Galaxy Watch, default messaging app

[Sym0n]

Hi everyone,

I've a Galaxy Watch (42mm, SM-R810) and a Galaxy S9, which I use Textra on for my texts as the default Messages app is a bit rubbish.

If I try to go to Messages on my Watch, I get the message 'Can't retrieve messages. Change your default messaging app to Messages?' and a tick or a cross. Tapping the tick tries to change the default text app on my phone to Messages and shows the messages screen on my Watch, including all of my texts. Whereas tapping the cross takes me straight to the messages screen on my Watch with all of my texts showing, which I can read, reply to, delete etc.

Is anyone else getting this? If it works for everyone, can Samsung update the Watch OS to just let us interact with our messages, without the error message, as it seems to work just fine without having to use Messages on my phone?

Thanks

[Andrew636]

The AppLauncher is quite handy.  This is a great thread, thanks for posting!

I downloaded the AppLauncher for Samsung Watch in the Google Playstore and installed it.  I opened the App Launcher and at the top it has "Applications" - choose which apps you want on your phone - I use Google Messages, so I checked that one.  Then I had to go back to the phone's settings, open Applications, make sure that I give Google Messages all Permissions.  Then I opened Google Messages and tried to set it as Default App for messages - I kept clicking on the button, but it wouldn't do anything.  So went back to Settings / Applications, opened Samsung Messages and used the Force Stop function (you can probably do this even before you start the whole process). It gave me a warning (ignored) and went back and opened Google Messages and was then able to set it as my default.  Right after I did that, I got a text and it came through immediately on my watch in perfect format, no error messages.

[Akaijones]

Andrew - I tried to do as you said but when I go to App Launcher, there is not a choice for Google Messeges.  There are two "Messages" shown but neither have Goolge in front of them.  I guess I could try one to see if its Google but one would think that they would be labled Google Messeges  Any further thoughts on this?  Thanks.

[Andrew636]

Yeah, it can be a bit confusing. For me, there are two message programs and you can only differentiate them by their logo. Google messages is the darker blue with the triangular call out box at the top left and three white horizontal lines in the blue box,  Samsung is the lighter blue with three white dots in the box and the call out at the bottom. Good Luck!

[BlueFalcon249]

I have the s10plus and also use Google messages. I get notifications and can reply from my galaxy watch. Right now I'm looking how to makenit my default message app on my watch

[Akaijones]

Andrew, I cliked on both "messanges" shown in App Launcher but don't know how to get them to come up on my watch to see which one is Google Messenges.  Any thoughts here?  I haven't found much info on how to use App Launcher which I find somewhat amazing.  I'm close to returning the watch until I can figure out how to do this.  

I just wish Samsung would come forward and tell us that it is impossible or is possible to use Google Messenger on the watch and how to do it.  I use it on my computer, my Samsung Pad, and Samsung phone but somehow, I can't use it on my watch.  That doesn't make sense.  Samsung, just tell us!!!