Samsung Messages Shutdown 2026: Switch to Google Messages Without Losing Texts

Samsung says the Samsung Messages app will be discontinued in July 2026 for the US market only, and users on Android 11 or lower are not affected. In this quick guide, I’ll show you how to switch to Google Messages safely, set it as your default SMS app, and check that your old conversations still appear. The good news is this does not mean your texting stops working or that your messages get deleted. Samsung’s guidance is to move to Google Messages as your default messaging app, and most modern Android phones already have it installed. Chapters: 00:00 Samsung Messages is going away in July 2026 00:57 Step 1 — Open or install Google Messages 02:00 Step 2 — Tap Set Default SMS App 02:48 Step 3 — Choose Google Messages 03:31 Step 4 — Confirm your old messages appear 04:30 Step 5 — Device and version limitations 05:25 What this change actually means for US users If this helped, subscribe for more simple Android and messaging app guides. #samsungmessages #googlemessages #samsungmessagesshutdown #switchtogooglemessages #defaultsmsapp #androidmessages #samsunggalaxy #smsapp #textingapp #googlemessagessetup #messagingapp #2026