Use Messages for web with Google Fi - Android - Google Fi Wireless Help
You can use your computer to text with your friends with Messages for web. It also shows what’s on your Messages mobile app.
- You can only use Messages with Android. Make sure to download the latest version of Messages by Google.
- You can't receive two-factor authentication text messages with Messages for web. To receive these messages, you must use a phone.
Choose how you use Messages for web
To use Google Fi with Messages by Google online, you have 2 options:
Option 1: Send & receive texts only
To text with Messages for web, learn how to check your messages on your computer.
- You can send and receive texts like high-resolution photos with RCS chats.
- With a connection from your computer to your phone, Messages for web can send SMS text messages. After you turn on text on your computer, to stay connected, you still must have your phone.
- Carrier fees apply, like on the mobile app.
Option 2: Text, call & voicemail sync with Google Account
For a similar experience to Hangouts, we recommend you use this option.
- Make calls, send texts, and check voicemail with your phone or computer. Even when your phone is off, text conversations stay synced across the Messages mobile app and Messages for web.
- With this option, RCS chats aren’t available.
- Call history is stored online for 180 days and doesn’t sync with the Google Phone app.
- On your computer, make sure you use one of these browsers:
- Google Chrome
- Firefox
- Microsoft Edge
- Chromium is required for voice calling.
- Safari
To use this option, RCS chats must be off. If you already use Google Messages, before you sync your conversations, you need to turn off RCS chats.
- On your phone, open the Messages app
.
- At the top right, tap your account icon
Message settings
Advanced.
- Tap Google Fi Wireless settings.
- Sign in to your Google Fi account.
- To sync your conversations, tap Sync conversations.
- To sync with data, turn off Sync only over Wi-Fi.
- When the sync is done, at the top, you can find “Sync complete.”
- To find your conversations, go to Messages.
Tips:
Fix problems with Messages for web
Can’t sync messages or sync never completes
If you use a work or school Google Account, check if your administrator allows Messages for web.
Format phone numbers correctly
- Do not copy and paste the phone number. Type it instead.
- For international calls, type the correct country or region code. Make sure not to enter it twice.
Device rings even after a call is declined on the web
This works as intended. On all synced devices, decline the call.
This is a rare issue which is reported, but our engineering team can’t reproduce.
- To submit feedback from the Messages app, users must tap the account icon
Help and Feedback
Send Feedback.
- Record all details of the issue such as computer OS, browser, use of VPN, numbers dialed, frequency, and location.
- To file a bug, escalate the case to Tier 2 agents.
Suggested script: “We can’t guarantee that this issue can be fixed so we may not follow up with you. However, we appreciate your time to report it. For the inconvenience, here’s $20 USD.” |
Delete texts, call history & voicemail on the web
If you delete the Messages app from your phone, your texts in Messages for web aren’t deleted.
- Open Messages for web.
- On the left, select Messages
.
- Next to the text message you want to delete, select More
.
- Tap Delete.
Delete a call from your call history
This isn’t currently supported in the product. If the message still exists in the Messages app on your phone, we recommend to download it from there.
Stop sync of texts, calls & voicemail
If you want to stop backup of your texts, call history, and voicemail to your Google Account, you can stop sync. If you use Hangouts for text messages, you can still find your text messages in Gmail.
- On your phone, open the Messages app
.
- At the top right, tap your Account icon
Message settings
Advanced.
- Tap Google Fi Wireless settings.
- Sign in to your Google Fi account.
- Tap Stop sync & sign out.
- If prompted, tap Stop syncing. This doesn’t delete previous synced texts, call history, and voicemail.
Tip: If you want to use text only with RCS chats, turn on RCS chats.