Google Messages beta hints at removal of per-contact RCS toggle
Text strings in a Google Messages for Android beta update suggest the per-contact RCS opt-out is being retired, with no timeline announced.
New text strings found in Google Messages for Android beta version messages.android_20261002_00_RC00.phone.openbeta_dynamic indicate the app is preparing to remove the per-contact RCS toggle, according to androidauthority.com. Google has not stated when the change will go live.
The strings include a banner titled "Switch to RCS chats now" and a message stating the "Only send SMS & MMS messages" setting is going away.
After the change, the only ways to avoid RCS would be disabling RCS across all chats or relying on the SMS/MMS fallback used when RCS delivery fails.
Existing per-chat control
Google Messages has so far offered a contact-by-contact toggle that lets users disable RCS for a particular chat and revert to SMS & MMS.
Quick answers
When will Google Messages remove the per-contact RCS toggle?
Google has not stated when the change will go live.
What happens to the "Only send SMS & MMS messages" setting?
Text strings in the beta state that the setting is going away.