{"id":78771,"date":"2026-04-19T12:11:34","date_gmt":"2026-04-19T12:11:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/christiancorner.us\/index.php\/2026\/04\/19\/samsung-messages-is-shutting-down-so-here-are-the-5-best-messaging-alternatives-2\/"},"modified":"2026-04-19T12:12:15","modified_gmt":"2026-04-19T12:12:15","slug":"samsung-messages-is-shutting-down-so-here-are-the-5-best-messaging-alternatives-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/christiancorner.us\/index.php\/2026\/04\/19\/samsung-messages-is-shutting-down-so-here-are-the-5-best-messaging-alternatives-2\/","title":{"rendered":"Samsung Messages is shutting down, so here are the 5 best messaging alternatives"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>\n<\/p>\n<div xmlns:default=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" id=\"article-body\">\n<p id=\"elk-35e05deb-08c7-454e-89f5-5e191acf6ec6\">If you haven&#8217;t heard yet, Samsung has officially confirmed that it is shutting down its Samsung Messages app at the end of this year. The company has already stopped pre-installing it on new Galaxy devices, including the Galaxy S26 series, and now says it will be phased out completely in July 2026.<\/p>\n<p>Samsung notes that except for emergency services or contacts, you will be able to send messages using the app until then. After its closure, the app will no longer be available for download from the Galaxy Store.<\/p>\n<p><a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" id=\"elk-seasonal\"\/><\/p>\n<aside data-block-type=\"embed\" data-render-type=\"fte\" data-skip=\"dealsy\" data-widget-type=\"seasonal\" class=\"hawk-root\"\/>\n<p id=\"elk-35e05deb-08c7-454e-89f5-5e191acf6ec6-2\" class=\"paywall\" aria-hidden=\"true\">With that in mind, if you&#8217;re relying on Samsung Messages, it&#8217;s time to start looking for alternatives. The good news is that there are lots of options available. The bad news is that none of these are perfect one-to-one replacements.<\/p>\n<p><span class=\"article-continues-below block py-2 text-sm\">Article continues below <default:svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"inline-block w-2.5 h-2.5 ml-2\" fill=\"currentColor\" preserveaspectratio=\"xMidYMid meet\" viewbox=\"0 0 1000 1000\"><default:path d=\"M1000 100L500 900 0 100h1000z\"\/><\/default:svg><\/span><\/p>\n<aside data-component-name=\"Recirculation:ArticleRiver\" data-recirculation-type=\"inline\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"Trending Bar\" data-nosnippet=\"\" class=\"clear-both pb-0 pt-2 mb-4\">\n        <span class=\"&#10;            flex&#10;            after:content-('') after:flex-1 after:ml-4 after:my-(0.7rem) after:border-t after:border-solid after:border-t-(#ccc)&#10;            before:content-('') before:flex-1 before:mr-4 before:my-(0.7rem) before:border-t before:border-solid before:border-t-(#ccc)&#10;            font-article-heading pb-0 !text-base uppercase sm:text-sm font-bold&#10;        \"><\/p>\n<p>            you may like<br \/>\n        <\/span><\/p>\n<\/aside>\n<p><a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" id=\"elk-5c41969e-2e5f-4f61-b5fe-2eadcb90b29f\" class=\"paywall\" aria-hidden=\"true\"\/><\/p>\n<figure class=\"van-image-figure inline-layout\" data-bordeaux-image-check=\"\" id=\"elk-c9510f52-5cfb-4a3a-936e-ea4d860bb0e9\">\n<div class=\"image-full-width-wrapper\">\n<div class=\"image-widthsetter\" style=\"max-width:2048px;\">\n<p class=\"vanilla-image-block\" style=\"padding-top:56.25%;\"> <picture data-new-v2-image=\"true\"><source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/GGC6thcFANhNwVwfRnPZ86-1200-80.jpg.webp 1200w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/GGC6thcFANhNwVwfRnPZ86-1024-80.jpg.webp 1024w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/GGC6thcFANhNwVwfRnPZ86-970-80.jpg.webp 970w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/GGC6thcFANhNwVwfRnPZ86-650-80.jpg.webp 650w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/GGC6thcFANhNwVwfRnPZ86-480-80.jpg.webp 480w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/GGC6thcFANhNwVwfRnPZ86-320-80.jpg.webp 320w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 1000px) 970px, calc(100vw - 40px)\"\/><\/picture><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><figcaption itemprop=\"caption description\" class=\" inline-layout\"><span class=\"credit\" itemprop=\"copyrightHolder\">(Image credit: Andrew Myrick\/Android Central)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p id=\"elk-11bccced-f835-47a4-bf9e-8f042fef0825\">The most natural successor to Samsung Messages, especially if you want to continue using RCS, is Google Messages. it is <a rel=\"sponsored noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-analytics-id=\"inline-link\" href=\"https:\/\/click.linksynergy.com\/deeplink?id=kXQk6%2AivFEQ&amp;mid=47773&amp;u1=ac-us-1433925416431779496&amp;murl=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.samsung.com%2Fus%2Fapps%2Fsamsung-messages%2F\" data-url=\"https:\/\/www.samsung.com\/us\/apps\/samsung-messages\/\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-hl-processed=\"hawklinks\" data-google-interstitial=\"false\" data-placeholder-url=\"https:\/\/click.linksynergy.com\/deeplink?id=kXQk6%2AivFEQ&amp;mid=47773&amp;u1=hawk-custom-tracking&amp;murl=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.samsung.com%2Fus%2Fapps%2Fsamsung-messages%2F\" data-merchant-name=\"Samsung\" data-merchant-id=\"213879\" data-merchant-network=\"LS\" data-merchant-url=\"samsung.com\/us\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"inline-link\">The official option Samsung is recommending<\/a>And it is currently the only widely available messaging app on Android that fully supports RCS.