The Fastest & Easiest Way To Change RCS to SMS: Step-By-Step With Screenshots

For decades, text messaging has been one of the most common ways for people to keep in touch with each other every day. Most Android users rely on two systems: SMS and RCS.

SMS is a standard text messaging method that’s been around for years. This method doesn’t require an internet connection, just a basic cellular signal. On the contrary, RCS is a modern protocol packed with features for the smartphone era.

RCS offers fancy features like read receipts and high resolution image sharing. It's an advanced text exchange similar to iMessage or WhatsApp but built into a standard phone messaging app. On the other hand, SMS is simple, reliable, and works everywhere.

In this guide, we’ll explain each technology, compare them, and guide you on how to change RCS to SMS step by step. Let's get started.

What is SMS messaging?

SMS messaging (Short Message Service) is a traditional text messaging service since the early 1990s that virtually all mobile phones support. When you send a plain text message from your phone, you’re most likely using SMS.

SMS doesn’t require Wi-Fi or an internet connection. If you have a cell signal (even poor network coverage), you can send an SMS. Every mobile device, from the latest iPhone to old flip phones, can send and receive SMS, making it a global standard for messaging.

This wide compatibility makes SMS ideal for personal and business use — think reminders, codes, or marketing texts.

What is RCS messaging?

RCS stands for Rich Communication Services, and as the name suggests, it brings “richer” features to your text conversations. RCS messaging works over the Internet and supports high-resolution photos and videos, group chats, typing indicators, etc.

Introduced in the late 2000s as an upgrade to SMS, RCS was initially limited to Android. It uses your mobile data connection to send messages, which means RCS messaging contributes to your data usage.

RCS only works if both sender and receiver have supported devices, apps, and carriers. Now, most new Android devices with the Google Messages app support RCS. And at the end of 2024, even iPhones started supporting RCS.

However, not everyone has RCS turned on or available. If RCS is unavailable, your message will revert to SMS. In addition, unlike iMessages, RCS messages are not end-to-end encrypted by default​ on iPhones. They're encrypted in transit, so they're safer than SMS.

A quick comparison between RCS and SMS

To understand the differences between SMS and RCS, let’s compare them side by side:

For ordinary users, SMS and RCS don’t usually cost that much. But for businesses, SMS marketing and notification services typically charge a fee for each SMS sent (or bulk pricing). RCS business messaging is still emerging, so some contractors may eventually charge for RCS messages, and implementing RCS for business can be more challenging.

Why switch from RCS to SMS?

So why switch from feature-rich RCS to basic SMS? Here are some solid reasons:

• Global standardization. SMS works for all carriers and on all mobile devices, without any special setup​. If you send an OTP message, you can be sure that the other person will receive it. At the same time, RCS only works if both sides have compatible phones, the feature is enabled, and a data connection.
• Reach and reliability. SMS uses the cellular network’s signaling channel, which means that it can often reach even with a very weak phone signal. For urgent messages, say, a security code or an emergency alert, the simplicity of SMS makes it more reliable.
• Simplicity. With SMS, you don’t have to worry about advanced settings, data dependency, or who has what function. In contrast, RCS can automatically switch someone to SMS, which can make group chatting difficult.
• Data usage considerations. As soon as SMS doesn’t use mobile data, it can be friendlier if you have a limited data plan or poor internet connectivity. SMS barely uses your network and doesn't eat into your data plan.
• Better for business and outreach. With SMS, you can use well-known service providers to send out thousands of texts reliably. DecisionTelecom specializes in SMS messaging solutions that help businesses communicate via text.

How to change RCS to SMS

The exact steps differ a bit between Android and iPhone, so we’ll cover both.

How to disable RCS on your Android phone

Step 1: Open the Google Messages app.

Step 2: Go to the Messages settings menu.

Step 3: Choose RCS chats.

Step 4: Step 4: Turn off RCS chats.

How to turn off RCS messaging on iPhone

Step 1: Go to Settings → App → Messages.

Step 2: Go to RCS Messaging.

Step 3: Switch to off.

Using an SMS messaging service provider

For large-scale messaging, manually switching each phone isn’t practical. Instead, you can use a messaging service. DecisionTelecom allows businesses to send engaging messages through an API or web platform. With connections to 800+ carriers worldwide and infrastructure for delivery in over 200 countries​, our company ensures your marketing messages get through.

Potential Issues when switching from RCS to SMS

After switching, you should be aware of a few trade-offs:

• Sending a photo or video will typically invoke MMS.
• When you send an SMS, you won’t know if it’s been read, and you won’t see those three dots when someone’s composing a response.
• Group chats will downgrade to MMS group.
• Neither SMS nor MMS is encrypted end-to-end. You might avoid sharing highly confidential data.
• The 160-character limit will go back.
• Remember that if you pay per SMS, switching off RCS means you will now incur those charges for each message. 
• Little things you might not have realized you had with RCS will disappear. For example, RCS could support sending someone a contact card or a location pin drop in line.

For businesses using SMS messages with providers like DecisionTelecom, these “issues” are often not issues at all. If businesses need rich features, supplement with other channels.

Conclusion

In this article, we compared SMS and RCS and saw that while RCS offers many features, disadvantages still exist. In particular, it requires the internet and compatible devices on both ends. Meanwhile, SMS, despite its limitations, shines with its versatility and reliability.

When you change RCS to SMS, you do lose some of the benefits: no more typing indicators, payment receipts, or high-resolution media. Group chats become easier, and security isn’t as tight as some encrypted services. But you gain reliability. For many, that’s worth the tradeoff.

All in all, SMS, especially via the DecisionTelecom platform, remains a backbone of reliable communication. Happy texting!

FAQ

Why is my phone using RCS instead of SMS?

If your phone is using RCS, it's probably because the messaging app has chat features enabled and the person you're texting also supports RCS. On many Android phones, RCS is enabled by default. On an iPhone, if you're texting an Android user and your carrier supports RCS, the conversation will also use RCS by default.

Should I turn off RCS?

It depends on your needs and experience. If you find RCS is working well for you, and you enjoy features like read receipts, high-quality media sharing, and better group chats, there’s no need to turn it off.

How to resend RCS as SMS?

On Android, if a “Chat” message fails, you can tap and hold the message, and you’ll get an option like “Resend as SMS/MMS.” On an iPhone, the phone should automatically try SMS after a bit. Essentially, the quickest manual way is to copy the text of your message, delete the original if it’s stuck, and send a new message after disabling RCS.