Using RCS with Google Messages on GrapheneOS

5rlyn

jumpdeer seems to be a crap shoot. My old Messages app still has working RCS. Doesnt seem to be the case with everyone.

cb474

5rlyn seems to be a crap shoot. My old Messages app still has working RCS. Doesnt seem to be the case with everyone.

You're the only person I've seen report that it works in the old version. Is anyone else experiencing this? For me it will always connect to RCS in the old version. But I have to update to the Play Store version to get Etouffee to show "true" (i.e. to get messages to actually send as RCS and to get RCS group chats working at all).

That aside, I've been getting an error in group chats based on MMS (because they have members who don't have RCS). I send a message. it appears to send, but then I get a notification that says: "MMS failed to save." I've never seen that before. I wonder if it has to do with all the problems with RCS somehow also interferring with MMS based group chats. Is anyone else seeing that?

MrRoboto1212

cb474 Yeah, mine says connected on the old Messages, but does not actually use RCS and defaults to SMS

gfb817

jumpdeer
cb474

I am so far able to establish and maintain (for about 10 days with no intervention) RCS functionality with
messages.android_20241120_00_RC01.phone_dynamic
com.google.android.apps.messaging versionCode 262366063

I can send as RCS, receive RCS, and send/receive RCS groups. The one thing I can't confirm - I never got an influx of "missing" RCS messages like others stated they received, while I'm aware of at least a couple of RCS groups that were going on during my RCS outage timeframe.

I downloaded this from apkmirror, and Aurora store does NOT see it as an app with available upgrades in my case.

I've not viewed any logs or debugging output, so I can't answer to the state of etouffe or other system checks that I see others referring to.

NOTE: in a previous reply, the Graphene team account recommended against keeping an old Messages app, even for the sake of keeping RCS working.

WestQuester

cb474 You're the only person I've seen report that it works in the old version.

Works for me. Installed October 13, version 20241120_00_RC07.phone_dynamic
RCS chats still working and does not revert to SMS. I'll note I don't have any RCS groups though.

zache

cb474 Works for me on 20241120_00_RC07 with Mint Mobile on a Pixel 9a. Etouffe is provisioned and RCS works correctly. Updating the app results in RCS disconnecting after a day or two.

5rlyn

gfb817 same boat, although I haven't had it installed 10 days to be sure. Also haven't had it hooked up to logs to check etouffe or anything, so I'm afraid I can't yet provide insight as to why my old version might be working while others are not.

I'm aware of GOS's recommendations, unfortunately my options are "use an outdated Messages version with functional RCS" or "go back to stock Pixel." Lesser of two evils.

jumpdeer

gfb817 What carrier are you on?

cb474

gfb817 I am so far able to establish and maintain (for about 10 days with no intervention) RCS functionality with
messages.android_20241120_00_RC01.phone_dynamic
com.google.android.apps.messaging
versionCode 262366063

I can send as RCS, receive RCS, and send/receive RCS groups.

That's interesting. I'm also using an old version from apkmirror to get connected. I'm using: com.google.android.apps.messaging_messages.android_20241120_00_RC07.phone_dynamic-262371063_minAPI26(arm64-v8a,armeabi-v7a,x86,x86_64)(nodpi)_apkmirror.com.apk

It looks like the same 20242220_00_RC07 you're using, but with a different version code. I wonder if I should look for the one with the version code you have?

@WestQuester @zache That's interesting that a bunch of other people are getting it to work with the old version. Do you know exactly which apk you are using, including the version code?

For those who don't know what their Etouffee status is, it's easy to see this. You need to enable debug mode in the Messages app, but entering *xyzzy* in the search field (the field for searching your messages in the Messages app). You should see a little popup at the bottom of the screen saying debug mode has enabled. Then click on the icon in the upper right that shows you various options, including settings, but now you will see a "Debug" option. When you select that you get a drop down menu with a lot of options. Under RCS, select Report RCS Connection State. The pop up will tell you if Etouffee is true or false.

sabhain

On T-Mobile with 7a .. haven't been able to get RCS working on the old APK .. doesn't click until I update the Messages app from the Play Store. Works for about 30 hours for me.

So now I have a nightly routine to remove and reload. It's down to about a 7 minute process time for me.

I have not updated to the latest system release to see the impact. Going to wait and see the traffic here first.

FlareHeart

I had full RCS functionality after the GrapheneOS patch that fixed things, but now as of this morning it is failing to connect again. Clearing Messages data and rebooting is not resolving it. I'm getting "Trouble Connecting, awaiting retry" And when I try to open the Debug menu, the whole Messages app crashes.

WestQuester

cb474 Do you know exactly which apk you are using, including the version code?

20241120_00_RC07.phone_dynamic
versionCode 262371063

I'm on Mint Mobile and I initially tried installing this old one and upgrading through the Play Store to the current version and that stopped working after a day or two. So I reinstalled the old and it's been functioning ever since. I would prefer not to run an outdated version but as others have said: it's that or no RCS.

WestQuester

cb474 The pop up will tell you if Etouffee is true or false.

