Using RCS with Google Messages on GrapheneOS

GrapheneOS

The latest new 2025100900 release has an additional compatibility fix for Google Messages RCS support by working around a Google Play services DroidGuard security check which was failing due to lack of privileged permissions. We provided a placeholder result which makes it happy and it passes now.

The thread for the new release is here, which is current available in the Alpha channel and should reach the Beta channel in several hours:

https://discuss.grapheneos.org/d/27194-grapheneos-version-2025100900-released

Reports from releases prior to 2025100900 are no longer useful.

GrapheneOS

Many users are reporting it works well now. Note that you still need to grant the Phone permission to Play services.

jumpdeer

GrapheneOS Do you need to grant it permanently or just once?

Also, do we have to do any special steps if we already have google messages installed?

Evoke0512

GrapheneOS What are the minimum permissions play services and google messages needs to function with RCS properly?

EndoPlant

Works for me now! Thank you devs :)

Solly

Working for me. Thanks!

metalsped

You glorious bastards, it works again. Thanks a ton

mousetrapreplica

Anyone using T-Mobile or a T-Mobile MVNO having luck with build 2025100901 and following the official instructions?

eatinggrumble84

mousetrapreplica

I'm on T-Mobile, and I installed the older version per the recommendation in the other thread.
https://discuss.grapheneos.org/d/27194-grapheneos-version-2025100900-released/8

Then RCS quickly connected and then started loading old RCS messages within 30-60 seconds. Since it's working fine, I may stay on this older version and not update through the Play Store for the time being.

mousetrapreplica

dlb

jumpdeer the notes for the first release with RCS support said to give the Play Services app Phone permission, and then grant Google Messages all the necessary permissions (I'm assuming what it asks for during initial setup) and make Google Messages the default SMS app.

SillySaurus

Can confirm this 2025100900 fixes it. Steps.

Disable RCS in the RCS menu
Apply 2025100900
Clear Google Messages data.
Apply these permissions:

SillySaurus

Messages

com.google.android.apps.messaging

Permissions:

Contacts

Network

Notifications

Phone

SMS

All other settings are as defaults as well.

Google Play services

com.google.android.gms

Permissions:

Contacts

Network

Phone

SMS

Carrier Services

com.google.android.ims

Not installed, never installed.

Enable RCS
If you see "Etouffee provisioned: true" the SMS messasge thing in chat windows will change to RCS messages.
If you're still seeing "Connected" but not that then you either haven't cleared one of the above properly, or are rate limited.
All other errors are unrelated.

You do not need betas or alphas or old versions of the Google Messages app. I also did not need carrier services so you can remove that.

Don't be on a VPN and make sure data is enabled, that's all.

Tested the process on 3 different pixels all running grapheneos and are able to communicate with each other. If RCS worked before then it's not your carrier issue.

If its still not working the suggestion I would have would be to disable RCS, wait several days and maybe remotely deactivate RCS on your number https://messages.google.com/disable-chat

Wait the rate limit out.

TheExtremelyDirtyDan

SillySaurus does the VPN need to remain off even after connection? It wouldn't be the worst thing if I have to split tunnel, but ofc I'd rather not if I don't have to.

SillySaurus

One other thing to note, one of my pixels which had never been touched, since before RCS stopped working didn't need any toggling or clearing of google messages. Simply applying the GrapheneOS update was enough to allow it to send RCS messages. (Etouffee was provisioned previously since before it stopped working from everyone) and all throughout September. You would see a "not sent" error if you tried to actually send a message. I checked this just then, applied the 2025100900 update and it worked.

I didn't need to touch google messages data or RCS settings.

tRexDestroyer

Still no luck. Before this, I tried the same thing with Google Messages from official Play store.

Steps I've taken:

-Cleared storage and cache from Google Messages then uninstalled it
-Cleared storage and cache from Play services then granted all permissions for it
-Checked that carrier services is installed
-Installed an old version of Google Messages (262371063) from Aurora store and granted all permissions

It's stuck on "Setting up".
I've even tried restarting the phone.
Pixel 6 Pro

SillySaurus

tRexDestroyer -Installed an old version of Google Messages (262371063) from Aurora store and granted all permissions

To anyone else reading this. DO NOT BOTHER WITH OLD VERSIONS they will likely not work for other reasons and you'll only succeed in hitting google's rate limit and then being blocked for a while. All of that is based on the OLD advice from about a year ago when google removed the fallback ACS URL option.

It is no longer relevant and is not going to fix anything.

I would suggest disabling RCS for like 3 days, and if you want to be certain use the above https://messages.google.com/disable-chat then come back and do it.

GrapheneOS

There's aggressive throttling for Google Messages RCS activation attempts. You may simply need to wait if it's not working for you right away.

GrapheneOS

You should use a current version of Google Messages and keep it updated, not an old version. Carrier Services is definitely not needed and should be removed if you installed it.

SavyNanner

Is there a way to confirm if you are being rate limited? I was definitely playing around trying other's strategies including an older aurora version after it not working. Had an 1002 error at one point saying sim wasn't supported (us mobile) and tried going back to play store version and connecting...I guess I'll just let it go for a little and then disable for 3 days to try again after.

5rlyn

SavyNanner in the RCS Chats section of the app, where you get the "Trouble Connecting, Awaiting Retry" notification, click on details and you'll see a "Last Attempt" and "Next Attempt." The more you try to connect RCS unsuccessfully, the longer that window will increase (it'll start at an hour and eventually push to 8, 12, 24, etc)

SillySaurus

SavyNanner Is there a way to confirm if you are being rate limited?

No, and nothing appears in logcat either regarding that because it happens server side.

SavyNanner I'll just let it go for a little and then disable for 3 days to try again after.

I would just disable RCS with the toggle, and for good measure do https://messages.google.com/disable-chat the reason is because on one of my phones when i disabled RCS with the toggle, another phone still thought it had RCS enabled. The google page is meant for if you like lost your phone and could no longer disable it, but it works great in this case too.

Leave it 2 or 3 days, then clear Google Messages data (this won't wipe your messages or anything) and use above permissions that would be my suggestion to anyone who can't get this working right now.

canondrum

I confirm RCS is working again with this Alpha/Beta !
Before upgrading, I turned off RCS in Google Messages like a week ago, to be sure to not be rate limited by Google.
I also cleared cache and storage for the Google Message app.
I upgraded, turned on RCS : it worked instantly. Awesome.

Great job by the GrapheneOS team. Bravo ! 👏

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