How to write and save a decent, plain, simple SMS without RCS, MMS or any fancy stuff?

Help Fairphone 5
,
1

This FP5 is my first smartphone. Yesterday morning I could send a normal PLAIN SMS, it was shown in a big square taking up a decent space (8,7 cm in height & 6,5 cm large)… exactly as it should.
Then I made some mistakes, and had to reload gBoard. But the situation got worse (except for the SEND function).
When I type text, instead of showing it in the big space above, it puts it in (a bit cynical) a tiny, little, insignificant and totally useless, microscopic input field.
[only 1 line and 3,5 cm wide followed by 2 (for me totally useless) icons: SMILEYS and MMS voice] while the BIG FIELD ABOVE remains BLANC the whole time!

Furthermore some of my contacts are stuck with RCS format and NOI WAY to get rid of it. Even if I delete all conversations!!!
When I choose one of those recipients it automatically put it in RCS mode, what I don’t want BUT, up to now, can’t change it. So I’m utterly blocked. I can’t send a proper plain simple SMS to them.

Q1. How can I definitely disable all other type of messages (like RCS & MMS, which I don’t want to use for very good reasons) or at least privilege SMS texting?

When using the Message app with other contact it gives SMS but… I can only type in that ridicule tiny, input field, where I can see, at most, only the last 17 characters typed, and of course, we don’t speak about multiple lines; it’s not because I use clear plain text fields, that I don’t use proper punctuation. Q.E.D.
So:
Q2a) How to see what I type in the big box ABOVE? like before, and outside that tiny, input field, which doesn’t seem to have any use!
Q2b) And even if this is the NEW texting input field, what’s the use of that big empty space above which always remains BLANC?!

Q3. How can I SAVE an SMS, and, if possible make it a template?

Q4. How to get back the Voice input possibility to make it PLAIN TEXT instead of activating an MMS? I had some possibilities with “Google Voice Typing”… which worked well but disappeared since the Gboard update.

About ARCHIVED messages:
Even in Messages, I only get: Unread, Known, Unknown, Starred, Images, Videos, Places & Links [1]
When I read a msg, on the top right I have: “Add people”, Details, Starred, Search, Unarchive, Delete, “Show Subject Field”, “Block & report SPAM” & “Help and feedback”
and even if I tap UNARCHIVE (twice) I don’t get any list of archived messages…
So where are those Archives?
There not in message, not in Files, and I don’t bother about Google elephantshit[2] telling me it’s in the mail app.

[1] as I forgot to write down how I get this list, so now I can’t find it back + whatever I do Messages is always go back to the previous state… EVEN IF I DELETE the whole conversation!!!
[2] Sorry but that’s my daily experience with Google Help

Thanks for helping me normal SMS back and if possible with voice input I can edit with the normal keyboard option.

4

OK, gBoard solved and OK that I need to enter teh recipeint first, BUT:
• can I SAVE it for later?
• can I disable the auto-send? And at least get a notification the-at it was send (on my old GSM value 40€, it got a list of all messages send, a clear indication it was send and… I COULD MAKE DRAFTSand I had even many self-made templates to choose from.
Here I can’t even see a list of messages, let alone to have different folders: SEND, RECEIVED, DRAFT, & TEMPLATES. Isn’t that crazy?
• Do you have any idea what makes a SMS been send? What (hidden) button/icon or spot did I tap to send it? (yes, I was cynical with the word “hidden”)

5

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On my FP5 it looks as follows

  1. Press start the chat
  2. You choose the recipient
  3. Use the keyboard to input the message (or a keyboard mic)
  4. Press the arrow to send

The sent message will appear under the recipient in a sort of thread with all the past messages

6

But now it’s back to before! When I tap the microphone, it starts recording an MMS, what I do not want.
WORSE: Even with the keyboard, the text appears in a tiny little input field which can hold max. 20 characters or less.
BETTER: on the other hand I got a dialog box asking me if I want to send it and, I got the answer directly (it was a consultation about my balance, momentarily, I’m paying for each SMS).
So the new questions are:
Q1. How can I SAVE an SMS, and, if possible make it a template?
Q2. How to see what I type in the big box ABOVE, like before, and outside that (a bit cynical) tiny, little, insignificant and totally useless, microscopic input field, which I don’t even know why it is there. And even if this is the NEW texting input field , what’s the use of that big blanc empty space above?!
Q3. How can I definitely disable all other type of messages (like RCS & MMS, which I don’t want to use for very good reasons)
Q4. How to get the Voici input possibility make it PLAIN TEXT instead of activating an MMS?
I know, that’s quite a lot, isn’t it?
Do I need to make it a new topic?

7

When I press start and choose the person U want to send an SMS to, it saus RCS message in that tiny littel box and I can’t change it!!!

8

I don’t know, whether it is possible to make a template, never used it, every answer I’m typing is unique. You can save text by copy it and add it to a document in a text editor.

Why it is there? It’s the input field, it dynamically grows, if neccessary. The big field above is for the message history, if you didn’t send or receive anything from this communication partner, it’s empty ‘for a good reason’.

In the settings of the message app, tap on the profile icon in the upper right corner.

So you want to use sppech to text and not sending a voice mesasge?

9

There is NO “SMS”-option at the right of that tiny little input field where, in those cases mentionned, “RCS message” is written in it!
And above RCS chat with <the person’s name>

I don’t know yet how to send a screenshot.
Can you tell me how?
And where is it located?
Or better still: how to send it to myself (as, fortunately, I’m know to my FP). It’s sooooo easy my desktop computer.

10

When typing a message, the upper right corner has the three dot menu. Open it, tap Details, and there you can disable RCS for the particular chat.

