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How to Change the Galaxy S7 Text Message App

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This guide explains how to change the Galaxy S7 text message app for users enjoying Samsung’s latest smartphone. Now that both the Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 Edge have been available for a few weeks, users are enjoying all they have to offer, and have lots of questions. Here’s how to change the default text message application.

Samsung’s new Galaxy S7 is an impressive device with an excellent display, great new camera, IP68 water resistance, SD card slot and more. It’s powerful enough to do just about everything. Today we’ll be showing users how to do something as simple as change the text “Messages” app to something different.

Read: How to Disable Text Message Previews on the Galaxy S7

Like most manufacturers Samsung has its own text app specifically for Galaxy phones. It’s called “Messages” and is a pretty good stock option. Messages has touches of Google’s Material Design and it matches Android 6.0 Marshmallow pretty close. However, most stock apps aren’t very appealing, don’t have too many features, and aren’t customizable. Instead, download one of the many 3rd party text apps we’ll detail below.

With the Galaxy S7 and S7 Edge the pre-installed “Messages” app has more to offer than most, but could still be better. It features some backup options, and a few quick controls like a swipe to call, or while in a conversation just bring the phone to your ear and it will call that contact, but that’s all. It’s still limited in comparison to the vast majority of third party text message apps on the Google Play Store. Below are a few of our favorite text applications.

Read: 5 Best Android Text App Alternatives

When you replace your stock app with something from the Play Store it will likely be customizable with themes or backgrounds, font, change the look of the message bubbles, colors and much more. It all depends on which app a user decides to try, and the link above details a few good options, then the guide below will help you change out the messaging app for something a bit more useful.

Instructions

In recent versions of Android we have a dedicated option in settings that turns one text app on and the other off, so users won’t get double notifications like the old days. It won’t let two be set as “default” at once. What we’ll be doing is downloading a new text app, setting it as default, and making sure its all setup how it needs to be.

First things first is you’ll want to navigate to the Google Play Store and download one of the many different third party text apps. Textra is my favorite, GoSMS or Chomp are popular, and a few others made our list linked to above. Download it, and proceed with the instructions below. Most change the default app settings for you. Textra will have a big “Set as Default” button on bottom when you first open it and set things up. Click that and you’re all set. If the text app you tried doesn’t chance it by default, here’s how to make the changes.

S7-text

Owners can start by heading into settings and under the “Device” column navigate to Applications > Default Applications > and tap Messaging App. This will take us to another screen (as shown above) to select which app you downloaded. If none are installed, only Samsung’s stock option will be displayed, as well as Google Hangouts. Tap which app you’d like to use (we chose Textra) and you’re all done.

This now sets that app to be the only one that will send, receive, and notify the Galaxy S7 and S7 Edge of incoming text messages. Apps like Textra allow owners to change the font, style, colors, bubble colors, and even the notification icon. Get creative, and set it up as you see fit. Some are more friendly and customizable than others, so try a few.

There are countless excellent text messaging applications available on the Google Play Store, and a few of our favorites were linked to above. Give them all a try and see what works best. While we’re here, check out some great accessories for the Galaxy S7 below.

14 Official Galaxy S7 Accessories Worth Buying

Galaxy S7 S-View Flip Cover

Galaxy S7 S-View Flip Cover

As expected, the popular S-View case is also available for the Galaxy S7 and S7 Edge, and comes in multiple different colors. For the Galaxy S7 there's Black and Gold, the two colors being offered, then for the Galaxy S7 Edge it comes in Black, Gold & Silver. The S-View has been popular for years, and protects your device while letting you interact with it without ever opening the case. Basically offering full protection even while you answer calls, take pictures and more.

When closed, the S-View cover offers instant access to critical features through a unique window interface, thanks to the Samsung ID chip. View the home screen to check the time, weather and other status items. Accept or reject incoming calls with just a swipe, or reject calls with a preset message. Control your music playback directly on the S-View screen. If you miss anything, notifications are shown in the recent activity menu of your S-View cover. It works even better with the new always-on display feature.

Buy it Now for $49.99

13 Comments

13 Comments

  1. Thersathomas

    03/24/2016 at 7:23 pm

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    • jack

      10/17/2016 at 3:44 pm

      Are there that many suckers out there?
      So why are you so committed to this?

  2. Fran

    04/01/2016 at 10:01 pm

    Thank you for the info. I have a question, I installed the chomp SMS app and made it my default and now I’m not showing the event notification on my “always on display” screen on my Samsung Galaxy s7 edge. Can you please tell me why this could be happening? Thanks!

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    04/10/2016 at 12:26 am

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  4. jonny rocket

    04/14/2016 at 9:04 pm

    i love my S7

  5. Becky

    05/01/2016 at 5:59 am

    Will any of these messenger apps fix the problem with the Samsung Galaxy S7 messenger. It will only allow 1 pic to be sent per text message

  6. Brittany Urban

    05/02/2016 at 11:17 am

    Okay so I have the galaxy S7 and for the last week my phone hasn’t been making sounds when I get a text message and it doesn’t display anymore in the top bar. I have all my volumes up and as loud as they will go, does anyone have any idea on how to fix this issue. I am starting to regret the phone choice I made because this is now my 2nd issue with the phone and I haven’t owned it that long.

    • Amber

      08/14/2016 at 10:34 pm

      Go into settings, then applications, then application manager scroll to “messages” and turn the notifications on i guess this happen to pretty much every s7 owner but it took MONTHS to find any information that actually worked to fix it! Good luck!

  7. Mel

    05/05/2016 at 8:51 pm

    I hate this phone. S5 was great. Thought S6 would be BETTER, seemed less, and S7 is even worse. No microphone on keyboard. Can’t download fonts. (Well you CAN, but the phone won’t let you USE them). Can only save an image if you’re on the Internet, when BEFORE this stupid phone, you could press and hold practically ANYTHING, ANYWHERE, save image and it’s yours. Not many options for background colors, keyboards, UNLESS YOU DOWNLOAD EVERYTHING. Maybe this information will help. But only this one lame problem. What about all the others? Bad move, talky bad move falling for this one.

    • Myny

      05/19/2016 at 12:07 pm

      Mel
      I had the same problem locating the mic on the keyboard and had to look it up on the internet. It is there, however, you need to press and leave the button pressed next to the SYM button, it gives you the option to use the mic, the clipboard, settings, or the emoticon face as default. Once you press it, it can become the default function of the button.

  8. Kelly Whitis Brewton McGinty

    06/26/2016 at 10:14 am

    Myny omg thank you so much !!!!! I totally got frustrated not having the mic option … you are a life saver . I am on the go alot and dont have time to type much!!

  9. Scotty

    02/05/2017 at 4:25 pm

    Was using my S7 today and was texting normal. I checked my phone to send another text this evening and it keeps asking to create a new group. I have never seen this pop up before. I can select a single contact to send to but instead of the send arrow it has the arrow in BLUE and says SMS. Is this a new update to the app or did I hit a button unexpectedly??? Is fat fingered a button what is the fix to undo the SMS??

  10. Adrian Centea

    05/17/2017 at 11:29 pm

    I have a Samsung Galaxy S7. How can I send more than 20 messages at once ? Where can I set the number of simultaneous messages ?
    Thanks

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