By 30 June 2026, Germany's carriers — Telekom, O2 and 1&1 — are switching off MMS for good. Vodafone did it back in 2023. The official successor is called RCS, and whether you want to enable or disable it, that's probably why you're here. Either you want to try the new chat experience. Or you've had enough of read receipts, typing indicators, and messages that suddenly stop arriving as plain old SMS.
Here's the telling part: search volume for "disable RCS" is almost as high as for "enable". That's no accident. It's an indicator of spam perception, patchy delivery quality, and the feeling that someone else — Google, Apple, your carrier — decided how your messages should work from now on.
This guide covers both: enabling and disabling. Step by step. Android and iPhone. Plus the business side that matters for e-commerce brands in the DACH region. You decide — not Google, not Apple.
Before you change anything: what RCS actually does
RCS (Rich Communication Services) is the official SMS successor. Instead of 160 characters, you get full-resolution images, group chats, read receipts, typing indicators — and since May 2026, real end-to-end encryption between iPhone and Android. More than a billion people use RCS worldwide.
The catch: RCS runs over your data connection, not the mobile network like SMS. No signal? No message. For more background, see our article on what RCS Chat actually is and the overview of RCS drawbacks.
Now to the how-to.
Enable RCS Chat on Android (Google Messages)
Most Android devices from Android 5.0 onwards support RCS via Google Messages. Samsung is shutting down its own Messages app in July 2026 and moving all Galaxy users to Google Messages — which makes Google Messages the default app for SMS and RCS on Android.
How to enable RCS in Google Messages:
- Open the Google Messages app
- Tap your profile picture in the top right
- Select Messages settings → RCS chats
- Toggle "Turn on RCS chats" (labelled "Chat features" on some devices)
- Confirm your phone number
- Wait. Verification takes anywhere from 30 seconds to several hours.
The status at the top should then read "Connected". If it doesn't: toggle airplane mode on/off, clear the app cache, or set Google Messages as your default SMS app.
Optional recommended settings:
- Send read receipts: on or off, your call
- Typing indicators: on, if you want the Telegram feel
- Auto-download over mobile data: off, if you want to save data
Short version: in 60 seconds you've got everything you need as an RCS user.
Enable RCS Chat on iPhone (from iOS 18)
Apple resisted for years, then RCS arrived with iOS 18 in September 2024. Today you're long since on iOS 26 — the integration has grown up, including encryption and live translation in chats with Android contacts.
RCS works on iPhone XR/XS and newer — provided your carrier supports it. In Germany, Telekom, Vodafone, O2 and 1&1 are all on board. In Austria, Magenta was the first carrier to bring RCS to the iPhone. (In other markets like the UK and France, rollout happened across 2025.)
How to enable RCS on iPhone:
- Install the latest iOS version (Settings → General → Software Update)
- Go to Settings → Apps → Messages
- Tap RCS Messaging
- Enable "RCS Messaging"
If the option is missing: your carrier hasn't activated RCS for your iPhone yet. Worth asking — rollouts vary by region. More Apple-specific detail in our RCS iPhone guide.
What iPhone users should know: chats with Android contacts no longer appear as green SMS bubbles with mangled images, but as proper rich chats. They still stay green though — blue bubbles remain iMessage-only. Apple's differentiation lives on.
Android vs. iPhone: who gives you more control?
Both systems switch RCS on or off. But in the details, Android treats you more like an adult than the iPhone does:
| Aspect | Android (Google Messages) | iPhone (iOS 26) |
|---|---|---|
| Send a single message as SMS | Yes (long-press send) | No, global only |
| Control RCS per contact | No, global on/off | No, global on/off |
| Adjustable SMS fallback | Yes | Limited |
| Cross-platform E2EE | Latest Google Messages version | iOS 26.5+, carrier-dependent |
| Switch default messaging app | Yes, incl. third-party | No, Apple Messages only |
Bottom line: Android gives you finer control. iPhone makes it binary.
Disable RCS Chat on Android
Want to go back to SMS? There are good reasons:
- Delivery issues: an RCS message that fails due to poor data coverage doesn't always fall back to SMS automatically
- Switching to an iPhone without properly deregistering → messages vanish into Google limbo
- Privacy: RCS messages route through Google servers (Jibe), not directly between carriers
- Spam perception: marketing automations, login codes, promotional pushes — everything lands in your inbox, often poorly filtered
Step by step: disable RCS in Google Messages:
- Open Google Messages
- Tap your profile picture top right
- Messages settings → RCS chats
- Toggle "Turn on RCS chats" to OFF
- Confirm
The result? From now on, your messages go out as classic SMS/MMS again. Limitations: 160 characters, compressed images, no read receipts — and you lose the new end-to-end encryption along with it.
Important before a SIM or device switch: disable RCS first. Otherwise, Google will keep looking for a device that no longer exists for weeks, blocking incoming messages.
Disable RCS Chat on iPhone
Equally simple:
- Settings → Apps → Messages
- Tap RCS Messaging
- Toggle OFF
Everything then runs over SMS/MMS again in the green bubble. iMessage between iPhones is untouched — that's a separate technology. Note: turning it off also drops the encrypted RCS chats with Android contacts.
