Using RCS with Google Messages on GrapheneOS

new-graphene-user

I checked this morning after doing a few things like enable all permissions, etc. The damn thing is now doing the same as yours, goes from connecting/registering to failed to register trying again.

And just stays there. I dont want to go back to spyware android but this is aggravating, ugh.

eatinggrumble84

I do believe that some of this is probably due to Google Messages server side updates. I started having issues with RCS about a week and a half ago and was able to fix it by downgrading to the previous version 242499063. My RCS was able to reconnect and was working fine for a few days at that point up until about two or three days ago. I started having issues that some people are reporting now where it says RCS is connected, but messages are just automatically sending as SMS. It was that this time that I had also noticed there was some sort of new "Profile" settings in Google Messages underneath RCS that was not previously there, and my app version has remained on the previous 242499063. In trying to troubleshoot the issue I disabled RCS and that Profile Setting disappeared. I have not been able to get RCS to reconnect, and it's been stuck trying to verify.
So I'm assuming that they've been making server side updates that can affect people's RCS connections even if they're remaining on the old versions of messages.

cb474

GrapheneOS As I said in my post, I'm using 20250813_00_RC02. That's the latest version supplied to me by Google Play. I'm not in the beta program. RCS was working fine for me, until this Tuesday, 09/09/2025. The only obvious change at that time was an update from GrapheneOS. Rebooting was not the issue, because I've had many reboots since 08/13/2025 when my version of Messages was released. I don't know what is causing the problem with RCS, but my experience is not consistent with the details you have provided.

eatinggrumble84 I'm on version 20250813_00_RC02 (286630063). I'm having the experience you describe, where RCS shows connected, but everything is falling back to SMS now. I do not have a "Profile" section appearing in the Messages' settings. RCS stopped working for me two days ago, 09/09/2025. I have never had a problem in almost two years on Graphene, until now.

Syberkonda

Update: just got an indication on the messages beta that my device does not meet security requirements for RCS. This is a Google issue and it's probably intentional.

cb474

Syberkonda Given that one of the things RCS provides is better security, including end to end encrypted messages, Google is basically undermining security in the name of security. Obviously apps like Signal do not require low level system permissions and all of this verification stuff, but are more secure than Messages. I wonder what Google's real reason is for this? More data collection?

seaside

Judgeadam This method didn't work for me in the US on AT&T. Curious to know what country and carrier you're using? Also, have you verified that you are actually able to send/receive RCS? Before I started all of this troubleshooting, mine said connected but was sending as SMS anyway so want to confirm yours actually works.

Syberkonda I'm hoping that Google isn't intentionally targeting Graphene/non-standard OS's, otherwise it doesn't seem like Graphene will be viable in the long-term as RCS becomes more and more dominant over SMS and MMS, unless Google opens up RCS, which I am highly doubtful they will. It's possible that Google made some changes to their verification method that Graphene has simply been caught up in, which might be unintentionally resolved with the upcoming Graphene releases that affect cellular. I say hopefully...

new-graphene-user I tried installing from both Aurora and APK Mirror, neither worked for me (they're probably the same, but I was just desperately hoping one might work.) If you want to give it a shot from Aurora, you can do a manual install of version 285853100.

Judgeadam

Mine is now saying device not supported on newer messages app versions. Anyone else? Even on older message versions. Beginning of August versions still have "verifying..."

Judgeadam

This is using messages version com.google.android.apps.messaging_messages.android_20250804_01_RC00.phone.openbeta_dynamic-285853100_minAPI26(arm64-v8a,armeabi-v7a,x86,x86_64)(nodpi)_apkmirror.com.apk

Well. I got it to connect. Here's what I did.
Go into Google account settings personal info phone and take out all phone numbers but your cell. Also turn off auto verify on that phone number.

Then go on cell data only no wifi

Turn off rcs in messages settings

Delete messages app data and cache

Reboot phone

Sign into to the message app and turn it on. Mine now says connected. Hopefully it works for you guys. How long or how good it's gong to work remains to be seen.

Interesting fact, it now says RCS is controlled by the carriers. Not Google. On a little info bubble, next to "connected."

cb474

Judgeadam Interesting fact, it now says RCS is controlled by the carriers. Not Google. On a little info bubble, next to "connected."

In my version of Messages, there is an info bubble that says: "RCS is provided by your mobile carrier under their terms of service." I don't think this is anything new. RCS has always required that the carrier system supports it. Maybe Google is just trying to pass the buck, when things don't work.

nineTHRTY

Judgeadam I'm not entirely sure why you would open the messages app to change a setting and then clear the storage. This would reset the app to default, no?