<\/p>\n<p>Google Messages is already the default messaging app on most Android phones, and Google has been constantly adding new features over the last year to make it more capable and integrated across all devices. And with RCS support on Google Messages, you get features like reliable cross-texting with iPhones, typing indicators, high-quality media sharing, message responses, as well as built-in spam protection.<\/p>\n<p>Of course, it&#8217;s not a perfect replacement for Samsung Messages. You&#8217;ll miss things like deeper chat customization (though Google is working on integrating it), better message categorization, and a more flexible UI.<\/p>\n<p>And if you prefer a simpler experience, Google Messages&#8217; Gemini integration may not be for everyone. But if RCS makes sense to you, this is your only option for now.<\/p>\n<div id=\"slice-container-newsletterForm-articleInbodyContent-Cf9bS8vCJ8QPB6a7BLRJ68\" class=\"slice-container newsletter-inbodyContent-slice newsletterForm-articleInbodyContent-Cf9bS8vCJ8QPB6a7BLRJ68 slice-container-newsletterForm\">\n<div data-hydrate=\"true\" class=\"newsletter-form__wrapper newsletter-form__wrapper--inbodyContent\">\n<div class=\"newsletter-form__container\">\n<section class=\"newsletter-form__top-bar\"\/>\n<section class=\"newsletter-form__main-section\">\n<p class=\"newsletter-form__strapline\">Get the latest news from Android Central, your trusted partner in the world of Android<\/p>\n<\/section>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" id=\"elk-d6e6eedb-02f2-478d-b4c7-cf6ecf2f338d\" class=\"paywall\" aria-hidden=\"true\"\/><\/p>\n<figure class=\"van-image-figure inline-layout\" data-bordeaux-image-check=\"\" id=\"elk-aab543a7-556d-40f2-a3cb-1ba1c2a910ff\">\n<div class=\"image-full-width-wrapper\">\n<div class=\"image-widthsetter\" style=\"max-width:3000px;\">\n<p class=\"vanilla-image-block\" style=\"padding-top:56.27%;\"> <picture data-new-v2-image=\"true\"><source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/FZ9gNWt29dNvPWQhGWoord-1200-80.jpg.webp 1200w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/FZ9gNWt29dNvPWQhGWoord-1024-80.jpg.webp 1024w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/FZ9gNWt29dNvPWQhGWoord-970-80.jpg.webp 970w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/FZ9gNWt29dNvPWQhGWoord-650-80.jpg.webp 650w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/FZ9gNWt29dNvPWQhGWoord-480-80.jpg.webp 480w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/FZ9gNWt29dNvPWQhGWoord-320-80.jpg.webp 320w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 1000px) 970px, calc(100vw - 40px)\"\/><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/FZ9gNWt29dNvPWQhGWoord.jpg\" alt=\"whatsapp logo\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/FZ9gNWt29dNvPWQhGWoord-1200-80.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/FZ9gNWt29dNvPWQhGWoord-1024-80.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/FZ9gNWt29dNvPWQhGWoord-970-80.jpg 970w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/FZ9gNWt29dNvPWQhGWoord-650-80.jpg 650w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/FZ9gNWt29dNvPWQhGWoord-480-80.jpg 480w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/FZ9gNWt29dNvPWQhGWoord-320-80.jpg 320w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 1000px) 970px, calc(100vw - 40px)\" loading=\"lazy\" data-new-v2-image=\"true\" data-original-mos=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/FZ9gNWt29dNvPWQhGWoord.jpg\" data-pin-media=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/FZ9gNWt29dNvPWQhGWoord.jpg\" class=\"inline\"\/>\n<\/picture><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><figcaption itemprop=\"caption description\" class=\" inline-layout\"><span class=\"credit\" itemprop=\"copyrightHolder\">(Image credit: Jay Bonggolto\/Android Central)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p id=\"elk-3ff51719-a536-43ce-a86d-9fa53fa61ce8\">If you&#8217;re ready to move away from RCS completely, the messaging app almost everyone uses is WhatsApp. It is widely adopted globally, works on all platforms, and offers more features than both Samsung Messages and Google Messages. You get built-in voice and video calls, group chats, communities, message responses, and all the features you typically find in SMS-based texting apps.