• Source:JND
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There’s nothing worse than a messaging app failing silently. No error message, no fallback, no clue what went wrong — just texts that never go through. For a while now, Google Messages has had exactly this issue with RCS messaging on rooted phones or those running custom ROMs. Users would try to send RCS messages, and they’d disappear without warning or explanation.

Now, a new APK teardown by Android Authority suggests Google may finally be addressing the problem. A future version of Google Messages could start telling users exactly why their RCS messages aren’t working — something that should’ve happened a long time ago.

The Issue: RCS Fails Silently on Rooted or Custom ROM Devices

RCS (Rich Communication Services) is supposed to be the future of text messaging — think read receipts, typing indicators, high-res media, and Wi-Fi messaging. Google Messages is the main app pushing this forward, especially for Android users.

But if you’ve rooted your phone or flashed a custom ROM, Google Messages quietly disables RCS without alerting you. Messages don’t send, and the app doesn’t even fall back to SMS. It’s as if the text just vanishes into the void.

Why? Because Google uses the Play Integrity API to verify that your device hasn’t been tampered with. If your device fails that attestation check (which rooted/custom ROM phones often do), RCS gets disabled — but Google never bothered to tell users this was happening.

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What’s Changing in Google Messages?

Thanks to an APK teardown of a recent Google Messages beta, it looks like Google is finally going to stop keeping users in the dark. The new strings spotted in the app suggest that:

  • Those users with devices that fail the check for the Play Integrity API will now receive an explainer RCS is not available with a notification.
  • The checks will also allow the app to guide users to either resolve the problems (like getting a certified device) or proceed with the basic SMS and MMS text messaging.

While we are still waiting for the public release of these alterations, the changes are a notable sign that Google is trying to improve the way RCS-unsupported devices are dealt with.

Why This Matters

This is not only a victory for the more knowledgeable Android users; this is a very fundamental improvement to the user experience. Users deserve to know what is causing the messages not to send and not be kept in the dark. Users being kept in the dark is a very annoying and troublesome experience when users think the problem is with their network or the other person’s device.

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As Google tries to make RCS the universal standard, the need for providing reasons increases. Users should not be punished for trying to customise their devices and, more to the point, they should not be kept in the dark about what is happening.

What To Expect Next

The changes are not yet public, being in a testing phase, and thus, the remaining questions are when and if they will become public. Google has full freedom to change the chat behaviour, implement a phased rollout, or simply not release the changes. However, as a rule of thumb, any advanced in-app changes get implemented.

Final Thoughts

If you’ve ever rooted your phone or installed a custom ROM, this fix can’t come soon enough. Google Messages might finally start telling users why RCS fails, instead of letting their texts disappear without a trace. That’s not just good design — it’s long overdue.