Meaning of the blue dot symbol on Android messaging app

In the ever-evolving world of technology, text messaging has taken a significant leap forward with the introduction of Rich Communication Services (RCS). This modern replacement for SMS/MMS offers enhanced features, improved media quality, and stronger privacy to elevate your texting experience.

RCS is now available on Android devices, with mobile telecommunications companies such as 1&1 Drillisch brands (sim.de, winSIM, sim24.de) in Germany's 5G network, and Vodafone, providing RCS functions for Android users. However, full nationwide support for iOS devices is still evolving as of mid-2025.

Google integrates RCS into its Android Messages app, allowing users to enjoy the benefits if their carrier supports it. One of the key features of RCS is the ability to control whether to share read receipts or typing status in chats. This gives users the freedom to maintain their privacy as they wish.

When both you and your contact support RCS, Messages switches you into an RCS chat and shows a blue dot. This blue dot signifies that your Messages app has been upgraded to a more advanced level with richer media, smarter features, and stronger privacy. With RCS, you can send sharper photos and videos, larger files, and proper group chats.

End-to-end encryption is available in one-to-one RCS chats, enhancing privacy and security. Even if not everyone in the conversation has RCS, the system falls back to SMS when RCS is not available, ensuring that the conversation can continue seamlessly.

To switch on RCS in Google Messages, open the app, go to Messages settings, and toggle Enable chat features on. However, it's important to note that features can slightly vary between phone manufacturers and mobile networks in RCS.

In addition, the 'Resend as SMS/MMS' option is available for instances when data is unstable. This ensures that your messages are delivered even in less than ideal network conditions.

Messages are sent over Wi-Fi or mobile data, not per-text charges, making it a cost-effective solution for texting. The blue dot indicates that you are experiencing the best version of Android texting available today.

This article aims to provide an overview of the benefits and features of RCS, the modern replacement for SMS/MMS. As the technology continues to evolve, we can expect even more exciting developments in the realm of text messaging.