Hangouts . Messages SMS question

[N4Newbie]

Okay, new Pixel 2 XL moving from Pixel, both on Oreo.

I have been using Hangouts as my SMS app for quite some time and have numerous chat threads in there on my Pixel XL, everyone of which is identified by the persons name.

When these chat threads imported into the Pixel 2 XL (using the wire transfer method of setting up the new phone), the bulk of them are identified only by telephone number - curiously, a few are showing the person's name but the vast majority are not.

So, first question is: what's up with that?

I tried changing my default SMS app to Messages since, apparently Google is going to drop SMS support from Hangouts, anyway. But, when I do that and then open Messages, none of my existing chat threads are showing there at all!

So, second question is: what's up with that?

BTW, in Hangouts, every one of the threads in question is identified as "SMS" and, if I open Hangouts on the old Pixel XL, all of the threads are identified by the person's name.

 

[PhiPsi32]

You have to give Hangouts permission to access your contacts. Otherwise you only see phone numbers. If the permission is enabled then I have no idea what's going on.

 

[N4Newbie]

You have to give Hangouts permission to access your contacts. Otherwise you only see phone numbers. If the permission is enabled then I have no idea what's going on.

Wow, that seemed like such a no-brainer that I had high hopes for it.

However, I found that Hangouts already has all of its permissions enabled, including Contacts. I turned it off and back on but still nothing.

And, just in case it isn't obvious, yes, all of my contacts came through - both personal and work.

 

[Lilybell2]

I don't use Hangouts for SMS, I use Messages; however, I do participate in a Hangouts group. The messages posted by group members are all identified by names, not phone numbers, and its behavior on the P2XL is the same as it was on my PXL.

 

[Jonneh]

Oh, Hangouts always seems to do this. As soon as you open that old thread and the person sends you a new message, it syncs to your Contacts and shows their name and picture again. At least, in my experience.

 

[N4Newbie]

Oh, Hangouts always seems to do this. As soon as you open that old thread and the person sends you a new message, it syncs to your Contacts and shows their name and picture again. At least, in my experience.

You may be correct about this; will wait and see.

Meanwhile, how come if I switch the default SMS app to Google Messages, my existing SMS threads don't automatically show up there? I know that I used to be able to switch between Evolve SMS and other apps and the existing threads would automatically be visible in *any* messaging app I opened.

 

[Jonneh]

You may be correct about this; will wait and see.

Meanwhile, how come if I switch the default SMS app to Google Messages, my existing SMS threads don't automatically show up there? I know that I used to be able to switch between Evolve SMS and other apps and the existing threads would automatically be visible in *any* messaging app I opened.

That part I don't know. I know Hangouts messages are tied to your google account/gmail account/whatever. I don't think Android Messages or whatever it's called does that, but it might? Whatever the case may be, I'm betting one of the messaging apps in question is tied to your google account, and the other is not.

 

[Jonneh]

Now that I think about it, any time I changed my default SMS from Hangouts --> Android Messenger, android messenger was always blank with no conversation threads at all. So it's not just you and it's not just your phone. The app either doesn't pull SMS from other apps first, or if it does, it doesn't do it with Hangouts for sure.

You could try SMS Backup & Restore (app from the store) first, then switch the default to Android Messenger, and then restore all the SMS to it, perhaps.

 

[N4Newbie]

Strangely enough, I just happened to look at my Hangouts list view this morning and noticed that everyone of my regular (preexisting) chats now has the correct name (and photo, when applicable) associated with it.

Weird...