"Sent as SMS via Server" on Android: All Your Questions Answered

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How to deal with the "Sent As SMS via Server" message

Co-authored by Hannah Dillon Reviewed by Luigi Oppido

Last Updated: August 23, 2024 Fact Checked

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"Sent As SMS via Server" Meaning & Reasons

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How to Fix "Sent As SMS via Server"

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Troubleshooting

Are you getting a message that your texts are "Sent As SMS via Server?" This message is actually not an error, but a delivery notification letting you know that your message was sent as an SMS message instead of an RCS message. In this article, we'll go over everything you need to know about this notification.

What "Sent As SMS via Server" Means

"Sent As SMS via Server" means that your message couldn't be sent over Rich Communication Services (RCS) and was sent as a Short Message Service (SMS) message instead. RCS messages are sent via Wi-Fi, and therefore don't use any of your mobile data. SMS messages, on the other hand, are sent over data.

Section 1 of 3:

"Sent As SMS via Server" Meaning & Reasons

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"Sent As SMS via Server" means your text was sent as SMS, not RCS. RCS stands for Rich Communication Services and is similar to iMessage on Apple devices. Messages from an Android device via RCS are sent over Wi-Fi or mobile data instead of cellular service, which means they don't count as SMS (Short Message Service) for cellular data plans.
- "Sent As SMS via Server" is a standard delivery status notification, just like the "Sent," "Delivered," "Received," or "Failed" notifications you're probably used to seeing.
- Sending messages as an SMS is a fallback enabled by default on most Android devices, so your messages can still be sent even if your recipient can't receive RCS messages.
- Note that if your text contains a photo or video, it will be sent as an MMS which means Multimedia Messaging Service (even though the notification still says SMS).
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The type of phone and reception quality can cause a message to be sent as SMS. These are the reasons your message may be sent as SMS via server:
- Your recipient is in an area with poor reception and/or no internet access. RCS messages require both the sender and recipient to be on Wi-Fi or mobile data. If the person you're texting isn't connected to Wi-Fi or mobile data, your text will be sent as an SMS.
- You or the recipient have turned off RCS. While sending messages via RCS is enabled by default, you can turn it off in your settings. If this is the case, make sure both you and your recipient have enabled RCS messages.
- Your recipient has an iPhone. If you're trying to text someone who has an iPhone, they won't be able to receive RCS messages. Your text must be sent as a normal SMS/MMS message.
- The recipient has blocked you. This is uncommon, but if you're trying to text someone you know can get RCS messages and the message is sent as an SMS, they may have blocked you. There are other ways you can tell if someone has blocked your number, however.

Section 2 of 3:

How to Fix "Sent As SMS via Server"

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Enable RCS messages. RCS messages are usually enabled by default, but a good first step to fixing this SMS message is to make sure that RCS messages are turned on. Both you and your recipient will need to enable RCS messages, so have your recipient follow these steps too.^{[1]
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- Go to Messages and tap your profile picture in the upper-right corner.
- Tap Messages settings > RCS chats.
- Toggle on Turn on RCS chats if it's turned off.
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Turn on SMS delivery notifications. By default, SMS delivery notifications are turned off. If you enable these reports, instead of getting "Sent As SMS via Server," you'll see a standard delivery notification instead. It won't stop the messages from being sent as SMS, however.^{[2]
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- Go to Messages and tap your profile picture in the upper-right corner.
- Tap Messages settings > Advanced.
- Toggle on Get SMS delivery reports if it's turned off.
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Disable SMS fallback. If you don't want your texts to be sent as SMS at all, you can disable the SMS fallback. Note that if you text someone and RCS fails, the message will not be sent.
- Go to Messages and tap your profile picture in the upper-right corner.
- Tap Messages settings > RCS chats.
- Toggle off Automatically resend as a text (SMS/MMS) if turned on.
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Clear the Messages app cache. While it's not likely, if your Messages app cache has become corrupt, it could cause strange things to happen, like sending your messages as SMS when it should send them as RCS. Generally, clearing your cache is an easy and safe troubleshooting method when things aren't working as they should.
- Go to Settings and click on Apps or Apps and notifications. You may have to click See all to see the full list of your applications.
- Tap on the Messages app.
- Tap on Storage and cache or Storage > Clear cache.

Section 3 of 3:

Troubleshooting

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RCS won't turn on If RCS won't turn on, first ensure that your phone is currently connected to the internet and that you can receive SMS. Then, make sure your messages app, Google Play Store, and Android version are fully up to date. If this doesn't fix the problem, you can try one of the following:
- Clear your carrier services: If you have carrier services, try clearing them to fix the issue of RCS not turning on. If you don't have carrier services, skip to the next method (clearing Google Messages).
  - Turn on airplane mode, then go to your Settings app.
  - Go to Apps & notifications > See all apps > Show system > Carrier Services. The exact menu names may differ depending on which Android model you have.
  - Go to Storage > Clear Storage.
  - Go back to the main Settings menu screen and navigate to Apps & notifications > Carrier Services.
  - Select Force Stop.
  - Turn off airplane mode and restart your phone.
- Clear Google Messages: Note that clearing Google Messages won't delete your messages, but will reset your Google Messages settings.
  - Turn on airplane mode, then go to your Settings app.
  - Go to Apps & notifications > Messages > Storage > Clear Storage. The exact menu names may differ depending on which Android model you have.
  - Go back to the main Settings menu screen and navigate to Apps & notifications > Messages > Force Stop.
  - Turn off airplane mode and restart your phone.
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RCS still won't turn on or nothing is fixing the issue If nothing is fixing the issue, contact your mobile carrier for assistance. There may be a software or hardware issue affecting how your messages are sent. Some of the most common US mobile carrier customer service numbers are listed below, but if yours isn't listed, you can usually find the number pre-programmed into your contacts or online.
- AT&T: 1-800-331-0500
- Verizon: 1-800-922-0204
- T-Mobile: 1-800-937-8997
- Consumer Cellular: 1-888-345-5509
- Google Fi: 1-844-825-5294
- Mint Mobile: 1-800-683-7392
- Straight Talk: 1-877-430-2355