Handcent Next SMS messenger

Contains adsIn-app purchases
4.5
68.8K reviews
1M+
Downloads
Content rating
Everyone
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About this app

Upgrade your messaging experience. Enjoy unlimited customization, cloud backup, MMS Plus , upmost privacy, and texting on PC and tablet. Our app is the perfect alternative to your stock SMS text messenger and Verizon Messages+

Secure and private messenger
Best SMS app with personalization
Encrypted chat - Reliable guard to keep texts safe
Texting from any system/device with 'Anywhere'
Cloud backup - never worry about long texts again
Built-in chatGPT support
Lots of Stickers, emojis, and gifs to choose from
Wear OS device support(Dependent on phone app)
Group or mass text to send a message to multiple recipients
Support for foldables, like Samsung fold
Support for most android version (4.4 to 13) and Lineage OS 19
Dual SIM support

Security


For every update, it'll be scanned with *VirualTotal* 60+ mainstream anti-virus engines to make sure it's safe. Protecting data privacy is our top priority.
Conversations now can be encrypted as per your need

Messenger Customization


The theme store offers over 200 themes to choose from with new ones updated weekly.
You can personalize text messages, fonts, stickers, colors, ringtones, LED colors, vibration patterns, etc.

Handcent Anywhere - best private texting on computer and tablet.


Cross-platform texting on all systems and device. Windows, Mac OS, Linux, iOS, android, computers, tablets, and smartwatches all have their own separate apps. You can send texts anywhere without the phone.
Go to aw.handcent.com and start chatting & messaging. Group text is also supported

Wear OS


Receive and reply messages on all android-based smartwatches, along with the features like voice to text, etc.
Support Wear OS , Galaxy Watch series with Tizen and both square and round watches

Need to work with the phone app, doesn't work as a standalone app

MMS


MMS is fast and stable, can receive all kinds of MMS messages and also share full-size multimedia with MMS plus.
Share multimedia messages with your friends. MMS plus can act as a multimedia android text messaging downloader, save multimedia files on our private cloud server.

Pop up text


Quick reply text messages within a pop up window.

Private Box


An encrypted text message box that can only be opened by unique passcode. Texts in private box can only be viewed by yourself.

SMS Backup


Never worry about losing your texts or messages with our backup service. Restore all your private messages (SMS / MMS) and settings when you switch to a new phone or reset your phone.


Search


You can search text messages by time, message type and etc.
All SMS messages with text are searchable

SMS Blocker/Blacklisting


Block all unwanted or spam SMS & MMS messages in our private android text messaging app.

Spam filter


Automatically filter and block potential spam messages

Scheduled Task


Schedule texts to be sent at a given time.

Emoji


You will love animated emojis that also comply with the newest emoji standard.

Stickers


Now integrated with Giphy. You can send messages with stickers by using quick search.

Drive mode


To read texts or mute during drive to ensure driving safety with Android Auto support

Text to Speech


Read texts out loud with support for repeated reminder

Sticky on top


Pin your private contacts on top for quicker access

Other improvements.
Built-in ChatGPT to let you talk to AI as a conversation thread
Group Messaging Chat: Create a group with friends/contacts, all contacts will receive the message while texting. Send mass text messages with stickers to all members of the group.

Other free features: Bulk Mass SMS & MMS, group text, text snippets and etc. to improve your productivity

If you encounter any problems or need help with our app, please reach us at help@handcent.com. We will provide detailed help in a timely manner.
Updated on
Feb 25, 2025

Data safety

Safety starts with understanding how developers collect and share your data. Data privacy and security practices may vary based on your use, region, and age. The developer provided this information and may update it over time.
This app may share these data types with third parties
Device or other IDs
This app may collect these data types
Messages and Contacts
Data is encrypted in transit
You can request that data be deleted

Ratings and reviews

4.5
68K reviews
Lydia McCullough
February 24, 2025
I miss message+. This app isn't receiving all the messages from people. My roommate called me because all the ones she tried to send to me were "undeliverable." This app is awful. It's multiple steps to send pictures and gifs. Can't send multiples at once either. This app lacks so many features that message+ had. Why did Verizon get rid of message+? Apparently photos are sent as links? Who thought that brilliant idea up? I hate this app. I want messages+ back.
25 people found this review helpful
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Handcent
March 5, 2025
Did you enable rcs? As the handcent app doesn't support rcs, so you need to disable it in the built in message app settings and then disable it. Please click + in the compose box and click the picture icon and select several pics to send at a time.Any other issues or suggestions please contact us at help@handcent.com so that we can help you better
E Jerey Harper II
February 11, 2025
I've had this app for years and years and have loved using it, especially when switching to a new phone and it brings over all of my text messages and conversations. But in the last 2 to 3 months it has stopped working periodically, which is extremely frustrating. I've had to restart my phone several times throughout the day and sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't. Don't download this app because you will fall in love with it and then when it stops working you will ticked off !!!
1 person found this review helpful
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Handcent
March 5, 2025
Please update to the newest next sms app version 11.1.5 from play store. If the issue still persists, please contact us at help@handcent.com with detail info so that we can help you fix it better.
JM
December 12, 2024
I really like the app as a replacement for Verizon Messages+ which was recently shut down. I used Handcent about 15 years ago when it first came out and was happy to see it's still around and has a lot of the same functionality. The options are vast and can be a little confusing so I suggest you take time looking at all of the settings to really take advantage of all the options like group messages, scheduled messages, themes, AI chat, message templates, etc.
12 people found this review helpful
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Handcent
December 12, 2024
Hello, the trial membership can back up messages but can't remove ads. If you buy the handcent service you can back up messages and remove ads. Any other issues or suggestions via using the app, please contact us at help@handcent.com so that we can help you better.

What’s new

Improved the group chat support .