How to switch off Google asking to switch on WiFi Text messaging

Forums › Android › How to switch off Google asking to switch on WiFi Text messaging

new2nz

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#303281 29-Jan-2023 17:37

I have: a Motorola `moto 5g plus` with `Android 11`

And Chat Features off. I don't want to switch it on, and am getting really annoyed at having to answer the same questions every time I want to send or read texts.

Would anyone know how to switch the pop up in the messages app, please? I can't find anything on google except spam/auto-generated pages with the same information about switching chat features off.

And the google question has been disabled:

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#3028997 29-Jan-2023 17:47

Why don't you just enable it?

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new2nz

94 posts

Master Geek

#3028998 29-Jan-2023 17:54

That's not really my question, but I don't wish to. I just want the messages app to remain SMS only and not to have another Internet-based messenger app to add to the number I have.

stick

357 posts

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#3029000 29-Jan-2023 18:20

Would enabling it and then turning it off work?

Behodar

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#3029001 29-Jan-2023 18:21

Apparently "Go into Apps>Messages>Appear on Top>Off" stops it from popping up. I don't have an Android phone myself so I can't test it, but I've seen that workaround mentioned on a couple of different sites.

cyril7

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#3029003 29-Jan-2023 18:27

Hi, I dont know why you would not want it turned on, its a great feature/service, its not like you are adding another chat app, just expanding the feature set of the stock TXT app.

Cyril

farcus

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#3029048 29-Jan-2023 20:27

I don't know why google just don't enable this by default and remove the setting to disable it.

d3Xt3r

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#3029083 29-Jan-2023 22:57

If you just want plain old SMS messaging, then I'd recommend replacing the default Messages app with something else, like say Textra.

gehenna

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#3029084 29-Jan-2023 23:00

1. It's pointless to not turn it on. It all still works the same way but with richer features you can choose to use or not. SMS to phones not using it will still work
2. Use another SMS app. Google will be pushing this hard and eventually it'll be default.
3. Of all the things you could not want to enable on your phone, this should be the last

SomeoneSomewhere

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#3029101 29-Jan-2023 23:34

I don't think wanting to avoid Google getting their fingers into everything is unreasonable, but I think I have to agree that the only reasonable option is to change SMS apps. Or go custom ROM, which does that anyway.

Repeatedly asking a user to do something they've already said they don't want to do in the hope of wearing them down, and not adding a "don't ask me again" option, is flat out anti-consumer.

nzgeek

618 posts

Ultimate Geek

#3029118 30-Jan-2023 02:55

@new2nz what exactly did the message say? Did it explicitly mention "WiFi" or "chat features"?

If it mentioned "WiFi" rather than "chat features", it could be about a separate feature that lets you use a WiFi network if the mobile network signal is weak. Go into your phone's settings > Network and Internet and look at anything that might be related to SMS or SIM settings.

If it specifically mentioned "chat" then it's definitely the extended chat stuff. If you do turn it on then it's largely transparent, like how iMessage is when you're communicating with another Apple device user.

Chat does have some downsides though. It relies on data, so won't work in data dead zones. If it does have connection issues, it won't always tell you and won't always fall back to SMS. I've had messages show up days late because chat ran into connection issues and finally decided to stay working again.

I think Google have been working on the Messages app to make chat more stable. I haven't had any connection issues for months now.

new2nz

94 posts

Master Geek

#3030109 31-Jan-2023 22:22

> Linux: Why don't you just enable it?

> cyril7: Hi, I dont know why you would not want it turned on, its a great feature/service, its not like you are adding another chat app, just expanding the feature set of the stock TXT app.

I just don't see a compelling reason to route my SMS messages through google systems

> farcus: I don't know why google just don't enable this by default and remove the setting to disable it.

> SomewhereSomeWhere: I don't think wanting to avoid Google getting their fingers into everything is unreasonable, but I think I have to agree that the only reasonable option is to change SMS apps. Or go custom ROM, which does that anyway. Repeatedly asking a user to do something they've already said they don't want to do in the hope of wearing them down, and not adding a "don't ask me again" option, is flat out anti-consumer.

Agreed

> d3xt3r: If you just want plain old SMS messaging, then I'd recommend replacing the default Messages app with something else, like say Textra.

gehenna : 1. It's pointless to not turn it on. It all still works the same way but with richer features you can choose to use or not. SMS to phones not using it will still work
2. Use another SMS app. Google will be pushing this hard and eventually it'll be default.
3. Of all the things you could not want to enable on your phone, this should be the last

Looks like I will have to. Thanks.

new2nz

94 posts

Master Geek

#3030110 31-Jan-2023 22:24

nzgeek: @new2nz what exactly did the message say? Did it explicitly mention "WiFi" or "chat features"?

If it mentioned "WiFi" rather than "chat features", it could be about a separate feature that lets you use a WiFi network if the mobile network signal is weak. Go into your phone's settings > Network and Internet and look at anything that might be related to SMS or SIM settings.

If it specifically mentioned "chat" then it's definitely the extended chat stuff. If you do turn it on then it's largely transparent, like how iMessage is when you're communicating with another Apple device user.

Chat does have some downsides though. It relies on data, so won't work in data dead zones. If it does have connection issues, it won't always tell you and won't always fall back to SMS. I've had messages show up days late because chat ran into connection issues and finally decided to stay working again.

I think Google have been working on the Messages app to make chat more stable. I haven't had any connection issues for months now.

Funnily enough it seems to have quietened down this evening. Will update you when I it returns - which I'm sure will be in the next couple of days. No, I don't think it says chat, I think the words were like "switch to using Wi-Fi data to send messages"

farcus

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#3030115 31-Jan-2023 22:31

new2nz:

I just don't see a compelling reason to route my SMS messages through google system

end to end encryption?

gehenna

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#3030118 31-Jan-2023 22:38

Receipt notifications. Better image quality than mms. No cost per message. There's lots of compelling reasons. You may not have a compatible use case but that's a different reason to not want it.

new2nz

94 posts

Master Geek

#3030119 31-Jan-2023 22:39

farcus:

new2nz:

I just don't see a compelling reason to route my SMS messages through google system

end to end encryption?

That's only if everyone on the other end is using it. And that's a big if since I'm choosing SMS and most of the people I communicate with use SMS are people for whom e2e is something they'd think was from star trek. Otherwise, SMS as a simple tool is fine by me. If I want secure come with certain people I'd certainly use something else. I'm not poo pooing idea of e2e but for SMS? It's not a standard that I'd like google to be the owners of.

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