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  • Using RCS with Google Messages on GrapheneOS

vcavallo They may stop messing around with intermittently blocking non-Google-certified operating systems in which case it should work perfectly without repeated failures.

    RCS just connected this morning out of the blue. I didn't do anything on my end. Let's see how long it lasts.

    FlipSid still working. Just posting follow ups for reference.
    Have you guys checkt with your carrier?
    Mine excitedly states >RCS Chats<

      Just came here to say I've been using Google's messenger app in hopes of using RCS, but after months stuck on "verifying phone number" I kinda doubt it will ever work

      Mines working just fine on Google Fi.
      I was on the same phone and phone number when I switched to GOS, I wonder if that makes difference? I don't think I had to activate it again after installing GOS.

      5 days later

      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

      1. What exactly did you "download over mobile data"?
      2. What carrier are you on?
      3. Did you also do the steps of downloading the old beta version, edit the ACS config, and then update? Or did you just install the latest version of the app?

      SirBlain 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.

      1. Is it still working for you?
      2. Where did you download messages.android_20220131_05_RC00.phone.opebeta_dynamic from?
      3. "xyzzy debug enabler would immediately disable" What do you mean by this?
      4. What carrier are you on?

            hemlockiv
            Download from Google Playstore, VPN off, with Mobile Data (not over Wi-fi).
            Carrier would not help you, unless you are in Germany?

              hemlockiv
              I really don't care too much about RCS unless it starts encrypting messages between iPhone and Android. I do like doing some minimal tinkering to try to get things to work though. I just cleared the cache on the Carrier Communications App, forced stopped it, restarted my device and turned on RCS. It took about 5 minutes to activate. T-Mobile with latest release of messages.

                Hi everyone, new user here, but I got RCS to work. If you haven't already, try going into the settings for sandbox Google play services and give Google permission to automatically verify your phone number. As soon as I did this, RCS started working. I also have all 3 sandbox Google services installed, I'm logged in, i installed carrier services from the play store, and gave many recommended permissions to google play services and google messages. But i have a feeling the automatic number verification was the big one and may start removing permissions until something breaks.

                Open settings - Apps - Sandboxed Google Play - Google Settings (logged in) - All Services (tab) - Mobile Data & Messaging - Phone Number Verification, and then toggle Automatically Verify Phone Number(s)

                You may be able to untoggle it afterwards and get it to still work, not sure. But hopefully this helps people who just want RCS to work in Google messages. Part of me thinks the varied responses of people saying it works and others saying it doesn't work (or stopped working) despite similar permissions is because some people verified their number with Google and others didn't.

                If anyone wants to play around to see what the minimal permissions and configurations are while still getting it to work with this, that would be super helpful.

                  Sbpr
                  The only permission I have for Play Services is Network. Haven't changed it before activating or after. For Messages everything except Location, the two storage permissions and sensors are allowed

                    Sbpr Ok so you have to be signed into the Google Play store on your main profile? That might be an issue, because I'm reeeeaally trying not to be signed into Google on my Graphene phone..

                    Sbpr may start removing permissions until something breaks

                    I would be curious if you sign out of your Google account whether it continues to work, if you're up to experiment!

                        6 days later

                        Okay what worked for me was the below as I had it working originally off the bat so I disabled and just re-enabled:

                        -turned off RCS
                        -cleared cache (messages and Google Play)
                        -deleted google messages
                        -downloaded messages (would only open on fresh install with compatibility mode)
                        -Google services framework / Google play services only have network and phone (SMS for play services)
                        -Google messages has network, phone, sms
                        -Google Sanboxed - option - messages and confirm number with google (toggled on)
                        -back to RCS and it connected
                        -Google Sandbox - toggled off confirm number with google

                        -Day 7 going strong and still enabled with RCS and kept compatibility mode enabled so might be the precursor here!

                        On Mint Mobile / Pixel 8 Pro / Aurora Store for messages app! On current GOS build!

                          Audi123 Google Sandbox - toggled off confirm number with google

                          What app exactly is this in? I can't find this setting anywhere

                              hemlockiv

                              Go to:

                              1. -settings
                              2. -apps
                              3. -Sandboxed Google Play
                              4. -Google settings
                              5. -mobile data messaging
                              6. -phone number verification
                              7. -automatically verify phone number (toggle on)
                              8. -RCS should verify
                              9. Back to 7. And toggle off

                              Hope this helps

                                hemlockiv

                                Plus to note I'm not logged into a google account at all! If you try what I did you may want to try installing carrier services (network and sms) permissions to at least getting RCS working.

                                To boot I tried it again (turned off RCS) and all of the above and again got RCS working.

                                    Audi123 Thanks, I didn't even realize Sandboxed Google Play had its own settings there! One more question: When you toggled on "Confirm number with google," did RCS connect immediately, or did it still take some time? My Google Messages settings shows RCS is still at the dreaded Status: Setting up... stage :(

                                      [unknown]

                                      Mine worked almost instantaneously! Try to deregister from RCS and start fresh! I'm not sure why you can't get it to work!

                                      [unknown] Yeah, it was stuck on verifying, so I uninstalled it and did the old method of installing the outdated beta version, manually setting my ACS url, then updating to the latest app version, and that made it connect immediately. In the past, when I enabled RCS with that method, it disconnected after 3 days, but I'm hoping that the added change of enabling Sandboxed Google Play > Confirm number with Google (which I am just going to leave toggled ON, just to be safe) will be what is required to make it stable. I am on Verizon, and I suspect it is Verizon's implementation of RCS that is less stable than other carriers'.

                                      I'll report back in 4 days about whether it worked or not.