Why is RCS not working between my iPhone running iOS 18 and Android?

Zpk23 wrote:

I’ve only found 1 android user that the RCS texting works with. The weird part is, if I text their sister, who has the same carrier and same phone, it still goes through as sms. Would think RCS would work for both since everything is the same besides the actual phone number.

So you are finding out that RCS is not the White Knight in shining armor that it was hyped up to be by Google when it was pressuring Apple to support it.

lkrupp wrote:

So you are finding out that RCS is not the White Knight in shining armor that it was hyped up to be by Google when it was pressuring Apple to support it.

Or when the media hyped that rather absurd notion that people were being ostracized for having green bubbles...

IdrisSeabright wrote:

Again, I have no problems with SMS. I'm not interested in adding any third-party messaging services. Way too much hassle.

This is such an American attitude for some reason. All over the world, people use something else. And it varies by region. In Europe and South America, most people use WhatsApp. In Asia, many people use WeChat. The world gave up on SMS when better alternatives came along.

But here in the US, we're all still hung up on using the default messaging client that comes with our phones, even though it's a bad experience compared to alternatives.

Now, iMessage provides a great experience. But SMS, when used with non iOS users, does not. And I hate this attitude both sides have where iPhone users tell Android users to get an iPhone, so group chats don't go green. And Android users always say the Apple users are the problem, because Apple didn't support RCS until last month.

Well, guess what? This problem got solved by third parties over a decade ago by providing IP based rich messaging clients with a mobile and desktop client. But for some reason, we Americans just REFUSE to switch to anything else.

I've been trying to get my work group chat switches anything else, and what finally did it was when Apple rolled out RCS support and our group chat kept going from RCS to SMS, and when someone sent a new video or image, it would create a new group chat. At one point, everyone had 3 group chats going that would occasionally merge back into one group chat, and then break apart into multiple group chats.

But the YEARS of pain we put up with because no one could bother to just install an app and create an account. Now we're all using Telegram and wondering why we didn't do this years ago.

My problem is similar since upgrading to iOS18. maybe it is because this one contact doesn't have RCS turned on on his phone, but I can send RCS to other people, but this one person it fails. when it fails I have to tap the exclamation and hit send as text message and then it will send. why doesn't it automatically fall back to that without my having to do it manually? when I try to message him on my Mac, it just fails. there is no option to send it as a text message.

What a pain!

amp68 wrote:

This is such an American attitude for some reason. All over the world, people use something else. And it varies by region. In Europe and South America, most people use WhatsApp. In Asia, many people use WeChat. The world gave up on SMS when better alternatives came along.

It's an "American attitude" that I don't feel the need to make a change because I don't (nor do the people I correspond with) have a problem with SMS? Are you sure I'm American?

But here in the US, we're all still hung up on using the default messaging client that comes with our phones, even though it's a bad experience compared to alternatives.

I am not having a bad experience with Messages.

Now, iMessage provides a great experience. But SMS, when used with non iOS users, does not. And I hate this attitude both sides have where iPhone users tell Android users to get an iPhone, so group chats don't go green. And Android users always say the Apple users are the problem, because Apple didn't support RCS until last month.

I'm not telling anyone to do anything. I'm not sure where you're getting that. I don't have a problem. My Android-using friends don't have a problem. Perhaps it's because we're more interested in the content of the conversation than the color of the bubbles. But you should do what works best for you.

Well, guess what? This problem got solved by third parties over a decade ago by providing IP based rich messaging clients with a mobile and desktop client. But for some reason, we Americans just REFUSE to switch to anything else.

My lack of interest in switching has nothing to do with my nationality. It is I don't have a problem that would be solved by switching messaging apps. They would only cause me problems. I'd have to get other people to switch. I'd have to provide tech support to some of them.

I've been trying to get my work group chat switches anything else, and what finally did it was when Apple rolled out RCS support and our group chat kept going from RCS to SMS, and when someone sent a new video or image, it would create a new group chat. At one point, everyone had 3 group chats going that would occasionally merge back into one group chat, and then break apart into multiple group chats.

That sounds very annoying.

But the YEARS of pain we put up with because no one could bother to just install an app and create an account. Now we're all using Telegram and wondering why we didn't do this years ago.

I'm glad you found a solution that works for you and your co-workers.