Mine says Etouffee provisioned: true.
And "RCS appears to be active".

zache

cb474 My version code is 262371063, installed from Aurora Store

cb474

WestQuester Huh. It looks like you're using the same old version that I am, but gfb817 is using a slightly different variant. It's weird that it works for you, but not for me. I'm on T-Mobile, so that should be the same as Mint.

MrRoboto1212

cb474 It's weird that it works for you, but not for me

Also on T-Mobile (regular). I have tried both Messages versions listed above, 262371063 and 262366063, RCS says 'Connected' in both versions, yet Etouffee provisions are also False for both versions as well... it does not want to function for me I guess.

I believe I mentioned above that RCS works for me once I update the app like everyone else, but I'm not doing an entire process every 24 hours. It's weird that older versions work for some and not for others.

5rlyn

MrRoboto1212 how can we find out why? Is there a common denominator to be found that can help us as Graphene?

cb474

Vuraze Here is the correct hash for Google Messages:
com.google.android.apps.messaging
CC:75:52:6D:6C:0F:80:AC:3B:3A:84:EB:44:83:84:40:DB:BE:6B:12:44:43:A7:C7:D7:BD:19:18:2A:C0:22:C9
F7:E7:3D:4E:DC:2B:7F:55:EE:CD:3F:89:8D:3C:CA:7D:A9:CB:BF:51:69:4E:BA:14:F8:16:E2:EC:CF:01:50:35

Where did you get the hash from? I know how to check it with AppVerifier. But when I look on APKMirror for the Messages app, I only see the first half of that hash in the signatures pop up window.

MrRoboto1212 Also on T-Mobile (regular). I have tried both Messages versions listed above, 262371063 and 262366063, RCS says 'Connected' in both versions, yet Etouffee provisions are also False for both versions as well... it does not want to function for me I guess.

Thanks for the info. I guess I'll try 262366063 anyway, on my next reset. I'm still compulsively doing the work around every 36 hours. I suppose I'd just go back to SMS, except my group chats break. And getting everyone to delete the old chat on their phones, so I can start a new one with MMS, is not very feasible.

One thing that's also strange for me is that when I do the work around, the last step of getting Etouffee to true, by updating to the Google Play store version, is never consistent. Sometimes it takes one reboot, sometimes two, sometimes four (four is the most I've had to do). I thought maybe I just had to wait longer, after the upate. But I've waited for an hour and not dice, until I do more reboots. It's just oddly inconsistent.

MrRoboto1212

5rlyn Is there a common denominator to be found that can help us

I'm not the person to ask that question to. GOS team will say something like "Upload your logs for both versions of the app", but other than that, no idea what they would look for in the logs to determine what causes it.

LordDrakkon

Anyone have any luck getting RCS to provision for Bell in Canada? I can get T-Mobile to work but not Bell. It just keeps saying, connecting and asks me to verify my number, which I do at least 3 times a day.

whoiswes

Both of my 6a's are running the 20241120_00_RC07.phone_dynamic version, for at least a week. All our phones are on US Mobile (T-Mobile network but have the option for Verizon and AT&T as well with an e-sim swap).

One of them is in a group chat with my 8a (running stock) and my work iPhone. No issues or disconnects since first installed. Etoufee is provisioned as well. Messages can be sent and received from any of the three devices and received on the others without issue.

Upgrading to current Messages breaks overnight, like everyone else.

Happy to add my iPhone and stock device to any group chats if it helps debugging - PM me and I can send my number.

patienttruth99

Uh oh. I thought I was good to go (Verizon Wireless). Everything was working great for a couple weeks.

As of this evening, a group RCS won't send. ...just checked, individual won't work either.

Still says connected.

I don't have a "report RCS connection state" in the debug menu anymore. Only a "report multi sim RCS connection state" which doesn't have any of the eteoffe info in it.


SIM ID: ###
	RCS Connection State: CONNECTED
	Transport: Tachygram
	RCS State: 0
	RCS Config Version: 4
	SubId: 2
	Sim Slot: 0
	SIM Operator: Verizon 
	SIM Phone Number: ####

updated two days ago.

version messages.android_20250926_01_RC00.phone_dynamic

com.google.android.apps.messaging
versionCode 290609063

targetSdk 36
minSdk 26

Installed: Sep 29, 2025; 09:22
Updated: Oct 21, 2025; 11:30

Edit - okay, I turned RCS off and then on before attempting to downgrade.

RCS connected almost immediately and I was able to resend to the group successfully. 🤷🏼‍♂️ Dunno if it was messages, or maybe the play services update that changed something so the server wasn't authenticating (pure speculation), but after toggling on and off we're good to go.

Heisenburgh

patienttruth99 attempted to toggle off and on with Verizon and it seems like I'm stuck trying to reverify with status code 3000 😟

patienttruth99

Verizon Wireless - Back to not sending individual RCS, although it says connected. I tried toggling RCS off, as well as clearing cache while RCS is off. It reconnects almost immediately, but won't send RCS. Checked with VPN off too which hasn't been an issue lately.

version messages.android_20251009_00_RC00.phone_dynamic

com.google.android.apps.messaging
versionCode 291322063

targetSdk 36
minSdk 26

Installed: Sep 29, 2025; 09:22
Updated: Oct 27, 2025; 22:32

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