Why there is no RCS

RCS is the newer messaging standard behind typing indicators, read receipts, high-quality photos, and encrypted chats between Android phones. On Android, RCS is delivered through Google's own messaging service, and Google has not opened it to other apps. That is a platform decision, not a TextMeNot one.

What this means in practice

• While TextMeNot is your default messaging app, you send and receive SMS and MMS.
• Conversations with people on RCS still work. They arrive as SMS, and photos arrive as MMS.
• You do not get typing indicators, read receipts, or RCS-quality media.
• Nothing is lost. Switch back to Google Messages at any time and RCS resumes.

Why we chose this anyway

Android only lets the default messaging app decide what you see. There is no way for a second app to hide or quarantine a junk text. So a real filter has to be the messaging app, and a messaging app on Android today means SMS and MMS. We think a quiet inbox is worth more than typing indicators, but it is your call, and the app tells you this before you switch.

If Google opens RCS

We will add it. The app is built so that message transport is separate from screening.