Verizon RCS messaging service FAQs

To enable or disable Verizon RCS:

• iPhone IOS 18 and above, choose:
  • Settings> Apps> Messages> RCS Messaging, turn on RCS.
  • Settings> Carrier Settings> Telephony> RCS, verify RCS Server URL is present.
• Android with Google Messages app (current version) - In the app, choose Settings>RCS Chats and turn on RCS.
   

RCS is enabled by default for Google Messages and iOS messaging when the messaging apps and operating systems are updated to the required versions.

Your existing one-on-one message threads update to RCS when both parties have RCS.

If you turn off RCS on your Android when using Google Messages, One to One or Group, your messages default to SMS\MMS:

• RCS messaging resumes when all participants turn RCS back on.
• The same message thread is used while moving between RCS and SMS\MMS.
• Changing between SMS\MMS and RCS can take a few minutes while the RCS status updates on the servers.

If you turn off RCS when using Group Messaging with mix of iPhones on iOS 18+ and Android devices using Google Messages:

• If an iPhone user turns off RCS, messages then default to SMS\MMS and sends a new Group Message in new conversation threads on Android devices (on the Google Messages app).
• When an iPhone user turns RCS back on, RCS messages resume in the existing RCS Group thread.
• If an Android user turns off RCS, messages won’t be received from the group conversation until RCS is turned back on.
• Google Messages app prompts users to turn on RCS if it’s off.
• Messages sent in groups when RCS was off are stored for up to 30 days. They're delivered when RCS is turned back on.

To check your messaging, open a message with someone and look in the text entry area:

• "Message" shows if you're sending an iMessage (blue bubbles).
• "Text Message • SMS" shows if it's sending a text message (green bubbles).
• "Text Message • RCS" shows if it's an RCS message (green bubbles).
• The Message thread shows a banner with the message type. This updates if the message type changes.

If the message typing indicator isn’t working:

• Google Messages - Check the messages settings - RCS chats> Show typing indicator. If off, toggle to on.
• iPhone:
  • The Typing indicator can’t be disabled.
  • The Typing Indicator on iPhones isn’t currently supported when in an RCS Group conversation with a mix of iPhones and Androids.