---
schema_version: "1"
id: 83280e6336a00c2deae2df6929cdc007804abd902a6abcd970888d43d1044cd1
title: Upgrading from Standard to Enhanced SMS Messaging
collection: admin
version: current
locale: en-us
portal_url: https://docs.salesforce.com/admin/current/en-us/service/264-0-0/messaging_upgrade.md
canonical_url: https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=service.messaging_upgrade.htm&release=264.0.0&type=5
source_site: help.salesforce.com
content_type: documentation
content_hash: ef5be99344e84ede1090ded645021135f1471094b6d68c09b7200578c1a49970
description: When you upgrade your standard SMS channel to an enhanced channel, you gain access to key customer service tools. Learn what to expect in an upgrade.
products:
  - Service Cloud
  - Digital Engagement
release: "264"
---
# Upgrading from Standard to Enhanced SMS Messaging

When you upgrade your standard SMS channel to an enhanced channel, you gain access to key customer service tools. Learn what to expect in an upgrade.

### Required Editions

<table class="slds-table slds-table_bordered slds-max-medium-table_stacked slds-m-bottom_small edition">
      <colgroup>
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      <tbody>
        <tr class="">
          <td class="slds-cell-wrap" colspan="2" style="vertical-align:top;"><a href="https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=service.messaging_editions.htm&amp;type=5&amp;language=en_US" target="_blank">View supported editions.</a></td>

        </tr>
        <tr class="">
          <td class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;">
            <a name="messaging_upgrade__d368e672"><!-- --></a><span style="vertical-align:text-bottom;display:inline-block;"><img style="margin-bottom:0;" id="messaging_upgrade__d368e672" src="https://sf-zdocs-cdn-prod.zoominsoftware.com/tdta-service-support_channels-264-0-0-production-enus/f3c4b3d2-ff86-4f7c-9fe2-3d8b23d35109/resources-global/_corporate/images/checkmark.png" alt="Checkmark"></span>
            <strong>This article applies to:</strong>
          </td>

          <td class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;">Standard and Enhanced SMS channels</td>

        </tr>
        <tr class="">
          <td class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;">
            <span style="vertical-align:text-bottom;display:inline-block;"><img style="margin-bottom:0;" src="https://sf-zdocs-cdn-prod.zoominsoftware.com/tdta-service-support_channels-264-0-0-production-enus/f3c4b3d2-ff86-4f7c-9fe2-3d8b23d35109/resources-global/_corporate/images/crossmark.png" alt="X icon"></span>
            <strong>This article doesn’t apply to:</strong>
          </td>

          <td class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;">Enhanced In-App Chat, Enhanced Web Chat v1, Enhanced Web Chat v2, Enhanced
            WhatsApp, Enhanced Facebook Messenger, Enhanced Apple Messages for Business, Enhanced
            LINE, and Bring Your Own Channel</td>

        </tr>
      </tbody>
    </table>

![Tip](https://sf-zdocs-cdn-prod.zoominsoftware.com/tdta-service-support_channels-264-0-0-production-enus/f3c4b3d2-ff86-4f7c-9fe2-3d8b23d35109/images/icon_tip.png)

Tip To walk through a channel upgrade on Trailhead, complete the [Upgrading to Enhanced Messaging](https://trailhead.salesforce.com/content/learn/modules/upgrading-to-enhanced-messaging) module.

## Key Differences Between Standard and Enhanced Channels

- **Service reps have more ways to exchange information with customers.** In enhanced channels, reps can typically share longer messages and larger files as well as more types of files. They can also send interactive content using messaging components, whose formats include questions with options, time selectors, and rich links.
- **Support teams have more options for responding to customers.** In enhanced channels:
    - With Agentforce, admins can include AI agents and enhanced bots in their support strategy. Standard channels support standard bots only, and aren't compatible with AI agents.
    - Service reps can transfer an active messaging session to another rep, queue, or routing flow.
    - Service reps can free up their capacity by marking a messaging session inactive if the customer stops responding.
- **More session statuses means more insight into messaging activity.** Enhanced sessions include several extra session statuses, including Inactive, Consent, and Error. You can reference these session statuses when setting up reports and designing message routing logic.
- **Service reps have more options in the Service Console.** In the Enhanced Conversation component, reps have access to a row of action buttons that let them send content such as quick text, messaging components, files, and emoji. Reps can also raise a flag to request help from a supervisor and exchange “whispered” messages with the supervisor that are captured in the session transcript.
- **Service reps use a different quick action to start conversations.** To initiate messaging sessions in enhanced channels, reps use the Send Message global action. In standard channels, they use the Start Conversation quick action. The Send Message action is available in the global action menu, which means that reps can initiate a messaging session from any page in Salesforce.
- **Automated outbound messages are sent in a different way.** Message notifications are template-based messages that are sent to customers via a flow at particular times—for example, when a case status changes or an order ships. In standard channels, the admin creates their templates in Setup and sends them with the Message Notification flow action. In enhanced channels, the admin creates notification messaging components and sends them with the Send Conversation Messages flow action.

