Accessing Old Messages after Message+ Discontinuation on Your Device
Accessing Old Messages After Message+ Discontinuation on Your Device
Verizon's decision to discontinue its Message+ app, effective around June 2024, has left many users wondering how they will access their old messages and continue their messaging services. Here are the key details and steps to help you navigate this transition.
Discontinuation of Message+ App
Verizon has announced that it will start shutting down the Message+ app in June 2024. Once the app is fully shut down, users will no longer be able to use it to send and receive messages.
Impact on Messaging Services
- Web Client Access: The ability to send and receive text messages on Verizon’s website was discontinued as of December 11, 2023. Although this feature is no longer available, your message history will remain accessible.
- Mobile and Desktop Apps: Users can continue to use the Android and iOS versions of Message+ on mobile devices and the Mac desktop version until the full shutdown. However, these apps will eventually cease to function for sending and receiving messages.
Transition to Google Messages
Verizon recommends switching to Google Messages, especially for Android users, before the Message+ app is fully shut down. Here’s how you can make the transition:
- Downloading Google Messages: Android users can download Google Messages directly from the Google Play Store if it is not already installed on their device.
- Setting Up Google Messages: When you open Google Messages, it will prompt you to set it as the default SMS app. By doing so, your existing message history should import automatically into the new app.
Accessing Old Messages
- Automatic Import: When you set Google Messages as your default SMS app, your message history from Message+ should transfer over automatically. However, some users have reported issues with the organization of their message history, with conversations becoming jumbled or mixed up.
- Retaining Message History: Despite the shutdown, your message history will remain accessible through the new app. If you encounter any issues with the import process, you may need to manually organize your conversations.
Additional Features and Considerations
- Auto-Reply and Group Messaging: Some users have highlighted specific features of Message+, such as the auto-reply function and enhanced group messaging capabilities, which may not be fully replicated in Google Messages. Users will need to adjust to the new app's features and limitations.
- WiFi Messaging: Message+ allowed users to send messages over WiFi, even in airplane mode. While Google Messages also supports WiFi messaging, users need to ensure they have WiFi calling enabled to maintain this functionality.
Notifications and Group Texts
During the transition period, users may receive notifications indicating that their number has “left the group” with a 588 area code. These notifications are part of the system maintenance and do not require any action from the user.
By following these steps and recommendations, users can ensure a relatively smooth transition from Verizon's Message+ to Google Messages, preserving their message history and continuing their messaging services without significant disruption.
Very annoying & poor customer service.
I need an attachment on an old message for evidence in a court appearance and it did not transfer (though others did). I can’t even open the old Message+ app to search for it. It’s going to affect my court case now.
Also had an audio message from my father who has since passed away, saying he loved me and “Happy Birthday”. That’s gone too, even though I did what they said to do to sync the messages.
This is the absolute worst decision they’ve ever made and it appears to have been done out of greed more than anything, forcing me to use Google.
I’m absolutely livid. We have a family Verizon account and my husband failed to tell me that it was being discontinued. It’s one thing to disable the app from sending and receiving messages….. it’s quite another to display a pop up message stating that the app has to be updated, then being taken to playstore which does not open using the message link and doesn’t have an update anyway, and blocking the ability to close that message screen to still see all of your old messages. What a nasty company. I had years of text messages and mms photos on that app. Why would they do that??? I had messages from people no longer living and photos of my Grandkids that were sent to me. Of the hundreds of photos that were shared…. I have a GD dozen, if that, that transferred to a new messaging app. Verizon couldn’t just disable sending and receiving??? The had to block accessing every text, link, and photo shared in that app. Hate is a strong word but I’m feeling it.
Agree 100% with the 12/20/24 comment by Anonymous. Important and needed work related messages are missing. This is poor customer service and corporate incompetence at its finest! 😡
I hate this !!!!! My messages did not transfer, did not “sync”. I desperately need some of them!! I’m so aggravated with Verizon. I’m cancelling my accounts!!!
How do I access message+ chat history on my iPad? Google Messages is not available for Apple devices.
Google needs to be divested!!! It’s a monopoly!
HATE Google…it is evil. Guess I’ll have to dump Verizon also.