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  • Using RCS with Google Messages on GrapheneOS

thed0ctor just posting im still connected. This is the longest it's gone being connected.

grittytea Thank you for your comment! After much much grief, thanks to your comment I was able to get RCS working with AppOps. I gave Play Services the READ_DEVICE_IDENTIFIER permission, and the SEND_SMS permission (though I don't know if that was necessary), 2. disabled and reenabled RCS chats, it set up almost immediately, 3. then still could not use RCS with contacts, but after I restarted the phone and then it finally worked and offered RCS instead of SMS.

OfflinePuffin

I don't have it installed, and no desire to reinstall it.
It's available for android and iOS, and needs both Android and iOS users to have it installed in Japan because RCS hasn't been activated by the carriers (for IOS) here in Japan outside of this app.
It won't send to people on google messages, either.

5 days later

Twice now after GrapheneOS updates, I lost the ability to send Google messages thru my laptop unless my phone was unlocked & had Google Messages open. Definitely an irritation..

I thought GOS updates were rolling back functionality, but after resolving the issue just now, I now believe that after GrapheneOS finishes 'optimizing apps' post-update, the phone just needs an additional reboot for Google Messages to work as expected.

Sharing this in case it saves someone from similar frustration.

I am yet to read the whole 500+ post thread, but from what I've found out on my own, and gathered from reading a few relevant posts here, the issue lies in using a non-owner profile.

When I use Google Messages on the owner profile, it connects to RCS just fine, but when I do it on any other profile it has a completely blank RCS status. (Not disconnected, nor pending.) Even when I used the beta app which someone said allowed Dual Sim Registration.

Exhort14 FYI, the new beta version of messages is offering me dual sim registration now. Both are still "setting up" status for me, but maybe dual sim RCS will work for others?

So I'm unsure of how it would be done, but the solution, as I foresee it, would be for the GOS devs to somehow allow us to transfer whatever property of the owner profile that makes RCS work, to another preferred profile. Or maybe even just selecting a "primary messaging" profile where that adopts all messaging properties of the owner profile.

Another issue I've faced due to using a non-owner account with Google Messages, my own messages appear twice on my end. The recipient only gets one message, but I see my own twice. It's not a complete turn off, but it is rather annoying.

    GwenAEther my own messages appear twice on my end

    So far, it seems that the beta app has fixed the double message.

    GwenAEther or you could set up RCS on the ower profile and log in with a Google account. Then connect to Google messages web on your second profile. I haven't tested this myself but I think it is worth a try

    5 days later

    I've been having a great time on GrapheneOS for about half a year now, but unfortunately enabling RCS still sucks.

    I got it to work a few months ago (August or so) doing @chenxiaolong steps and then doing @83639273 steps on my pixel 8a, HOWEVER, it only would work on a brand new, factory reset phone. I couldn't get it to work at all after already having my other apps downloaded. It took probably under 5-10 mins (it was definitely quick), as I'm not gonna have my phone sit open for an hour to wait to see if it verifies... Unfortunately, around a month or two ago, it RCS turned off again...

    Others have suggested Shizuku + AppOps, but this pretty much allows the exact same steps as the users mentioned above, just in a different flavor (without the adb from PC, etc.).

    This is what I've done so far:

    • I'm using the original profile, and I don't have any other profiles
    • Google Messages, Google Play, Play Services, and Carrier Services have phone, sms, and network enabled
    • I have reset cache on all 4 apps multiple times
    • I have turned off my VPN (& killswitch) and tried setting up on data only multiple times
    • I have enabled Automatic Phone # Verification in Google Services under Sandboxed Google Play
    • I downloaded messages from the official Google Play, not Aurora Store (which I do have on my phone)
    • I use AT&T, not Verizon, so hopefully that should be less issues?
    • I've done several reboots on my phone after changing settings and trying the steps above

    I have no idea what to do besides factory reset and download everything again, which is a PITA, and GrapheneOS backups seem to be glitchy. If I absolutely have to, and nothing else works, I will do it. But please, if anyone has a solution besides the same steps above, I'm all ears.

