Apple has long since provided a way for its users to send and receive text messages across their laptops and phones, but without something like Pushbullet, Android users have been stuck communicating with their friends and family only through their handsets.
Google doesn’t have any sort of exclusivity on desktop messaging, because as web applications become more powerful and popular, Facebook Messenger, Telegram, and others all offer cross-device tools for exactly that. However, for anyone who wants to communicate with one messaging app for SMS or RCS across their Android phone, Chromebook, Windows or Mac desktop, and more, Google Messages is pretty much the go-to app! With that in mind, I’m going to show you how to set up and connect Google Messages for the web and turn it into an application icon on your Chromebook for quick access!
First thing’s first – It’s likely that you have some other built-in “Android Messages” application on your phone. If you have an older Verizon phone, for example, it’s a red messages icon (This year, Verizon will pre-load Google Messages, hooray!), but each carrier has baked in their own app, so that’s where the confusion comes in. To simplify this, let’s go ahead and install something called “Google Messages”. Google’s own application for SMS and RCS unifies the experience across all carriers, manufacturers, and so on, so it’s worth your time to switch over if you want more flexibility and cross-device compatibility.
Before we begin
Alright, to begin, go ahead and be sure that you have Google Messages installed on your Android phone. You can pick it up from the Google Play Store by clicking the app badge below. Once you’re all set up and have gone through the initial steps in the app, we’ll continue! Upon opening the app for the first time, you may be asked if you want to migrate your phone’s local text messages, multimedia messages, and so on over to Google Messages. I highly recommend you do this.
You may also be asked during the setup process if you want to disable notifications from the original carrier messages app. If you don’t want to get pinged by people twice per message, I recommend you do this as well. Let’s continue.
Before we begin:
1. Install Google Messages on your Android phone from the Google Play Store
Step-by-step guide for the prep-work
2. Set it up and migrate your messages
3. Disable notifications from the original carrier messaging app
Google Messages for web
Great job! Now, let’s go over to your Chromebook and visit the Google Messages website. Just so you know, this also works anywhere you have a web browser, so you can also text across your Windows, Linux, or macOS devices too!
Once you’re there, you will see a blue “Download” button at the top-right of the screen. Clicking this will simply bring you to the Google Play Store where you can install the mobile app, so don’t do that. Instead, go ahead and click the “Messages for web” link to the left of the blue button.
Pairing your phone to the web
Pro Tip: Select the “Remember this computer” option under the QR code during the device pairing process to avoid having to set this all up again next time you decide to use it as it does time out periodically.
You’ll be met with a header that says “Text on your device by pairing your phone”. Open the Google Messages app on your Android phone, and at the top-right of the app, you’ll see three vertical dots. Tapping this “more” options menu will reveal “Device pairing”. Select this option and choose the “QR code scanner” button seen below. Your camera will open up, and you can simply point it at the QR code on your laptop or desktop screen for Google Messages on the web!
Pro Tip: You can see on the Device pairing screen which devices are currently signed into your account. Be sure to clean this up every now and then by tapping the “x” icon to the right of any devices you no longer want to have access
The moment your camera sees the QR code, it will instantaneously cause Google Messages for the web to refresh, and your Android phone messages will populate the screen. How cool is that? Just so you’re aware of what’s happening here, your phone and browser are shaking hands, and any messages you send on the web will be sent to your phone first and then processed via your cell data. Then, any messages that you receive will be sent to your phone, and your phone will send them to the web browser so you can view and reply to them there.
Chrome and Google Messages for the web are not replacements for your Android Messages themselves and can not operate without you paying your cell phone bill! This is simply a combo that allows you the convenience and flexibility to send and receive messages from a wider range of devices and in more comfortable circumstances.
I just want the steps!
1. Open Google Messages on your Android phone
2. Tap the vertical three dots “More” options icon at the top right
3. Select “Device pairing”
4. Tap the “QR code scanner” button in the middle of the screen
5. Point your phone camera at your Chromebook screen to capture the QR code for Google Messages
6. Close the Google Messages app on your phone and continue on your Chromebook
7. Enjoy!
Installing Google Messages for Web
Lastly, we need to turn Google Messages for the web into an icon on your Chromebook so you can access it from your ‘Everything button’ or your shelf with all of the ease and convenience of the Android phone app. Go ahead and return to your laptop where you have the Google Messages website up and running.
The “Omnibox” is the Chrome browser’s “website URL” or search bar that can be found at the top. At the far right of the Omnibox, you’ll see an icon that looks like a computer monitor with a down arrow at the corner of it. This is Chrome’s new “Install” prompt for web applications.
If you’re familiar with where the browser’s “bookmark” star icon is, then you’ll find it by looking to the left of that. Upon clicking this new icon, you’ll see the above dialogue box pop up. Just click the blue “Install” button, and you’re done! Google Messages for the web will jump out of Chrome and into its own standalone browser window, and the same app icon you see above and on your phone will now appear on your Chromebook shelf!
I just want the steps!
1. Visit Google Messages for the Web
2. Tap the “Install Messages” icon at the top right of the browser’s Omnibox
3. Tap the blue “Install” button
4. Locate Google Messages on your Chromebook Shelf or in the launcher
Pro Tip: Google Messages for Web will tell you at the top left and just above your conversations list whether or not you’re connected to Wi-Fi. If you’re not, you may want to connect to a network to save on your mobile data!
Pro Tip: Tap the vertical three dots “More” options icon at the top left of the web application you just created. There, you’ll find an option for Dark mode which will save your eyes at night. You can thank me later.
Being able to send and receive text and multimedia messages from your Chromebook can be a figurative lifesaver when you want to throw your phone on the charger but continue a conversation or when you want to stop craning your neck down at your phone (by the way, you should hold your phone up at eye level to avoid neck strain…even though it looks funny!) Let me know in the comments if you found this useful and I hope you enjoy your new setup!
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