This video walks you through the tools available to service reps in enhanced channels.

## Understanding the Upgrade Timeline

- Standard SMS channels were retired on February 14, 2026. They will stop working in the week of October 1, 2026.

To avoid service interruptions, upgrade your standard channels now.

## Preparing for an Upgrade

We recommend completing these tasks before you upgrade a standard channel.

<table class="slds-table slds-table_bordered slds-max-medium-table_stacked slds-m-bottom_small ">
        <colgroup>
          <col style="width:25%">
          <col style="width:45%">
          <col style="width:30%">
        </colgroup>
        <thead class="slds-text-title_caps ">
          <tr class="">
            <th scope="col" class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" id="d23959e181">Task</th>
            <th scope="col" class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" id="d23959e184">Details</th>
            <th scope="col" class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" id="d23959e187">Learn More</th>
          </tr>
        </thead>
        <tbody>
          <tr class="">
            <td data-label="Task" class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d23959e181 ">Know what to expect.</td>

            <td data-label="Details" class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d23959e184 ">Compare the capabilities of standard and enhanced channels for your channel
              type. </td>

            <td data-label="Learn More" class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d23959e187 ">
              <p>
                <a href="https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=service.messaging_sms_compare.htm&amp;release=264.0.0&amp;type=5" title="View a side-by-side comparison of standard and enhanced SMS channels. Going forward, new features are available exclusively in enhanced SMS channels.">Compare Standard and Enhanced SMS Channel Capabilities</a>
              </p>
              <p><em>Trailhead:</em>
                <a href="https://trailhead.salesforce.com/content/learn/modules/upgrading-to-enhanced-messaging" target="_blank">Upgrading to Enhanced Messaging</a>
              </p>
              <p style="margin-bottom:0;"><a name="messaging_upgrade__image_nlj_w13_s2c"><!-- --></a><span style="vertical-align:text-bottom;display:inline-block;"><img style="margin-bottom:0;" id="messaging_upgrade__image_nlj_w13_s2c" src="https://sf-zdocs-cdn-prod.zoominsoftware.com/tdta-service-support_channels-264-0-0-production-enus/f3c4b3d2-ff86-4f7c-9fe2-3d8b23d35109/resources-global/_corporate/images/video.png" alt="Video"></span>
                <a href="https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=service.messaging_videos.htm&amp;release=264.0.0&amp;type=5" title="For in-depth walkthroughs of upgrading standard messaging channels to enhanced channels or migrating from legacy to enhanced Chat, watch our video demos.">Messaging Video Demos</a>
              </p>
            </td>

          </tr>
          <tr class="">
            <td data-label="Task" class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d23959e181 ">Create an enhanced bot.</td>

            <td data-label="Details" class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d23959e184 ">Replace any standard Einstein bots that you’re using with an enhanced bot that you can
              include in your routing logic. Standard bots can’t be used in enhanced channels.</td>

            <td data-label="Learn More" class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d23959e187 ">
              <a href="https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=service.messaging_considerations_bots.htm&amp;release=264.0.0&amp;type=5" title="To take advantage of Salesforce AI features, add an enhanced bot to your Enhanced Chat channels or enhanced Messaging channels. Standard Messaging channels support standard bots.">Using Enhanced Bots in Messaging Channels</a>
            </td>

          </tr>
          <tr class="">
            <td data-label="Task" class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d23959e181 ">Update your routing logic.</td>

            <td data-label="Details" class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d23959e184 ">
              <p>Create an Omni-Channel flow that routes messages sent to your account. Messages
                sent to your upgraded channel can then be routed to enhanced bots, service reps, and
                queues. If you’re using standard skills-based routing, you must switch to a
                skills-based Omni-Channel routing flow. </p>
              <p>This task includes additional tasks that
                you must complete after the upgrade:</p>
              <ul>
                <li>After you upgrade your last standard channel, upgrade your routing method from
                  Standard Omni-Channel to Enhanced Omni-Channel.</li>

                <li>If you’re using bots and want to repurpose an existing flow that was already
                  routing messages in your standard channel, update the flow after the channel
                  upgrade so that it routes to an enhanced bot instead of a standard bot. An
                  Omni-Channel flow can’t route messages to both standard and enhanced bots.</li>

                <li>If you created a new flow for your upgraded channel, edit your channel’s
                  routing settings and select the new flow.</li>

              </ul>
            </td>

            <td data-label="Learn More" class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d23959e187 ">
              <p>
                <a href="https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=service.messaging_routing_flows.htm&amp;release=264.0.0&amp;type=5" title="Dynamically route customer messages sent over a Messaging channel to the right service rep, queue, or bot. Build a template-based flow in Flow Builder and assign it to one or more Messaging channels.">Route Service Messaging Sessions with Omni-Channel Flows</a>
              </p>
              <p>
                <a href="https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=service.livemessage_modify_channel_settings.htm&amp;release=264.0.0&amp;type=5" title="To view and configure the settings of a messaging channel in Agentforce Service (formerly Service Cloud), click the channel name on the Messaging Settings page in Setup.">Update Messaging Channel Settings</a>
              </p>
              <p style="margin-bottom:0;"><a href="https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=service.omnichannel_upgrade_standard_to_enhanced.htm&amp;type=5&amp;language=en_US" target="_blank">Upgrade Standard Omni-Channel to
                  Enhanced</a></p>
            </td>

