If you’re frustrated with the recent updates to Google Messages, particularly the one that forces you to link your phone number to your Google account to receive RCS messages, you’re not alone. Unfortunately, this update comes with a roadblock, preventing you from using your messages unless you link an account. In this post, we’ll walk you through how to disable auto-updates for Google Messages on Android to prevent this issue from affecting you in the future.
The Problem
With a recent Google Messages update, Android users are now required to link their phone number to their Google account to receive RCS (Rich Communication Services) messages. The problem here is that there’s no option to bypass this requirement and continue using Google Messages without linking your account.
While uninstalling the update temporarily resolves the issue by either allowing you to access your messages immediately or giving you the option to continue without linking your phone number, this fix is short-lived. The moment Google Messages updates again, you’re faced with the same frustrating roadblock.
The Solution: Disable Auto Updates for Google Messages
To make sure Google Messages never updates again (at least until the issue is resolved), you can manually disable auto-updates for the app. Here’s how to do it:
Open the Google Play Store on your Android phone.
Tap on your profile icon in the top right corner.
Navigate to Manage apps & devices.
Tap on Manage, and then find Google Messages in the list of apps.
Tap on Google Messages to open the app details page.
Tap the three dots in the top right corner.
In the dropdown menu, uncheck the option that says Enable auto-update.
By unchecking this box, Google Messages will no longer automatically update, meaning you can continue using it without being forced to link your phone number to your Google account.
Why This Works
By disabling auto-updates for Google Messages, you effectively stop the Play Store from downloading the latest updates for this app. This solution works for any other app, too—if you ever encounter a similar issue with other apps, you can follow the same steps to stop their automatic updates.
Final Thoughts
Disabling auto-updates is a handy way to regain control over your apps, especially when certain updates cause unwanted changes like the one with Google Messages. While this workaround won’t stop updates forever, it gives you a chance to wait until a solution or patch is released. Keep in mind that disabling auto-updates for apps also means you’ll miss out on new features and bug fixes, so it’s always good to revisit the update settings when the issue is resolved.
For now, this simple trick should help you bypass the annoying requirement to link your phone number to Google Messages and get back to managing your texts with fewer obstacles.