I dont like the fact that it literally doesn’t let me use SMS on my phone unless i connect it with my google account so they can spy on that too. How do I bypass this? I’m using a Redmi device btw.
A simple way to get around this issue is to install a different SMS app, like Fossify Messages. You can find it on F-Droid or the Play Store if you prefer not to download apps from GitHub. One downside is that many of these SMS apps don’t support RCS, but since you only mentioned SMS, this should be a good and easy alternative.
2 Likes
I had never used Google Messages before, so I decided to install it and see if I could use it without creating an account. When I opened the app for the first time, it actually let me choose to use it without an account right away. I signed in to check if I could switch back to using it without an account, and it was pretty simple.
If you’re already signed in, just click on your profile. There will be a triangle next to your name; click on that. From there, you can either switch to a different account or go back to using it without an account. Give it a try!
However, I would also recommend switching to a different SMS app if you’re not using RCS.
2 Likes
Long-term Google Messages user here, @Username2 is exactly right. I’ve been using GM for a few years now without an account with no changes in the experience.
As for RCS, it is better than SMS (ETE & better experience), especially now that it’s compatible with iPhones. However, if you don’t use it, there are many better FOSS SMS alternatives.
1 Like
Both are right as someone who’s using google messages for E2EE RCS, you really dont need an account and you should be prompted to use without an account and if you didnt then go ahead and do what @Username2 said which is to press on the pfp icon and press use messages without an account.
However I can see why they would be concerned. I recently realized that google messages now depends on google play (and/or gms) even to use the app alone which has become annoying for my degoogled profile (degoogled as in no play services) as I wanted to use it as a traditional sms without this duplication issue I seem to be having with the AOSP one when google messages is installed onto the primary (owner) user
1 Like