Get started with branded RCS messaging (public beta)

See Regional availability to learn the regions where you can send RCS messages and special requirements for each region.

The following limitations apply to RCS messaging:

• Independent Software Vendors (ISVs) can't yet create RCS Senders for client businesses. However, ISVs can still request RCS access to start testing.
• Programmatic access to create RCS Senders and onboarding at scale isn't yet available.

Complete these steps before you set up RCS messaging:

• Sign up for a Twilio account.
• Set up Messaging Services. The phone number associated with the Messaging Service allows you to fall back to SMS or MMS if a message fails to send through RCS.

Follow these steps to set up and configure RCS messaging with Twilio.

Allow two to four weeks (or longer if launching in multiple regions) to complete the setup process.

1. To get RCS access, complete the RCS request form.

   Twilio manually reviews the submission. The approval process duration can vary, but typically takes a few days. After Twilio grants your RCS access, you receive an email with a link to begin RCS onboarding.

2. Provide your RCS Sender information. You can create multiple RCS Senders, but they can't be shared between Twilio Accounts.

   1. Click Create new sender on the RCS Senders page in the Twilio Console. This page requires access granted in Step 1.

   2. On the Profile Information page, provide profile details and click Next. Recipients see your profile when you send RCS messages.

   3. (Optional) To preview your RCS Sender's look and feel, you can send a test message from the Console to an RCS-compatible device on the Test page. When you're done testing, click Next. You can continue to add test devices and send test messages after you submit the RCS Sender for approval.

   4. On the Compliance page, provide information about your business and messaging use case to ensure compliance with carrier and RCS requirements.

      Provide access instructions on how to test your RCS Sender, or provide screenshots or a video demonstrating your RCS Sender's core messaging functionality and opt-out flow. You can capture this flow by using the test device that you set up during Sender creation.

3. Submit your RCS Sender for approval.

   (warning)

   Review before submission

   Before you complete the creation process, thoroughly review and test your RCS Sender. You can't change your RCS Sender's profile using the Twilio Console once you submit your Sender.

   If you need to change your RCS Sender's profile after it's submitted, contact Twilio Support.

   After you finalize your RCS Sender information, click Create to submit your RCS Sender to Twilio and Google RCS Business Messaging for approval.

4. Confirm with Google that Twilio has authorization to create an RCS Sender on your behalf. Google uses the term agent rather than sender.

   After you create your RCS Sender in the Twilio Console, you receive an email in one to two days from the Google RCS Business Messaging Team. Follow the instructions in the email to confirm your RCS brand use with Google.

5. Provide additional carrier compliance information to Twilio (if applicable).

   Depending on the countries you selected during RCS Sender creation, Twilio might send you an email requesting additional compliance information within 5 to 10 days of creating your RCS Sender. Follow the instructions in the email to provide the required information.

6. Configure the RCS Sender and Messaging Service.

   Twilio sends you an email upon RCS Sender approval by at least one carrier for a region. You can also verify that the statuses of your RCS Sender's specific regions have changed from Under review to Active on the RCS Senders page in the Twilio Console.

   To configure your RCS Sender:

   1. On the RCS Senders page in the Twilio Console, click the RCS Sender.

   2. On the Sender Settings page, select Configuration and fill in the required details about the RCS Sender's Messaging Service and optional endpoint configuration. You can view your existing Services on the Messaging Services page in the Twilio Console. You can associate only one RCS Sender with a Messaging Service.

      The Messaging Service attempts to use the RCS Sender first for all messages it sends. If the recipient's device can't receive RCS messages from this Sender, Twilio uses a fallback SMS Sender. To learn more, see Out-of-the-box Messaging Service Features.

      If you set up your Messaging Service to defer to sender's webhooks, your RCS Sender's webhook triggers for RCS messages.

   3. Click Save configuration.

7. Configure and turn on Advanced Opt-Out.

   Advanced Opt-Out allows you to customize the keywords and responses for opt-out, opt-in, and help messages for your RCS Sender. Provide a valid opt-out keyword in the local language of the regions where you are sending RCS messages, and send an opt-out confirmation message to the recipient:

   1. Navigate to the Messaging Services page in the Twilio Console.
   2. Click the Messaging Service associated with your RCS Sender and then click Opt-Out Management from the sidebar.
   3. Complete the configuration on this page and click Enable Advanced Opt-Out. After you turn these settings on, Twilio applies the changes to all Senders in your Messaging Service's Sender Pool.

   To learn more about the Advanced Opt-Out feature, see Customizing Users' Opt-in and Opt-out Experience with Advanced Opt-Out.

To learn how to send and receive branded RCS messages, see Send and receive branded RCS messages (public beta).

To stop using RCS, you can either send messages through a different Messaging Service or remove the RCS Sender from the Messaging Service.

To remove the RCS Sender from the Messaging Service:

1. Navigate to the Messaging Services page in the Twilio Console.
2. Select the Messaging Service associated with your RCS Sender, then click Sender Pool in the sidebar.
3. Click Remove to delete the RCS Sender from the Messaging Service.

Alternativly, you can set the Messaging Service to None on the Sender settings page.