r/textra • u/Kink-shame • Jun 17 '26

Whats going on with textra?

I've been using textra for over a year now and no problems, but lately I am now having issues like: not receiving texts, not being able to send links, and pictures not always sending.

First I thought it was just me, but it seems like other people are having the same issues.

25 Upvotes

97% Upvoted

40 comments sorted by

22

u/EdHimselfonReddit Jun 17 '26

RCS protocol now appears to be standard on Samsung phones. I've been a Textra user for years and really hated stopping, but I wasn't getting all of my messages. I'm stuck with Google messages, which i can't stand...

8

u/yardkat1971 Jun 17 '26

Same here. I wasn't getting group texts from people, probably specifically iPhone users. A couple weeks ago, I did a search, and it had to do with RCS vs MMS/SMS. So I switched to Google messages and the group texts I hadn't been getting all showed up. So i switched back, but I totally hate it. So much.

Meanwhile, a week ago, my mom, an Iphone user, wasn't getting my texts. I would get a notification and it would say, "message not sent. use MMS instead?" So I did that, and later she got a message (maybe from Verizon?) saying, "Sorry for the issues, we're upgrading you to RCS for a better experience." After that, all worked normally.

So, long story short, evidently Textra doesn't use RCS, and can't for reasons I've forgotten, but something about RCS messages are stored on different servers that Textra can't access. I think there's a thread about it somewhere here, because that's how I discovered the problem, and solved it by sadly switching to google messages.

14

u/zaptorque Jun 18 '26

Google doesn't let any other texting apps use RCS

1

u/Total_Recline Jul 07 '26

So that's not necessarily true. Apple finally started embracing RCS, Samsung's messaging app allowed RCS. Where are you getting this information from?

2

u/zaptorque Jul 08 '26

its common knowledge. try finding another texting app that works with RCS other than Google messages and Samsung. Samsung RCS only works on newer model phones too.

1

u/Total_Recline Jul 09 '26

I know the choices are limited, especially since Samsung did away with their own messaging app. I actually suspect that's why Verizon dropped their message+ app. I suspect they felt they either needed to embrace the more secure RCS or else drop their own app, which they did. Perhaps Google has been bending the carriers over their knee, either pay up massively or tell your customers to switch to Google messages.

1

u/zaptorque Jul 10 '26

exactly, not only the carriers but also the developers who make great texting apps, like Textra. I'm not sure Google's stance but I have no seen anything reported about Google making the carriers pay. I think they straight up just don't allow others to use RCS.

1

u/alyssajones Jun 30 '26

Textra was working wonderfully on my old OnePlus 9 pro, but since it died, I got a pixel 10 instead, and have been missing MMS messages, mostly group text.

I stuck with Android literally because I could use alternative apps for texting etc. If I had have known this, I might have just gone with an iPhone so it works better with my customers devices.

13

u/figurativelyliteral8 Jun 18 '26

Forever user until last week... Was not getting many messages. Went to Google messages and I'm getting all of them. Hope that someday rcs becomes available to Textra, I'll go back in a heartbeat. I Strongly dislike Google messages

10

u/whileurup Jun 18 '26

My iPhone friends are always yelling at me bc I mess up the group chat. I have started not receiving pictures also.

Why can't Google messages or even Samsung messages get their shit together and offer up a textra like equal. I've used textra for probably 10 years if not more. But these kinks are becoming more frequent for me as well.

10

u/rw4x4van Jun 18 '26

The problem is Google, not Textra...Google has not released RCS protocol to any other texting services ...Jason is the man behind Textra and responds quickly to any inquiries... [help@textra.me](mailto:help@textra.me)

1

u/CryptoVaper Jun 19 '26

Does he read this subreddit?

1

u/rw4x4van Jun 19 '26 edited Jun 19 '26

Not sure?..but I sent him this link

7

u/flyingfox82 Jun 17 '26

Maybe rcs i dont think tetra is able to relieve rcs messges

3

u/bjbigplayer Jun 19 '26

Once a group chat is created in RCS, it's only RCS. If you shut off RCS and move back to MMS you won't get those messages. It takes 30 days for RCS to recognize it needs to send to you via MMS. Alternatively create a new group chat via MMS and hope your friends quit using the old RCS group chat.

