Messenger and native Messaging apps both want to be default for SMS

[AC Question]

I have android version 5.0.1 on LG Leon. I want to use Facebook's Messenger app as default for text messages. I see no way to uninstall or permanently disable the native Messaging app.

I set Messenger as default for SMS, but recently this default has not been "sticking" and Messaging keeps taking over again.

Any suggestions?
Thanks

 

[B. Diddy]

Welcome to Android Central! Just to be sure, have you gone to Settings>Apps​, selected Messaging, and looked for the Disable button there? Is it greyed out or not available?

 

[cuyocksol]

Apps > Messaging does show Disabled as greyed out.
I have also tried 'Force stop' i think which doesn't seem to help...

thanks
David (original poster)

 

[B. Diddy]

Yeah, sometimes manufacturers don't let you disable the stock messaging app.:-\ Do you have any power-saving modes turned on, or 3rd party power/battery-saving apps installed? If so, it might be temporarily closing the FB Messenger app, which makes the system revert back to the stock Messaging app.

 

[cuyocksol]

I have no power-saving stuff. Advice from LG support staff was conflicting, but then one of them said LG doesn't allow any app except native 'Messaging' to be default because then users might be able to (e.g.) send more text messages than their contractual allowance...! Seems like a really weak reason.

If that is so, then is there no way around it? (apart from rooting...)

 

[cuyocksol]

or perhaps having the Messenger app on the SD card doesn't help...
...but my app space is so limited on an 8Gb phone!!:'(