on supported devices.
- Do Not Disturb and Modes can override otherwise enabled alerts.
- Android’s labels and available controls vary by phone, Android version, and messaging app.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I change my default texting app on Android?
Open Settings > Apps > Default apps (or Choose default apps) > SMS app, then select the app.
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How do I turn off text notifications?
Go to Settings > Notifications > App notifications, select the messaging app, and turn off its notification switch.
How do I silence one conversation?
Touch and hold that conversation’s notification and choose Silent when the option is available.
Why are notifications silent during certain hours?
Check Do Not Disturb or Modes for schedules, automatic rules, and allowed-app filters.
The Bottom Line
Choose the texting app under Default apps, then configure alerts separately under Notifications. Use categories for specific alert types, conversation controls for one thread, and Do Not Disturb or Modes for scheduled quiet periods. Because Android menus vary, verify each change with a test message on your own phone.
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