Syberkonda

Judgeadam just attempted this, no luck. Getting a message saying "Your device does not meet security requirements." Guess it's back to stock OS for me.

new-graphene-user

Judgeadam
I'll try this. Can you get this version from "official" channels and not apkmirror? Dont feel like dealing with 35 parts to the file.

whats the version code? gonna look it up in aurora

GrapheneOS

cb474 RCS currently only provides end-to-end encryption between Google Messages and itself. That's a Google Messages feature.

opensourcedeeznuts

RCS stopped working for me yesterday, I've tried a bunch of things with no success, including installing old versions, resetting permissions via adb, etc.

On latest Google Play Release I also get "Your device does not meet security requirements." Older release seemed to hang at "trying to verify your phone number."

new-graphene-user

Judgeadam

Tried it with the version you mentioned. Phone says rcs not available, your device does not currently support this feature.

I'm on a Pix9 Pro

UPDATE: ok now I got an sms saying google is verifying this phone#
UPDATE 2: interestingly enough, the radio button to verify phone number in google settings turned itself on (and was turned off based on the instructions above).

I still get the "rcs not available" message

Should I just baremetal the phone and reinstall GOS?

opensourcedeeznuts

I've also gotten that sms saying google is verifying the phone number, but nothing seems to change afterwards. If I check the "phone number verification" page my Pixel is unchecked. I tried verify it via sandboxed GMS, but nothing seemed to work.

I'm not sure how much the phone number verification actually matters or not.

I'm hoping that Google isn't intentionally targeting Graphene/non-standard OS's

Just speculation here, but I imagine they're adding extra validation here to combat spammers from being able to send RCS messages by spoofing carrier data. Hitting 3rd party ROMs might just be a happy accident to them.

Predefine8310

Novastatic Same here. Strangely if I use an old version of the app (which worked for me before), I get 'rcs not available for your device', but if I update to a newer version i get stuck on 'verifying your phone number'.

Judgeadam

Just wanted to give and update. I am on Verizon and while it SAYS connected and all good and I even updated to the latest messenger version

... It still is giving me issues. So it looks like a fix in name only at this point but progress I guess 😕

aperpaper

Hello All,

Took the time to sit down and take a look through the Google Messages log after attempting to send an RCS message.

I've placed some of the choicier log messages below along with some background info on my device (P9P) if someone smarter than me wants to take a look, but from what I could tell it could be 2 reasons:

1) Google backend isn't allowing the RCS to be served because of a broken/expired auth with Jibe/Tachyon
2) For some reason google has started verifying signatures on the messenger app and it detected a mismatch due to the package not being google-signed (Downloaded through Aurora.)

I don't have any log messages from when it was working, so I'm not sure if the verification always failed before or if this is a new thing google is doing. The errors point to my pixel trying to register RCS with googles backend and being rejected because my google/carrier services is not trusted.

Some background:
Google Messages Version: 20250808_03_RC04 downloaded from Aurora.
RCS broke without an update of GMessages or GOS, so I updated everything to the newest version and am still having issues.
Gmessages still says that I am connected through google fi.

Log Messages:
W BugleNetwork: RegistrationProvider: Got StatusRuntimeException for RegisterRefresh, error: UNSPECIFIED, status: PERMISSION_DENIED, exception: fght: PERMISSION_DENIED: The caller does not have permission
W BugleNetwork: RegistrationProvider: Failed to register with Tachyon
W BugleNetwork: fght: PERMISSION_DENIED: The caller does not have permission
W BugleRcsCapabilities: Capabilities failed with an exception from the downstream provider.
W BugleRcsCapabilities: aupg: RetryingFuture failed to fetch RCS capabilities.
W BugleRcsCapabilities: Caused by: aupg: [Tachygram] Failed to fetch RCS capabilities from Tachyon
I RcsCapabilitiesDatabase: RCS capabilities were not inserted or updated in the database for MessagingIdentity redacted-pii[12-chars]
W BugleTachygram: eukh: Registration to tachyon failed., TachygramErrorReason(tachygramError=PERMISSION_DENIED, recoveryType=ERROR_NO_RETRY)
I GoogleSignatureVerifier: package info is not set correctly
I Bugle : TelephonySubscriptionInfoAsOfLMR1: getActiveSubscriptionInfo(): empty sub info for subscription{id:-1}

WestQuester

It says "Connected" for me but changes to SMS when I try texting someone in a previously RCS conversation.
Pixel 8
Mint Mobile
GOS Build 2025090800
messages.android_20240806_01_RC03.phone_dynamic

I even turned off RCS in Messages today. Then tried turning it back on. It said "Connecting" and after a reboot it was Connected again. But text and it changes the RCS chat to SMS.

cb474

GrapheneOS RCS currently only provides end-to-end encryption between Google Messages and itself. That's a Google Messages feature.

Okay, it's still better than not having encryption. Also RCS is more secure (less easily hacked) in other ways that don't have to do with end-to-end encryption. Whereas SMS is wildly insecure and easily hacked. So my point remains that Google's verification protocols that are breaking RCS on some platforms are undermining security (by sending people back to SMS) in the same of "verification"/security.

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