How to use Android Messages on Windows 10

By Sean Endicott
published

Android Messages made a splash with its recent release. Here's how to use it on Windows 10.

Even though services like WhatsApp, Facebook, and Telegram are popular, SMS messaging still holds the crown of the most popular type of messaging in many areas, including the US. Android Messages allows you to SMS message from your phone and then sync those messages across multiple devices.

There isn't an official app for Android Messages on Windows 10, but you still have some options if you want to text from your PC. Whether you use Android Messages through the web or an unofficial client, you'll still need to use Android Messages on your phone.

See Android Messages in Google Play (opens in new tab)

Use the web

Android Messages has a web client. Its setup is similar to WhatsApp in that you scan a QR code from your phone and then your messages sync across your devices.

Theoretically, this should work on any browser, but I've seen many people run into issues while trying to use it on Microsoft Edge. It's worked at times in Edge and then failed to sync at others. Unsurprisingly, it works well in Google's Chrome and also works on many other browsers.

To use Android Messages on the web, go to https://messages.android.com.

Use a client

If you prefer to use Android Messages within an app, you can use an unofficial client that's available through GitHub. It looks almost identical to using Android Messages on the web, but you don't have to open up your browser to use it.

It supports system notifications, though, at least at the moment, they aren't actionable. This client is very new so I'd expect updates over time as kinks are worked out.

Get Android Messages Desktop from GitHub

Check out alternatives

While Android Messages made headlines, the idea of relaying your SMS messages through your PC isn't new. PushBullet allows you to connect your Android device and your PC and there are many other options to connect your PC and Android phone.

I also recommend Textto which is extremely similar to Android Messages but has been out for longer. You sync the PC and phone clients to the same account and then you're good to go. Textto also lets you continue to use your SMS app of choice.

Plenty of options

It's great to see Android Messages get released. Hopefully, it can develop into a true iMessage competitor that works across all platforms. Even though it's new, there are some great options that let you keep your phone in your pocket and quickly message people from your PC.

How do you message your friends, family, and co-workers? Do you use SMS messages or a web-powered service? Let us know in the comments below.

Sean Endicott
Sean Endicott
News Writer and apps editor

Sean Endicott brings nearly a decade of experience covering Microsoft and Windows news to Windows Central. He joined our team in 2017 as an app reviewer and now heads up our day-to-day news coverage. If you have a news tip or an app to review, hit him up at sean.endicott@futurenet.com (opens in new tab).

12 Comments
  • Just a warning, don't sign out. I was having issues syncing, so I signed out and deleted the desktop sync so I could redo it. Now it won't let me connect to Edge at all. It just gives me an error message. So now I have to open it in Chrome.
  • Yeah I did this too 😣 and tried so many times to fix it. Now I'm using it in Firefox
  • Android Messages on the web has a Dark Mode. Using Edge. So far, so good.
  • Does this one have a limit per month like many of the others do? Push Bullet I know had a limit unless you paid for it so I got rid of it.
    The built in Windows 10 option is trash but its completely free. However, once you disable getting text notifications on your PC, there's no way to undo it. Typical MS oversight and failure
  • 10 years after WhatsApp web messenger
  • Mind boggling why Cortana wasn't mentioned. I've been receiving and sending my Android texts via Cortana for months.
  • True, but cortana is alert based really, you cant just open it and see messages you either need to be receiving or sending a message to see.
  • Not to mention you can actually SEE and send attachments with AM, not to mention that it actually works-- Cortana completely unreliable.
  • What happened to Skype, aaarrrggghhh!
  • I'm using Klinker Apps SMS app Pulse on my HTC U12 Plus with Android 8 and on my laptop with Windows 10 (native Win10 app). Works like a charm, data syncs between all devices and contains lots of config alternatives. SMS sync also available in web browser. Comes with a low yearly cost. Link: https://messenger.klinkerapps.com
  • I'm surprised there was no mention of Dell Mobile Connect. I use it daily and it's amazing. Even if you sideload it it'll update via Windows Store like any other app.
  • So it took switching to Android and Google to launch this for me to finally have a desktop-based SMS solution that "just works." Why does it seem like Google achieved something that Microsoft was fooling around for far too long and never truly delivered? I'm strictly using the web UI, but dang, I love it.