<\/p>\n<p>As said, this is not correct. While WhatsApp uses end-to-end encryption by default <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-analytics-id=\"inline-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.pcmag.com\/news\/lawsuit-alleges-that-whatsapp-has-no-end-to-end-encryption\" data-url=\"https:\/\/www.pcmag.com\/news\/lawsuit-alleges-that-whatsapp-has-no-end-to-end-encryption\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-hl-processed=\"none\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"inline-link\">recent concerns<\/a> Around privacy, reports suggest that Meta employees can bypass E2EE to read private messages without the decryption step, although the company has denied these claims.<\/p>\n<p>Still, if your priority is to reach as many people as possible with the least amount of effort, this is the easiest change you can make.<\/p>\n<aside data-component-name=\"Recirculation:ArticleRiver\" data-recirculation-type=\"inline\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"Trending Bar\" data-nosnippet=\"\" class=\"clear-both pb-0 pt-2 mb-4\">\n        <span class=\"&#10;            flex&#10;            after:content-('') after:flex-1 after:ml-4 after:my-(0.7rem) after:border-t after:border-solid after:border-t-(#ccc)&#10;            before:content-('') before:flex-1 before:mr-4 before:my-(0.7rem) before:border-t before:border-solid before:border-t-(#ccc)&#10;            font-article-heading pb-0 !text-base uppercase sm:text-sm font-bold&#10;        \"><\/p>\n<p>            what to read next<br \/>\n        <\/span><\/p>\n<\/aside>\n<figure class=\"van-image-figure inline-layout\" data-bordeaux-image-check=\"\" id=\"elk-2c95a927-5f26-49a6-bf18-1e6ff58d88b4\">\n<div class=\"image-full-width-wrapper\">\n<div class=\"image-widthsetter\" style=\"max-width:2048px;\">\n<p class=\"vanilla-image-block\" style=\"padding-top:56.25%;\"> <picture data-new-v2-image=\"true\"><source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/XvzChEfU2W2oZfxt7JdZCG-1200-80.jpg.webp 1200w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/XvzChEfU2W2oZfxt7JdZCG-1024-80.jpg.webp 1024w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/XvzChEfU2W2oZfxt7JdZCG-970-80.jpg.webp 970w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/XvzChEfU2W2oZfxt7JdZCG-650-80.jpg.webp 650w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/XvzChEfU2W2oZfxt7JdZCG-480-80.jpg.webp 480w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/XvzChEfU2W2oZfxt7JdZCG-320-80.jpg.webp 320w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 1000px) 970px, calc(100vw - 40px)\"\/><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/XvzChEfU2W2oZfxt7JdZCG.jpg\" alt=\"instagram logo on phone\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/XvzChEfU2W2oZfxt7JdZCG-1200-80.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/XvzChEfU2W2oZfxt7JdZCG-1024-80.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/XvzChEfU2W2oZfxt7JdZCG-970-80.jpg 970w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/XvzChEfU2W2oZfxt7JdZCG-650-80.jpg 650w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/XvzChEfU2W2oZfxt7JdZCG-480-80.jpg 480w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/XvzChEfU2W2oZfxt7JdZCG-320-80.jpg 320w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 1000px) 970px, calc(100vw - 40px)\" loading=\"lazy\" data-new-v2-image=\"true\" data-original-mos=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/XvzChEfU2W2oZfxt7JdZCG.jpg\" data-pin-media=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/XvzChEfU2W2oZfxt7JdZCG.jpg\" class=\"inline\"\/>\n<\/picture><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><figcaption itemprop=\"caption description\" class=\" inline-layout\"><span class=\"credit\" itemprop=\"copyrightHolder\">(Image credit: Android Central)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p id=\"elk-aa030f89-c067-4c73-bf10-df6f9af958cf\">If WhatsApp isn&#8217;t for you, another option that might interest you, even if it seems a little strange at first, is Instagram DM. Many people already use Instagram as their primary messaging platform (me included). One of the biggest advantages is that you don&#8217;t need a phone number, as everything works through the username.<\/p>\n<p>Instagram DMs are already a great place for casual conversations, quick replies, and sharing memes or posts. You also get cross-platform messaging with features like chat themes, vanish mode, and reactions in some regions, along with Facebook Messenger integration.