Sending an RCS message as SMS — the edge case
You want to keep RCS on overall, but send one specific message as SMS? Possible — with limits.
Android (Google Messages):
- Long-press the send button → the option "Send as SMS/MMS" appears
- Or enable "Automatically send as SMS when RCS isn't available" in the RCS settings
iPhone:
- Apple offers no per-message toggle. To force SMS, you have to disable RCS entirely.
What happens to business messages (RCS Business Messaging)?
Here's the underestimated part — the one that matters to you as a brand. Once RCS is enabled, you don't just get messages from friends, you also get automated business messages via RCS Business Messaging. Delivery notifications, 2FA codes, marketing pushes from brands.
Telekom, Vodafone and O2 have offered RCS Business Messaging in Germany since early 2026 — with verified brand channels, logo, sender badge, images and buttons. Looks good, but also feels like marketing. And that's exactly where the spam perception comes from.
For you as an e-commerce brand in DACH, the math stays clear: around 85% of German internet users are active on WhatsApp every month (Datareportal, Digital 2025). RCS business volume is tiny by comparison — most end customers never receive brand messages there at all. Meaning: for D2C marketing in DACH, WhatsApp wins on reach and tooling. RCS is more the channel for transactional messages and authentication, mainly in SMS-heavy markets like the US and France.
Looking for comparison data on how RCS stacks up against WhatsApp Business: see RCS vs. WhatsApp. And if you want to know what RCS actually costs for businesses, head here: RCS Chat costs.
Common issues after enabling or disabling
"RCS chats: Connecting..." takes forever on Android Clear the cache: Settings → Apps → Messages → Storage → Clear cache. Then restart the app. Last resort: re-verify your phone number in the RCS settings.
Messages get lost after switching to iPhone Classic. Disable RCS (or iMessage in the other direction) beforehand. If it's already too late: deregister iMessage on Apple's site, or use "Disconnect phone number" in the Google Messages app.
Duplicate messages If RCS and SMS fallback are both active, you can end up with duplicate deliveries. Fix: disable SMS fallback in the RCS settings.
Images arrive blurry even though RCS is on Both sides need RCS enabled. Otherwise the message falls back to MMS — and MMS compresses brutally. From July 2026, MMS disappears from German networks anyway, so anything without RCS lands straight in SMS.
More on typical weak spots in our article on RCS drawbacks.
When does RCS make sense — and when not?
RCS is worth it when:
- You often have group chats with Android users
- You share high-resolution images or videos
- Your data coverage is reliable
- Encrypted cross-platform chats matter to you (from iOS 26.5 and the latest Google Messages)
RCS isn't worth it when:
- You primarily need SMS apps that work reliably offline
- You travel in regions with patchy data coverage
- You use third-party SMS apps that don't support RCS
- You live in DACH and everything runs over WhatsApp anyway (around 85% reach)
FAQ — Enabling and disabling RCS
Can I enable RCS on any Android device?
Yes. The requirement is Android 5.0 or higher and Google Messages as your SMS app. Some carriers need a few hours for verification.
Does RCS work on older iPhones?
Only on iPhone XR/XS and newer, with at least iOS 18. Older devices stick with SMS/MMS. For cross-platform encryption you need iOS 26.5 or later.
Does RCS cost extra?
No. RCS runs over your data connection or Wi-Fi. As long as your data plan is active, there are no additional charges. For businesses it's a different story — see RCS Chat costs.
Is RCS end-to-end encrypted?
Now, yes. Between two Android users via Google Messages, since 2020. Since iOS 26.5 (May 2026), Apple and Google are rolling out cross-platform encryption between iPhone and Android too — on by default, still in beta, and dependent on both carriers supporting it. A small lock icon in the chat shows whether it's active. Source: Apple Newsroom.
What happens when I disable RCS?
Your messages go out as SMS/MMS from then on. You lose read receipts, high-resolution media, group chats with RCS features, and the encryption. Incoming RCS messages arrive as stripped-down SMS.
Do I have to disable RCS before changing phones?
Yes. Otherwise, messages may be sent to your old device and never arrive. Before any switch: disable RCS in the app or disconnect your phone number.
Can I exclude individual contacts from RCS?
No. RCS is global on/off per device. You can only manually send message-by-message as SMS (Android only).
Will I get marketing messages via RCS as soon as I enable it?
Probably not. German carriers have offered RCS Business Messaging since early 2026, but hardly any brand uses it at scale in DACH — most of it runs over WhatsApp. If you dislike marketing pushes, keep it in mind anyway.
Why are so many people searching for "disable RCS"?
Because many users had RCS enabled automatically — through carrier updates or default settings. Those who don't know what RCS is often want it off first. Understandable.
Does RCS work without a SIM over Wi-Fi?
Partially. Initial verification requires a SIM. After that, RCS works over Wi-Fi as long as the phone number stays actively registered.
Conclusion: You decide — not Google
You now have all the levers: enable, disable, reroute individual messages. If you're weighing up whether to use RCS as a brand, take a closer look at the business side: RCS Business Messaging and the comparison RCS vs. WhatsApp. For the DACH market, the answer is usually clear. But "usually" isn't "always".
