How-to change your default SMS app on Android
Don't like the default text messaging app that came with your Android smartphone anymore? Not to worry, it's super easy to change it.
Since its earliest of days Google has made it possible to change the default SMS app on your phone. So you can simply download an alternative like Textra or Pulse and set it as your default SMS app.
No matter what version of Android you have installed (it can be an older one) you can simply change it to another texting application of your choosing.
Doing so varies from phone model to phone below and below we'll show you how to do it on two different phones. But first, you'll need to have an app like Textra or Pulse installed on your Android handset.
How to Change the Default Messaging app on Android
Using an OnePlus 5T with Android 8.0 Oreo
- Access the Settings Menu by swiping down the notification shade or tapping on the Settings icon
- Scroll down until you find Personal>Apps
- Tap on Default (it's the third option)
- Tap on SMS app and tap on your preferred texting app
Using a Samsung Galaxy A3 (2016) with Android 7.0 Nougat
- Access the Setting Menu by swiping down the notification shade
- Scroll down until you find Apps
- Tap on the three-dot menu located in the top right of the screen
- Tap on Default apps
- Tap on Messaging app and choose your preferred texting app
Why would you want to switch to a third-party SMS app? Well, there are plenty of reasons. The most obvious one is that they allow users to customize their conversations in numerous ways from letting you to pick the color of the text bubbles to choosing the color of the LED notification light that announces you have a new text.
Secondly, some of these apps offer an encrypted way to communicate, so if you're worried about privacy it would be a good idea to switch to a more secure way to communicate with friends and family.
