Using RCS with Google Messages on GrapheneOS

bluesl33ves I would really like a developer to initiate a step-by-step process of providing them with information and logs [...]

While various of the developers occasionally scan the forum, the standard protocol is to seek help via one of the real-time chat rooms, see https://grapheneos.org/contact#community-chat. The chat rooms also make it possible for you to provide telemetry from your device via a non-public channel.

This may well not be quickly resolvable. RCS is a moving target -- the standard isn't really settled, carrier implementations are evolving, and carriers are not completely settled in terms of which implementations to deploy. I don't know if Google's standard client is changing too, but it probably is. Personally I won't be surprised if reliable solutions are months away.

irrenarzt
Compat mode didn't make a difference on my end either. I also had wifi disabled the entire time, and my RCS stayed connected for about 3.5 days. I had gotten so hopeful when I saw that I had made it past the 72 hr mark, but by that evening it had disconnected. I want to keep troubleshooting this because, especially with Apple on board and google Messages being the stock messaging app on all droids, I do think RCS is the future.

Note to others: I also tried installing Carrier Services, and that didn't seem to make a difference. And there had been some talk earlier in this thread about sniffing the traffic to see if Google was phoning home with a bunch of telemetry; well, once I got RCS connected I did start logging my traffic, and I was happy to see that the only URLs it connected to were m.talk.google.com and my carrier's PCSCF url. In other words, I don't think it was sending more than the bare minimum data required to maintain the connection.

CryptOwlie
I could never get it to work on my 4a 5G.

FlipSid I'm confused as to how you managed to get this to work. All I see is that you downloaded the app from the Play Store. Are you running the latest version of Google Messages?

So reading through the post that Posichronic shared, it looked like one of the commenters found that their success was immediately connected to "Safetynet".

I haven't figured out what that means exactly, but it sounds like it's related to "Device Integrity Check" which Graphene OS does not pass.

Syberkonda
I had to download over mobile data (n o t wifi) and have the VPN deactivated.
Otherwise it would not work.
From Play store. Version now is:
20240123_01

FlipSid I had to download over mobile data (n o t wifi) and have the VPN deactivated.
Otherwise it would not work.
From Play store. Version now is:
20240123_01

If you feel up to it, wipe the cache, data, and uninstall the app, re-install it, and let us know what happens.

FlipSid 🤣🤣🤣

Wanted to add my experience.

I had this problem for three months and may have fixed it.
I am on Visible, seems to work the same as Verizon.
I turned off WiFi since it seemed more people got verified using cellular data.
I uninstalled current Messages version.
Installed version: messages.android_20220131_05_RC00.phone.opebeta_dynamic
Opened, gave network permission, set as default, opted into RCS I think they called it dynamic messaging.
After that I got the standard "connecting" in the RCS menu. It would either sit on "connecting" or "trying to verify" for weeks regardless of what version I tried.
Sidenote: xyzzy debug enabler would immediately disable in this version.
Went to App Info menu for Messages, clicked 'force stop', went back to Messages and my number was now verified and connected, for the first time in months.
Upgraded through store to latest version, and I am still verified.
I should mention, I tried almost every method available before this. So I am surprised my simple method worked. I tried the debug menu tricks but could never get a version installed that would give me the ACS menu to manually insert a link for my carrier to activate RCS.
It has now been three days, I'll keep my eye on it.

Seems as though the recent GrapheneOS version 2024022300 update has changed my RCS status from "Verifying..." With no phone number displayed. To "Setting up..." With my carrier and phone number. Will conduct further testing.

[deleted]

Same here

SirBlain Only three days? That seems normal. I'm on Visible as well. Longest I had it stay connected was a week. Finally gave up on it. Seems unlikely to get fixed at this rate, but who knows.

Looks like this issue (with a generic reference to "custom ROMs" rather than GrapheneOS specifically) is getting some coverage: https://9to5google.com/2024/02/29/google-messages-rcs-rooted/. Not sure how well-researched the article is but curious if people thought this is off-base or some consensus emerging around a new restrictive approach that Google's taking.

Gramsci ugh, I have been wondering about this for a few weeks now. It does seem like Google is trying to tie RCS to hardware in a way that graphene prevents. Well I don't understand all of the technical details, it is a little understandable from the point of view of wanting to have absolute control over a device/person and wanting to prevent spoofing.

It's an uphill battle, but it's going to push me further towards third party E2EE options, and I'll just have to deal with getting my friends onto those platforms.

I suppose the other approach is that somebody could come up with a way to implement RCS outside of Google messages. I know that's been a very rocky situation.

I've successfully setup rcs.
First time it wouldn't read any section within the RCS (this device is not supported or something like this).
Then removed the app, and re-installed it (no need for Carrier for me), and gave the minimal permissions (phone, network, sms + out of convenience also for Contacts).
For Play services + GSF + Play store = only network (no phone permission)
Took the settings to use rcS without google account.

Registered within 3-5 minutes maybe.
Used LTE during registration, dc/ed from wifi.