<\/p>\n<p>Of course, it&#8217;s not designed to replace SMS or dedicated messaging apps. But depending on your usage, you may realize that you are already more dependent on it than you think. That said, if privacy is a priority, Instagram may not be ideal, especially with the company <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-analytics-id=\"inline-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.androidcentral.com\/apps-software\/meta\/instagram-says-your-chat-privacy-is-going-away-as-its-encryption-vanishes-soon\" data-url=\"https:\/\/www.androidcentral.com\/apps-software\/meta\/instagram-says-your-chat-privacy-is-going-away-as-its-encryption-vanishes-soon\" data-hl-processed=\"none\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"inline-link\" data-before-rewrite-localise=\"https:\/\/www.androidcentral.com\/apps-software\/meta\/instagram-says-your-chat-privacy-is-going-away-as-its-encryption-vanishes-soon\">Moving away from end-to-end encryption for DM from May 8, 2026.<\/p>\n<p><a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" id=\"elk-7f5e1e41-4374-4f39-9a0e-9df7346376f2\" class=\"paywall\" aria-hidden=\"true\"\/><\/p>\n<figure class=\"van-image-figure inline-layout\" data-bordeaux-image-check=\"\" id=\"elk-94f7157b-7261-4a3b-acdc-c4ea1c16b011\">\n<div class=\"image-full-width-wrapper\">\n<div class=\"image-widthsetter\" style=\"max-width:1357px;\">\n<p class=\"vanilla-image-block\" style=\"padding-top:56.23%;\"> <picture data-new-v2-image=\"true\"><source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/tsqTdNihKcTBNvaMrdyRna-1200-80.jpg.webp 1200w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/tsqTdNihKcTBNvaMrdyRna-1024-80.jpg.webp 1024w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/tsqTdNihKcTBNvaMrdyRna-970-80.jpg.webp 970w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/tsqTdNihKcTBNvaMrdyRna-650-80.jpg.webp 650w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/tsqTdNihKcTBNvaMrdyRna-480-80.jpg.webp 480w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/tsqTdNihKcTBNvaMrdyRna-320-80.jpg.webp 320w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 1000px) 970px, calc(100vw - 40px)\"\/><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/tsqTdNihKcTBNvaMrdyRna.jpg\" alt=\"telegram logo on mobile screen\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/tsqTdNihKcTBNvaMrdyRna-1200-80.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/tsqTdNihKcTBNvaMrdyRna-1024-80.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/tsqTdNihKcTBNvaMrdyRna-970-80.jpg 970w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/tsqTdNihKcTBNvaMrdyRna-650-80.jpg 650w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/tsqTdNihKcTBNvaMrdyRna-480-80.jpg 480w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/tsqTdNihKcTBNvaMrdyRna-320-80.jpg 320w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 1000px) 970px, calc(100vw - 40px)\" loading=\"lazy\" data-new-v2-image=\"true\" data-original-mos=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/tsqTdNihKcTBNvaMrdyRna.jpg\" data-pin-media=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/tsqTdNihKcTBNvaMrdyRna.jpg\" class=\"inline\"\/>\n<\/picture><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><figcaption itemprop=\"caption description\" class=\" inline-layout\"><span class=\"credit\" itemprop=\"copyrightHolder\">(Image credit: Jay Bonggolto\/Android Central)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p id=\"elk-2313813f-47e8-4b64-9b8e-1c72d9c9dfa6\">If you&#8217;re a power user and want a feature-rich and flexible experience, Telegram is probably the best choice. Compared to most messaging apps, this is easily one of the most feature-packed options.<\/p>\n<p>You get things like huge group chats (up to 200,000 members), channels, bots for automation, and support for sharing large files (up to 4GB). One of the biggest advantages is its cloud-based sync, which makes switching devices easy, unlike SMS or WhatsApp, which require you to manually transfer your data.<\/p>\n<p>That said, there is a trade-off. Regular chats are not end-to-end encrypted by default, and this will require you to use secret chats. For some users, this may be a deal breaker.<\/p>\n<p><a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" id=\"elk-3ab92f21-5115-4a1c-b6a7-ddb00d69da00\" class=\"paywall\" aria-hidden=\"true\"\/><\/p>\n<figure class=\"van-image-figure inline-layout\" data-bordeaux-image-check=\"\" id=\"elk-1c7e3a84-57ad-4a63-9328-cb2eb694b77c\">\n<div class=\"image-full-width-wrapper\">\n<div class=\"image-widthsetter\" style=\"max-width:800px;\">\n<p class=\"vanilla-image-block\" style=\"padding-top:56.25%;\"> <picture data-new-v2-image=\"true\"><source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/f6QUZSET577y4w9ZREB9AG-800-80.jpg.webp 1200w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/f6QUZSET577y4w9ZREB9AG-800-80.jpg.webp 1024w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/f6QUZSET577y4w9ZREB9AG-800-80.jpg.webp 970w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/f6QUZSET577y4w9ZREB9AG-650-80.jpg.webp 650w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/f6QUZSET577y4w9ZREB9AG-480-80.jpg.webp 480w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/f6QUZSET577y4w9ZREB9AG-320-80.jpg.webp 320w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 1000px) 970px, calc(100vw - 40px)\"\/><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/f6QUZSET577y4w9ZREB9AG.jpg\" alt=\"How to go from WhatsApp to Signal\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/f6QUZSET577y4w9ZREB9AG-800-80.