Key Takeaways

  • Dual SIM RCS for Google Messages seems to be rolling out to US users on various carriers.
  • Users report gaining access with Google Messages 20241018_01_RC00 beta build and later-released versions.
  • A broader release of the dual SIM RCS feature is anticipated in the future, though a timeline is currently uncertain.



Hints surrounding dual SIM RCS support for Google Messages first started appearing in January this year, though it wasn’t until August that the functionality started appearing for some. Fast-forward to October, and support started appearing a bit more widely, with Google Messages users from Canada and Pakistan reporting experiencing dual SIM RCS with Google Messages version 20241018_01_RC00 beta. US user reports, during this time, remained sparse.

Two phones with the Google Messages app against a pink background.

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The most recent wave of reports on Reddit, however, paint a more optimistic picture for Google Messages users in the US. Users across various carriers, including US Mobile, Visible, Verizon, T-Mobile, AT&T, and Google Fi have started gaining dual SIM RCS support within Google Messages beta, signaling a wider roll-out is currently happening.


Notably, users have indicated that the functionality is automatically enabled, with no actions required to activate it in Google Messages 20241018_01_RC00 beta. Other users running the same (or later released) Google Messages beta build with the same carriers have indicated not gaining access, suggesting that the feature might be rolling out as a server-side update and your mileage with it may currently vary.


Stable release timeline is still uncertain

The Google Messages icon with the AP logo against a blue background

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The feature rolling out to some means it’ll soon be available to all, which is a big boon for Android users with more than one phone number in a single device. It’s worth noting, however, that a timeline for when the feature might be available in stable is currently uncertain, especially since Google has been mum about the rollout.


In other recent Google Messages developments, the messaging platform is testing out two new features in the app’s version 20241029_00_RC00 beta build — a timestamp swipe gesture and an option to select image resolution when sending media. The former, as its name suggests, will allow users to swipe left on a message to reveal when it was sent. For reference, previously, users had to tap each message individually to see timestamps.

The latter, akin to WhatsApp, will allow users to choose between HD (optimized for chat) and HD+ (original quality) image resolutions when sending media.