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ZDNET’s key takeaways
- Samsung is ending its messaging app someday in July.
- Android 12 or newer customers should change to Google Messages.
- Again up your messages to Samsung Cloud or Google Drive.
The reckoning is right here. Nicely, nearly right here, and perhaps rather less dramatic than I am describing. Samsung not too long ago confirmed that it will be shuttering its personal Messages app in favor of Google’s, requiring customers on Samsung telephones operating Android 12 or newer to make the swap in July in the event that they have not accomplished so already.
This sunsetting marks an almost 16-year run for the proprietary communication platform, one which has constructed fairly the cult following over time. However nobody needs to be stunned to see this coming. Simply two years in the past, Samsung started delivery its newest Galaxy telephones with Google Messages set because the default messaging app. Extra not too long ago, you would not even have the ability to obtain the Samsung Messages app on telephones just like the Galaxy S26 collection.
So, what offers? There are many unofficial theories behind the transition, however the prevailing assumption is easy: Samsung now not desires the burden of managing its personal messaging servers. It makes extra sense at hand the reins to Google, which has steadily constructed a platform dwelling to billions of Android customers. Between the sensible, safety, and monetary ramifications, the transfer simply is smart for the enterprise.
That mentioned, when you’re like me and wish to again up any vital messages from over time, you’ve got received choices. I am going to go over essentially the most dependable ones under, forgoing those that contain third-party companies which will put your private data in danger.
1. Backing up your messages regionally
Your most safe backup possibility is a neighborhood switch to an exterior storage drive, or SSD. Relying on what number of months’ or years’ price of messages you will be shifting, you will wish to ensure the drive has sufficient reminiscence to host the information.
That is usually an excellent time to look over your varied threads and conversations and delete those you do not need (or have) to retailer, akin to 2FA and OTA codes, transaction histories, and receipts.
To again up your Samsung Messages texts, join your SSD to your telephone, open the Good Swap app by going to Settings > Accounts and backup > Good Swap, choose the storage icon within the high proper nook, then Again up, and faucet Messages. The telephone ought to start packaging your texts right into a readable file.
2. Backing up your messages to the cloud
It may be intimidating for some, however cloud backups are rather more dependable and useful than they was once, due to safety enhancements to companies like Samsung Knox, which comes inbuilt on most trendy Samsung telephones. It is also an intuitive technique to again up and restore information — not simply textual content messages — while you ultimately change to a brand new system.
There are two native cloud companies which you can again up your Samsung Messages to: Samsung Cloud and Google Drive. Personally, I would suggest the latter, because it’s extra accessible throughout telephones and PCs, together with non-Samsung gadgets. Google Drive additionally comes with 15GB of free storage, versus Samsung’s 5GB, in case you have not been profiting from that profit.
This is the breakdown of the 2 companies that will help you higher determine. If it helps, there’s an argument for backing as much as each companies.
| Characteristic | Samsung Cloud | Google One/Drive |
| Supreme for | Galaxy-to-Galaxy transitions | Multi-device and cross-brand sync |
| Free storage quantity | 5GB (varies by area/plan) | 15GB (shared with Gmail/Drive) |
| Images/movies | Synced through Microsoft OneDrive | Managed through Google Images |
| System settings | Deep backup of Residence display, alarms, and many others. | Primary Android settings backup |
| App help | Samsung apps (Notes, Calendar) | Google apps and third-party app knowledge |
| Accessibility | Finest on Samsung gadgets | Accessible on net, iOS, and Android |
For each companies, you possibly can again up your texts by opening Settings > Accounts and backup > Again up knowledge beneath Samsung Cloud and/or Google Drive. You will be required to sign up to both your Samsung account or Google account, relying on the service.
If the method is completed correctly, the respective settings pages ought to present your final backed-up timestamp, which needs to be at present’s date.
What occurs subsequent?
Together with your textual content messages backed up, I would suggest you begin testing Google Messages, or different communication platforms, to see which one you’d want earlier than Samsung in the end pulls the plug in July. Whereas the corporate hasn’t confirmed the precise date of the sunsetting, it by no means hurts to organize your self forward of time.
Personally, I am switching to Google Messages. It could not have the identical personalization options as Samsung’s, however it has its benefits, like a extra common RCS system that is not restricted to any particular provider, some helpful Gemini integrations, sensible replies and native AI picture technology, and, from what I’ve skilled, a extra dependable spam detector. We could even see some newer options as quickly as later this month.