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/f6QUZSET577y4w9ZREB9AG-800-80.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/f6QUZSET577y4w9ZREB9AG-800-80.jpg 970w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/f6QUZSET577y4w9ZREB9AG-650-80.jpg 650w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/f6QUZSET577y4w9ZREB9AG-480-80.jpg 480w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/f6QUZSET577y4w9ZREB9AG-320-80.jpg 320w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 1000px) 970px, calc(100vw - 40px)\" loading=\"lazy\" data-new-v2-image=\"true\" data-original-mos=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/f6QUZSET577y4w9ZREB9AG.jpg\" data-pin-media=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/f6QUZSET577y4w9ZREB9AG.jpg\" class=\"inline\"\/>\n<\/picture><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><figcaption itemprop=\"caption description\" class=\" inline-layout\"><span class=\"credit\" itemprop=\"copyrightHolder\">(Image credit: Harish Jonnalagadda\/Android Central)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p id=\"elk-0f452dee-2b1d-4729-82f2-5b4d368da170\">If your main concern is privacy, Signal is the app you should look at. It offers end-to-end encryption by default on everything, including messages, calls, and media, and it collects minimal user data compared to most other messaging platforms.<\/p>\n<p>The downside is that it is not widely used, and the feature set is much lower than apps like WhatsApp or Telegram. But if you&#8217;re convincing a few close contacts to switch, Signal is probably the safest option on this list.<\/p>\n<hr id=\"elk-5781e331-edff-4861-be81-dbc039c198ec\"\/>\n<p id=\"elk-48d71d2f-5797-4360-9817-6873a1a96461\">All that said, there&#8217;s no real one-to-one replacement for Samsung Messages. There are some customizable SMS apps like <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-analytics-id=\"inline-link\" href=\"https:\/\/play.google.com\/store\/apps\/details?id=com.textra\" data-url=\"https:\/\/play.google.com\/store\/apps\/details?id=com.textra\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-hl-processed=\"none\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"inline-link\">textra<\/a> And <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-analytics-id=\"inline-link\" href=\"https:\/\/f-droid.org\/packages\/dev.octoshrimpy.quik.fdroid\/\" data-url=\"https:\/\/f-droid.org\/packages\/dev.octoshrimpy.quik.fdroid\/\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-hl-processed=\"none\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"inline-link\">Instant SMS (Open-Source)<\/a>But they do not support RCS. So if RCS matters to you, you need to switch to Google Messages. Otherwise, your options are more or less the same as listed above.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>If you haven&#8217;t heard yet, Samsung has officially confirmed that it is shutting down its Samsung Messages app at the end of this year. The company has already stopped pre-installing it on new Galaxy devices, including the Galaxy S26 series, and now says it will be phased out completely in July 2026. Samsung notes that<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":78774,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[58],"tags":[19973,7366,3566,737,2703],"class_list":{"0":"post-78771","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-devotionals","8":"tag-alternatives","9":"tag-messages","10":"tag-messaging","11":"tag-samsung","12":"tag-shutting"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/christiancorner.us\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/78771","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/christiancorner.us\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/christiancorner.us\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/christiancorner.us\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/christiancorner.us\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=78771"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/christiancorner.us\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/78771\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":78775,"href":"https:\/\/christiancorner.us\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/78771\/revisions\/78775"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/christiancorner.us\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/78774"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/christiancorner.us\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=78771"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/christiancorner.us\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=78771"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/christiancorner.us\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=78771"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}