      Novastatic Have you tried temporarily installing the official Google app and giving it the same permissions? There was some speculation on this thread that the app included some config stuff and needs to be installed beforehand. You may have to repeat all the steps you mentioned. But first, try the following things:

      Have you assigned the necessary permissions to play services and Google messages? Minimum should be network, SMS, notifications, and phone (I think) - contacts or contacts scope for ease of use. If you do install the Google app afterwards, apply the same permissions.

      When you changed the device identifiers permission using adb/app opps, did you make sure to do it for both Google Messages AND Play services? (I think this is probably what caused it).

      Another shot in the dark: In the Google messages app, go to settings -> Advanced -> change it from unknown to to your number.

      Also, restarting your phone is also a way to see if the changes worked.

      Also, should RCS start working, you should be able to uninstall the Google app and app opps (if you used them) with RCS still working.

        DirtyDan

        Have you assigned the necessary permissions to play services and Google messages? Minimum should be network, SMS, notifications, and phone (I think) - contacts or contacts scope for ease of use.

        Everyone already has SMS, phone, and network as I did state that :) I will enable contact scopes (but with no contacts) for the others as messages already has full contacts permission

        When you changed the device identifiers permission using adb/app opps, did you make sure to do it for both Google Messages AND Play services?

        Yep, did that originally

        Another shot in the dark: In the Google messages app, go to settings -> Advanced -> change it from unknown to to your number.

        Did that multiple times already

        I've downloaded the Google app (from Playstore) and have given it network, phone, sms, and contacts (scopes), and have left it unmanaged. Unfortunately, I ran out of verification attempts today, so I haven't been able to try to verify after downloading it.

          Novastatic Back here again, and unfortunately, it still hasn't worked. Guess I'm going to have to just reset again, which is really undesirable since GrapheneOS doesn't seem to have the best backup system according to this thread... If there's any better solution besides redownloading everything, I'd be happy to hear.

          I really hope there can be a less painful way to use RCS in the future, as I don't know what causes Message's issues with what I have on my phone...

            Has anyone had luck getting RCS to work in a second user profile or in private space?

            The amount of permissions it needs, not to mention needing to give play services and Google messages access to device identifiers, erodes a lot of privacy...

            Novastatic Did you try de-registering your number with Google messages? 24 hours and then try to set up Google messages again with having the Google app on your phone.

              OfflinePuffin I had tried that, but I didn't know I had to wait 24 hours. I just reset my phone and even after only downloading messages first (with Play and Play Services), and redoing previous steps, it wasn't enabling right away. I'll deregister and try tomorrow then.

              OfflinePuffin I tried that a day or two ago and got a text from Google, but unfortunately nothing changed before I factory reset. I'm trying it now but now I'm not receiving the register check at all, and my number refuses to save in the advanced settings. Do I need to try to get support from Google about deregistering?

                Novastatic possibly I would reach out to Google support its worth a try. I wouldn't tell them you allowed stuff with adb at first. Just see what they say

                Its possibly its a problem with your carrier. Let me read back your posts and I will get back to you

                  OfflinePuffin Ok, I'll try not to tell them unless I have to, but should I tell them that I'm using GrapheneOS right away? Or will they not help me because I've modified the system.

                    8 days later
                    • Edited

                    I'm looking for advice. I recently installed GrapheneOS on my pixel 9. I was able to get everything working except for RCS. It was stuck on the verification step. It would never complete. I've tried adding my phone number, reinstalling, rebooting, hopping on one foot while reciting the alphabet backwards and in the end I had to revert everything back. I've followed the threads in this discussion but nothing worked. I did notice that ATT has been problematic and you guessed it. I have ATT prepaid. The phone is unlocked so that shouldn't be the issue. I use an ESim. Has anyone gotten RCS to work with ATT? More specifically prepaid ATT? What steps did you follow? Any advice is much appreciated.

                      floop Do you have the Google app installed with network permissions enabled and Give network permissions to Google Play and permissions for Google Messages.