I'd like to add, maybe it is or isn't an American thing. speaking for myself, an American, I use a multitude of messaging apps. on both android and iPhone. I personally hate the whatsApp interface. can't stand using it. the iOS messages app for me, has the best UX out of all of them. Not trying to convince anyone to change or anything. But ultimately, I use what has been used all along. if someone starts a WhatsApp conversation I continue it there (which I will say is better while traveling for my wallet at least!) if I get a text, I respond to the text in messages. it all depends on where the conversation began. These alternative apps didn't always exist.

I'm glad SMS is working for you. It totally does not work for me. So many times I paste an image into Messages on MacOS and the message cannot send.

If you're just using iOS, most of what you do will work well. But if you have Text Message Forwarding enabled and try to send messages using Messages on MacOS, you'll get more failures than successful deliveries. For me, it's very frustrating. And the low res videos were also a huge PITA.

And if SMS Is working for you, great. But it was not working for me and my group. We'd constantly complain about it, but I was the only one willing to use something better. Every time I suggested it, I would always get a response that there is a perfectly good messaging app on my phone. Why should I install another one?

There is such friction created by people these days in switching to something better. It's amazing how a better product can come along and die on the vine because of the tyranny of the default.

Sorry. I'm not directing this at you specifically. It just seems to be the attitude of people. You ask them to try something new and their immediate instinct isn't to ask why or what's better. It's to simply say no.

So the RCS messaging feature was working fine when I messaged my boyfriend who has android it was working today no longer works. And I tried another friend messaging another friend who has android and it shows up as RCS. And I’ve already talked to Apple and they’ve tried different ways and now they’re trying to tell me I need to call AT&T, which is my cell phone carrier to talk with them and I was on hold with them still on hold with them. It’s a long wait but it works with other people who have android it just doesn’t work with my boyfriend anymore and I’ve turned the feature on and off restarting my phone. It doesn’t work. It’s only with my boyfriend and it started today.

amp68 wrote:

If you're just using iOS, most of what you do will work well. But if you have Text Message Forwarding enabled and try to send messages using Messages on MacOS, you'll get more failures than successful deliveries. For me, it's very frustrating.

Again, I've never had this problem. I regularly use Text Message Forwarding from my Mac and my iPad. I can't remember the last time it failed.

I think it might be wise to consider that generalizing from your own experience doesn't always lead to accurate or widely applicable conclusions.

I'm having the exact same issue. The first day it was available, the RCS messages allowed my husband and I to text, send photos, and videos seamlessly ( I have the Iphone 15 pro max and he has the S24 ultra). Yesterday, I was no longer able to message him, everytime I tried it would say it failed and I had to "resend as SMS" Super annoying and frustrating to have to go back after every single message even though I have the setting on for it to automatically send as SMS if RCS or imessage are not available.

I'm on T-Mobile and it mostly isn't working. It will show up as RCS for a while and then revert to SMS.

I gave up trying to figure it out. Maybe they'll get it working consistently someday and maybe not. Either way, whatever.

Usmaak wrote:

I'm on T-Mobile and it mostly isn't working. It will show up as RCS for a while and then revert to SMS.

I gave up trying to figure it out. Maybe they'll get it working consistently someday and maybe not. Either way, whatever.

Who’s they?

Dmac190 wrote:

Has anyone tried iOS 18.1? It says it has bug fixes and being put out so fast seems to indicate an urgent fix.

Millions upon millions have now updated to iOS 181., which was actually in beta testing since before the official release of iPhone 16 models. It primarily introduces Apple Intelligence to phones which are eligible for it. And yes, there are bug fixes as almost ALL iOS updates contain. To suggest it was rolled out fast is, however, not correct.

Regardless, if you have an issue with RCS, that wouldn't likely be included in an update. RCS is still a carrier provided feature.

This just keeps getting worse for me. For a while, the RCS would work for a while and then it would go back to SMS. Eventually it would come back to RCS again. Now I have to reboot my phone and it only stays RCS for an hour or two before reverting. I wish that there was at least a reliable way to get it to come back without having to restart my phone. I also wish that they would have waited to implement it until it was stable.

I don't know where the fault lies. I can accept Apple might not be responsible and I actually really don't care who is. I just want it to work.

I am on T-Mobile

It doesn't matter what the recipient is on. My actual device will use RCS for a while and then it will stop. This is verified by Settings > About > ESIM Carrier. Tapping that shows what is enabled. It will say RCS when RCS is enabled and just Voice & SMS when it isn't.

Most of this has nothing to do with my situation. Like I've said, my device will not hold on to RCS for very long when it gets it and then it defaults back to SMS. I suppose it could be an issue with T-Mobile. I haven't contacted them so far because their support tends to take a long time to talk to and in my experience, they tend not to know anything.