How to Send Text Messages Without Wi-Fi or Cell Service on a Google Pixel

Imagine yourself lost in the wilderness, miles from civilization, with no cell signal or Wi-Fi. Your phone is pretty much a useless brick. But what if you could still send a text? While it’s not always possible to text without any connection, your Google Pixel has a few tricks up its sleeve for when you’re truly off the grid.

Types of Messaging

First, let’s talk about messaging standards. The old guard is SMS messages. These traditional texts don’t rely on mobile data or Wi-Fi. They use the cellular network’s voice channel, meaning if you have even a faint cellular connection, an SMS message should go through. However, this only applies to simple text messages. If you’re trying to send pictures, videos, or group messages (which are typically MMS messages), you will still need a data connection.

RCS (Rich Communication Services) is the next evolution of SMS, and Google is trying to use it as the answer to iMessage. It includes familiar features like read receipts, typing indicators, and higher-quality media sharing. The cool thing about RCS is that it can work over Wi-Fi. So, if you’re in a Wi-Fi-enabled area but have absolutely no cell signal, you can still send RCS messages to anyone else who has RCS enabled on their Android phone or iPhone. At this point, that’s most people.

Now, the important thing to note for situations of poor cell signal is both SMS and RCS are available. RCS generally requires a better connection than SMS, so if you’re in a poor reception area, your phone will fallback to SMS to get the message sent out—as long as you’ve enabled it. As mentioned, that means you should be able to send a message as long as you have the tiniest bit of a cellular connection.

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Satellite SOS on a Pixel Phone

But what if you have neither cell service or Wi-Fi? This is where things get interesting. If you own a Google Pixel 9 series phone, you have a feature called “Satellite SOS.” This isn’t for casual texting with your friends, but it can be a literal lifesaver in emergencies. If you find yourself in a truly remote area with no signal in sight, your Pixel 9 can connect directly to satellites to send emergency messages.

First, a few prerequisites. As mentioned, you need a Pixel 9, Pixel 9 Pro, Pixel 9 Pro XL, or Pixel 9 Pro Fold (or presumably any model released after). Google Messages must be set as your default messaging app. Make sure you have as clear a view of the sky as you can get.

1. Dial the emergency service line for your area (911 in the US, for example).
2. If there’s no network coverage, you’ll see a “Satellite SOS” option in the dialer.
3. Tap “Satellite SOS,” then “Use Satellite SOS,” and “Start.”
4. You’ll be guided through a questionnaire about your emergency.
5. Next, you’ll have the option to notify your emergency contacts of your location.
6. Finally, follow the prompts to position your phone to connect to a satellite. Once connected, you’ll get a response from an emergency provider via text.
7. When you’re ready, tap “End” to finish the session.

So, while you won’t be sending photos of waterfalls from the middle of nowhere without a signal, your Pixel does offer options for communication in an emergency. The cool thing is that Google lets you try this out on your phone without doing it for real. You can go to Settings > Safety & Emergency > Pixel Satellite SOS and tap “Try a demo.” You’ll be guided through the whole process to get familiar with it. So, if the situation does arise, you’ll be prepared.

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