Pixel 3a on Verizon - the Google Messages app doesn't handle verizon group texts very

[Jogee]

I was invited into a group chat with 3 other Verizon users, we all have Android phones - but they all use the official (God awful) Verizon Message+ app and I'm using Pixel's default (Google) texting app, which I really like so far. Problem is... When I first was invited into the group text, it worked - kind of. I got text messages and stuff, but instead of replacing the phone numbers that prefixed the messages, it'd just show the phone numbers.

So I asked them what they used, and downloaded the Verizon texting app and switched to that - I could see avatars, the background picture, it read my contact info for each user correctly, etc.. But the app is terrible, I mean a truly god awful piece of garbage - you can't even save images to your phone, just to "Verizon".

Anyways, rant aside - I switched back to Google's texting app and now I'm not getting any messages in the group text - and I asked in person, they're still sending messages, they're just not coming through for me.

So my main question is: How do I fix not receiving group texts anymore? I tried deleting cache + data for the google texting app like I saw being recommended, but that didn't fix it. I really don't want to switch back to the Verizon message+ app if I can help it because it really is terrible.

Any help would be appreciated. I'd even accept another texting app suggestion if it has feature parity with the google app, I just want to do everything I can to avoid Verizon's app.

 

[Droidriven]

I was invited into a group chat with 3 other Verizon users, we all have Android phones - but they all use the official (God awful) Verizon Message+ app and I'm using Pixel's default (Google) texting app, which I really like so far. Problem is... When I first was invited into the group text, it worked - kind of. I got text messages and stuff, but instead of replacing the phone numbers that prefixed the messages, it'd just show the phone numbers.



So I asked them what they used, and downloaded the Verizon texting app and switched to that - I could see avatars, the background picture, it read my contact info for each user correctly, etc.. But the app is terrible, I mean a truly god awful piece of garbage - you can't even save images to your phone, just to "Verizon".



Anyways, rant aside - I switched back to Google's texting app and now I'm not getting any messages in the group text - and I asked in person, they're still sending messages, they're just not coming through for me.



So my main question is: How do I fix not receiving group texts anymore? I tried deleting cache + data for the google texting app like I saw being recommended, but that didn't fix it. I really don't want to switch back to the Verizon message+ app if I can help it because it really is terrible.



Any help would be appreciated. I'd even accept another texting app suggestion if it has feature parity with the google app, I just want to do everything I can to avoid Verizon's app.

Does your device have a "dual messenger" option anywhere in your system settings?

Sent from my SM-S767VL using Tapatalk

 

[ktmom]

No promises, but you might try Textra. I think the problem come from Verizon's app can send over Wi-Fi (desktop apps) and is not really sms compliant.

 

[Jogee]

Thank you both, but sadly no option for dual messaging and I've used Textra and wasn't a huge fan. As awful as the Verizon app is, I may just have to keep using it ?