How to Switch SIM Cards When Texting in Google Messages (As of The Latest Update)

Back in February, Android Authority gave us a heads-up about a change Google was working on for its Messages app. At the time, it seemed small — just a tweak in how you switch SIMs when texting. Well, I’ve just received that change on my phone, and I can tell you it’s one hell of a downgrade.

If you’re on a dual SIM Android phone and use Google Messages, you probably know the convenience I’m talking about: the little SIM swap icon right there in the message compose box. You tap it, switch your line, and move on. Quick, easy, no digging around menus. Better yet, Google Messages remembered your last SIM selection for each contact, so you rarely had to touch that button again.

Well, that’s gone now. As of a recent update (I’m not exactly sure which version brought this on, but I’m running the latest stable release), Google has removed the SIM switch icon from the compose box. You no longer get that quick toggle when messaging. Instead, if you want to change which SIM you’re using for a specific contact, here’s how you have to do it:

1. Open the conversation with the person you want to message.
2. Tap the three-dot menu in the top-right corner.
3. Select “Details.”
4. Tap on “Switch.”
5. Choose the SIM you want to use for this conversation.

This setting is now per-conversation. So if you set SIM 2 for one contact, that change only applies to that conversation — not the app as a whole. If you want to use SIM 2 with someone else, you’ll have to go through the same steps again.

Now, I get that this might not seem like a big deal at first glance — just a tiny UI shuffle. But if you regularly switch SIMs when messaging different people (say, for work and personal reasons), this extra step adds friction where there used to be smooth sailing. That quick-access SIM toggle in the compose box was easy to find, intuitive, and just made sense.

I’ve seen reports from other users claiming Google has reverted this change in a newer update. But as of writing this, I’ve checked both the latest stable and beta versions of Google Messages on my end — and the change hasn’t been rolled back for me. So if there’s a reversal happening, it hasn’t reached everyone yet. I hope Google brings the old SIM switch icon back. It was one of those subtle, smart design choices that made Google Messages better than most stock SMS apps. Removing it feels like a step backward.

But until then, if you were wondering where the SIM switch went — now you know. It’s buried in the conversation settings. Not ideal, but at least it’s still possible to switch lines without diving into your phone’s main SIM settings.

Let me know if the old icon magically returns on your device. Because honestly? I’m crossing my fingers it does.