If you only want to do that temporarily, what I do is disconnect the phone from internet, send the rcs, it won’t be sent because no connection. Then tap on the bubble of the not yet sent message and it will allow you to switch it to sms.

11

Otherwise, I feel your pain from the switch from a feature phone. I did it two years ago. Lots of things work different.

Regarding templates, there’s no such thing afaik. However, gboard learns quickly, so if you type some text often, it will suggest it to you directly in the keyboard suggestions.

If you only want to write a draft of a message and send it later, just type it and don’t send. The draft is saved automatically so that next time you open the conversation, it will be there. Not sure it survives reboot, but I’d guess it does.

1 Like
12 
Q1. (SNIP)

I don’t know, whether it is possible to make a template, never used it, every answer I’m typing is unique. You can save text by copy it and add it to a document in a text editor.

My answers are preceded by this triple “GREATER THAN” sign separated by a spece.
(prologue: I’m living very naturally and as healthy as possible, with, after all vital expenses paid, I have 9€/day… which is enough for me. I received this FP5 from a true human angel)
one example: I regularly check how much is my outstanding (mobile phone) balance for which I simply need to send the word CONSULT to a free number.

Q2.  (SNIP)

Why it is there? It’s the input field, it dynamically grows, if necessary. The big field above is for the message history, if you didn’t send or receive anything from this communication partner, it’s empty ‘for a good reason’.

NO, Im’ writing a NEW SMS not an answer. If I could use 60 to 70% yesterday morning and today I’m restricted to a mere 17 characters, something has changed no?
And don’t you agree it’s stupid that the field above (those 60 to 70%) remains empty THE WHOLE TIME !!!
Even if I answer, doesn’t you find it a queer you can see only 17 characters? And if you need to see so much of the text of the one you’re responding to, why not allow to make a split screen where you choose the size of both?

Q3.  (SNIP)

In the settings of the message app, tap on the profile icon in the upper right corner.

THAT WHAT I DID there is only ARHIVE and I couldn’t find where that is (not in “”Keep n…”, not in files, not in Messages).

Q4. How to get the Voici input possibility make it PLAIN TEXT instead of activating an MMS?

So you want to use sppech to text and not sending a voice mesasge?

Yes, I want to be able to SPEAK and it will be shown as text, which I can edit with the normal keyboard. I did this for hours yesterday, thanks to “Google Voice Typing” which is fait good.

Hope it’s more clear now

13

I have “Add people”, Details, Starred, Search, Unarchive, Delete, “Show Subject Field”, “Block & report SPAM” & “Help and feedback”.
Help only tells me how to turn RCS ON (while it is already ENABLED) and…much further away, it shows a link “to turn off RCS chats” but nothing happens when I tap on it (I tried it may a hundredth times, it highlight, that’s all). The other option ion tis to tap my profile picture or icon on the top right, but I don”t have one!!
Maybe THATS’s the problem. How to enable that icon?

14

ADDENDUM :

  1. To disable RCS : it says: “AT THE TOP RIGHT, TAP YOUR PROFILE PICTURE OR ICON”, but… there never is (and was) none!!!
    Q. How to enable that icon?
  2. When I tap Messages, I get a nice horizontal view of SOME names of my contacts, EXCEPT those which are only seen in the app Contacts and who, when wanting to sends a text, it automatically indicates RCS, by showing the text “RCS message” in that tiny minuscule field. There is no option, ICON, or menu to change it; I’ve tapping EVERYWHERE !!!
    NO WAY TO CHANGE THIS and I deleted all communications of those people bound to RCS: it didn’t help!!!
15

No, it just takes to much time so separate your answers, which are formatted as quotes from my hints, which are not. and I don’t know whether you didn’t read them or just don’t understand, what I’m saying.

When I point out, that the upper area is empty, bcause you are starting from scratch and not answering to a message, you are saying:

Sorry, but that doesn’t make any sense, saying ‘No’ but then confirming, what I say.

Please settle down a little bit, and try to do not all at the same time. Make yourself familiar with the phone and the forum step by step. And please don’t YELL to us, we are trying to help you.

16

in Messages app be on main list (not in inside someone message history)

  • tap on your icon in top right
  • tap on “Messages settings”
  • tap on “RCS chats” (first line)
  • disable “Turn on RCS chats”

if you not see your icon, i have it top part of Messaging app window:
“Messages Icon-Camera Icon-Find Icon-MyIcon”

17

You were almost there. But when I write

I don’t mean

This way you can disable it selectively. Or you can use @k3dAR 's advice to disable it globally.

Btw. @k3dAR welcome to the FP world, we’re meeting here again (before was at your kumk tool I’m still happily using!)

18

There is no people (or me) icon on the top right.
How to get it?
When so many messages and help texts talk about that icon, which is clearly VITAL, WHY don’t I have one?
Messages > camera give me the OMNIPRESENT SPAMMING window from Google: “Google Meet” and asking me to enable it. DO I have to enable it?
I’m so tired of all those unwanted and disturbing nonsense coming from Google.
And yes, I disabled what I could in Notifications.

19

Thats’s Chinese to me. Please calirfy: WHAT do I have to do (and/or) what not?

20

I’ truly sorry. I thought I was more clear this time.
And maybe it was ME not understanding YOU.
I’m quite busy now for a while.
I reread everything later and write a decent answer.

21

I tried some screenshots. Sorry for the ugly censoring, I don’t have a proper image editor.

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22

Thank you but can you just get me WHAT APP you’re using?
In the meantime i saw a BIG “D” with is the icon used for my administrative name and where I could FINALLY disable RCS and… IT WORKED!!!
SO THAT part is solved.
But what interest me dis what APP you’re using because the option “ONLY SEND AS TEXT (SMS)” is already interesting, despite it also mentionnes MMS