Add Emoji Reactions to Texts on a Samsung Galaxy

This guide shows you how to add emoji reactions to text messages on a Samsung Galaxy phone. You’ll learn the quick tap-and-hold method, how to change or remove a reaction, and what to do when reactions don’t appear. No special setup is needed, but your phone and the person you’re texting must have RCS (Rich Communication Services) chat features enabled through the Samsung Messages or Google Messages app.

What You’ll Need

• A Samsung Galaxy phone running Android 10 or newer (most recent models work).
• The default Samsung Messages app or Google Messages app set as your texting app.
• RCS chat features turned on for both you and the person you’re texting. This is usually automatic, but you can check in the app’s settings.
• An active data connection (Wi-Fi or mobile data) for RCS to work.

Step-by-Step

1. Open your messaging app. Tap the Messages icon on your home screen or app drawer. This guide covers both Samsung Messages (the default on most Galaxy phones) and Google Messages (if you’ve switched).
2. Open the conversation. Tap the chat thread where you want to react to a text. Make sure it’s a conversation with someone who also has RCS enabled; otherwise, reactions may not send.
3. Find the message you want to react to. Scroll to the specific text bubble. It can be a message you sent or one you received.
4. Press and hold the message bubble. Touch and hold your finger on the text bubble for about one second. A menu will pop up with several options.
5. Tap the smiley face or heart icon. In Samsung Messages, look for a smiley face icon at the top of the pop-up menu. In Google Messages, you’ll see a heart icon or a “React” option. Tap it.
6. Choose your emoji. A row of emoji will appear at the bottom of the screen. Pick one by tapping it. The reaction will be sent immediately and appear as a small icon on the message bubble.
7. See the reaction. The emoji will show up overlaid on the message. The other person will see it as a notification or a small icon on their screen, depending on their app.
8. Change or remove your reaction. If you want to change it, press and hold the message again, tap the emoji icon, and select a different emoji. To remove it entirely, tap the same emoji you already used—it will unselect.

Common Mistakes

• Using SMS instead of RCS. If the chat shows “Text message” or “SMS” instead of “Chat” or “RCS,” reactions won’t work. Both parties need RCS active.
• Holding too briefly. A quick tap usually selects the message or opens the keyboard. You need a firm, long press (about a second) to trigger the reaction menu.
• Tapping the wrong icon. In Samsung Messages, the emoji icon is at the top of the pop-up menu, not the three-dot menu. In Google Messages, it’s the heart icon, not the reply arrow.
• Expecting reactions on group chats with mixed phone types. If someone in the group uses an iPhone with iMessage, reactions may come through as text like “Liked ‘Hello'” instead of an emoji.
• Forgetting to update your app. Older versions of Samsung Messages or Google Messages may not support reactions. Check the Galaxy Store or Play Store for updates.

Tips

• Use the full emoji picker. In Google Messages, tap the “+” or the smiley icon in the reaction row to open the full emoji keyboard and choose any emoji, not just the quick set.
• React to your own messages. You can add a reaction to a message you sent, which is useful for correcting a typo or adding emphasis.
• Check chat settings. In Samsung Messages, go to Settings > Chat settings and make sure “Chat features” is toggled on. In Google Messages, open Settings > RCS chats and confirm “Turn on RCS chats” is enabled.
• Use reactions sparingly. Too many reactions on one message can clutter the thread. A single thumbs-up or heart is usually enough.
• Know that reactions are not private. Anyone in the chat can see your reaction, and the sender gets a notification. There’s no way to react “silently.”

Troubleshooting

Reactions don’t appear at all. First, make sure you’re using a supported app and that RCS is enabled for both you and the recipient. Go to your messaging app’s settings and look for “Chat features” or “RCS chats.” If it’s off, turn it on. If it’s already on, try toggling it off and on again. Also, check that you have a data connection—RCS doesn’t work over SMS-only.

The emoji icon isn’t in the pop-up menu. This usually means the conversation is an SMS/MMS chat, not an RCS chat. Check the top of the conversation—if it says “Text message” or “SMS,” reactions won’t work. Ask the other person to enable RCS on their phone, or try texting someone who has it enabled.

Reactions send as text like “Liked ‘Hello’.” This happens when the recipient is using an iPhone or an older Android phone without RCS. Your phone falls back to sending a text-based reaction. There’s no fix on your end; the other person needs to use a compatible app.

Reactions work but disappear after a few seconds. This can be a temporary glitch. Restart your messaging app by swiping it away from recent apps and reopening it. If it persists, restart your phone.

You can’t remove a reaction. Make sure you’re pressing and holding the exact message bubble you reacted to. If you’re in a long thread, scroll to find it. Then tap the emoji icon and tap the same emoji again—it should unselect and disappear.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I add emoji reactions to texts on any Samsung Galaxy phone? Yes, if the phone runs Android 10 or newer and uses Samsung Messages or Google Messages. Older models may not support RCS, so reactions won’t work.

Do emoji reactions work when texting an iPhone user? No, not as real reactions. When you react to an iPhone user’s text, they’ll receive a text like “Liked ‘Hello'” instead of an emoji overlay. The same happens when an iPhone user reacts to your texts.

Why do I only see a few emoji options? The quick reaction row shows a small set of common emoji. In Google Messages, you can tap the “+” or smiley icon to open the full emoji picker and select any emoji. In Samsung Messages, the quick set is all you get unless you use the full keyboard to type an emoji as a separate message.

Can I react to a message in a group chat? Yes, you can react to any message in a group chat, as long as the chat is RCS-enabled. If the group includes non-RCS users, reactions may not send or may appear as text.

Will the other person know I reacted? Yes, they’ll see the emoji on the message bubble and may get a notification. Reactions are not anonymous.

How do I turn off RCS if I don’t want reactions? In Samsung Messages, go to Settings > Chat settings and toggle off “Chat features.” In Google Messages, go to Settings > RCS chats and toggle off “Turn on RCS chats.” This will disable reactions and other RCS features, but you’ll still be able to send regular texts.

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