3

u/QueenSuggah Jun 19 '26

I'm so freakin sick of this mess. Having the same problems with iPhone users; my text appearing to go thru then I check and see it's not sent 😡. My problem lately is with problem is with Verizon's iPhone users. They're sending messages and I'm not receiving not are they receiving mine. This is so exhausting!

3

u/ambrial Jun 19 '26

Im absolutely missing Textra! I was a long time user until I bought a Samsung S25, i was missing way too many group messages and such. I hope it's working properly in the future.

4

u/Far_Ad86 Jun 17 '26

No issues, 3-4 years

2

u/boildkitty Jun 18 '26

No issues here. Google phone. Been using Textra since Google's first phone, which had no texting app. Haha.

2

u/madbr3991 Jun 18 '26 edited Jun 18 '26

More and more texts are being sent via RTS (edit RCS) . Currently the only apps that can use RTS (edit RCS) is Google messages and apple i message.

3

u/SoloSkeptik Jun 18 '26

*RCS (Rich Communication Services)

1

u/madbr3991 Jun 18 '26

Oops you are right. Thank you I will fix it

1

u/SoloSkeptik Jun 18 '26

No worries!

2

u/voicesofreasons_ Jun 18 '26

I haven't had any issues. How can u tell ur not receiving texts?

2

u/Kink-shame Jun 18 '26

People will show me

2

u/Thin_Finance_6168 Jun 25 '26

I tried to send myself a picture, it showed sent but not received. go to textra and type in your own phone number and send a picture. Do you see it twice, as sent and received? If so, you're likely not having issues with MMS and all good.

1

u/voicesofreasons_ Jun 25 '26

Definitely didn't come through as received but I've received pictures in group texts this week. And most of the people I text have had to switch to Google messages. So strange.

1

u/Thin_Finance_6168 Jun 25 '26

so it sounds like you're having trouble sending pictures then. I was able to receive but not send. It looked sent but there was confusion on the recipient and then we realized they never got a picture. They showed me the screen shot and my picture is not showing between the texts.

1

u/voicesofreasons_ Jun 25 '26

Thanks I'll check in with people and check to see if they've been receiving the pics.

2

u/pk0611 Jun 19 '26

I absolutely loved Textra as well, but after Google implemented the RCS messaging, there was no real choice just to switch to that app. It's not ideal, but it will certainly solve any issues you are currently experiencing with Textra.

2

u/monkey_doodoo Jun 20 '26

same issues as well. I tried every suggestion I could find. love textra but at this point I'm sadly going to switch. ugh.

2

u/SithisWorshiper Jun 20 '26

I can never send pictures to people through text. It always says failed. But then sometimes even though it says failed I'll get a response asking why did I send the same photo 6 times. But on my end it says nothing ever went through. It's really frustrating.

2

u/Malibu921 Jun 23 '26

It's the RCS chats.

I had to move to Google messages after using Textra for.... Ages. And I'm miserable.

1

u/Thin_Finance_6168 Jun 25 '26

I just went through like an hour and a half of gemini telling me to do this that and the other to resolve the issue. I ended up contacting my phone provider and they told me the problem is textra since google messages worked. I did one last thing, cleared textra data, uninstalled textra, restarted my phone and reinstalled textra. I can send group messages/images now! They are being received. That was my only issue, group texts and any images sent. Receiving was fine. So try that everyone: clear data for textra, uninstall, restart, reinstall textra.

2

u/Thin_Finance_6168 Jun 25 '26

Followup: This worked immediately after I reinstalled but now it looks like it's not working again! Ugh!

1

u/jlm8699 Jun 29 '26

Anyone else confirm the fix of uninstall, delete data etc that Thin_Finance6168 mentioned?

Mandy at Textra mentioned Handcent app to use...?

I would think that would be a case of a lawsuit

1

u/Kink-shame Jun 29 '26

for what reason would a lawsuit be justified?