          </tr>
          <tr class="">
            <td data-label="Task" class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d23959e181 ">Update your automated messaging.</td>

            <td data-label="Details" class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d23959e184 ">If you’re using message templates in your standard channel, replace them with
              notification messaging components sent by a flow. Standard message templates can’t
              be used in enhanced channels, and you’ll use a different flow action to send
              automated messages in enhanced channels. </td>

            <td data-label="Learn More" class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d23959e187 ">
              <a href="https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=service.messaging_automated_enhanced.htm&amp;release=264.0.0&amp;type=5" title="Using a flow and a notification messaging component, send customers automated messages to notify them about a product delivery, case update, or something else.">Send Automated Messages in Enhanced Messaging Channels</a>
            </td>

          </tr>
          <tr class="">
            <td data-label="Task" class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d23959e181 ">Set up productivity tools.</td>

            <td data-label="Details" class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d23959e184 ">
              <p>Create a Messaging Session page layout for enhanced channels that includes the
                Enhanced Conversation page component. The Conversation page component, used in standard
                channels, can’t be used in enhanced messaging sessions.</p>
              <p>Create sensitive data rules for
                enhanced channels to mask certain text patterns such as credit card numbers. Sensitive data
                rules created for standard channels don’t work in enhanced channels.</p>
              <p style="margin-bottom:0;">Optionally,
                create messaging components that service reps and bots can send to customers.</p>
            </td>

            <td data-label="Learn More" class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d23959e187 ">
              <p>
                <a href="https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=service.livemessage_create_console_app.htm&amp;release=264.0.0&amp;type=5" title="Configure the Service Console to put all messaging tools at your team's fingertips. Add Omni-Channel, customize the Messaging Session page layout, and make the Send Message global action available. Optionally, customize the Enhanced Conversation component and add messaging components to the Service Console.">Add Messaging to the Service Console</a>
              </p>
              <p>
                <a href="https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=service.messaging_block_sensitive_data.htm&amp;language=en_US" target="_blank">Block Sensitive Data in Messaging and Voice
                  Transcripts</a>
              </p>
              <p style="margin-bottom:0;">
                <a href="https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=service.messaging_components_parent.htm&amp;release=264.0.0&amp;type=5" title="Help service reps and customers exchange information faster in enhanced Messaging channels and Enhanced Chat. Share links, questions with predefined options, time slots, post-conversation surveys, and more.">Interactive Messaging Components</a>
              </p>
            </td>

          </tr>
          <tr class="">
            <td data-label="Task" class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d23959e181 ">Update your channel’s End Conversation auto-response to let customers know
              about the upgrade. </td>

            <td data-label="Details" class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d23959e184 ">
              <p>Unassigned messaging sessions are automatically ended during an SMS channel
                upgrade. When a session is ended, the customer receives the End Conversation
                auto-response that’s configured in your channel settings. Optionally, update this
                auto-response before you upgrade to set customers’ expectations. Here’s an
                example:</p>
              <p><em>We’re doing some planned maintenance so we can serve you better in
                  SMS. If you still need help, please respond to this message.</em></p>
              <p style="margin-bottom:0;">After the
                upgrade, change the message back to its previous version.</p>
            </td>

            <td data-label="Learn More" class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d23959e187 ">
              <a href="https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=service.livemessage_create_automated_responses.htm&amp;release=264.0.0&amp;type=5" title="Customize auto-responses for common scenarios in messaging sessions. Some auto-response options are available only in Enhanced Messaging channels and Enhanced Chat.">Customize Auto-Responses in Messaging Channels</a>
            </td>

          </tr>
          <tr class="">
            <td data-label="Task" class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d23959e181 ">Pause activity in your channel. </td>

            <td data-label="Details" class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d23959e184 ">
              <p>If your standard channel has any active messaging sessions that are assigned to
                a service rep, we can’t complete the upgrade. Ask all reps to close their active
                sessions in the channel and log out of Omni-Channel.</p>
              <p style="margin-bottom:0;">Optionally, you can also
                reassign the channel to a queue with no assigned service reps until the upgrade is
                complete. Unassigned messaging sessions are automatically ended during the
                upgrade, so after it’s complete, clear the holding queue by assigning its sessions
                to reps in Omni Supervisor.</p>
            </td>

            <td data-label="Learn More" class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d23959e187 ">&nbsp;</td>

          </tr>
        </tbody>
      </table>

## Ready to Upgrade?

After completing the preparation tasks, you can perform the upgrade yourself.

- To upgrade a standard SMS channel, find your channel on the Messaging Settings page and select **Upgrade to Enhanced**. This process typically takes less than a minute. If you were using a standard bot in your channel before the upgrade, your customers may experience some downtime while you update your routing settings to route to an enhanced bot.

When the Messaging Settings page shows your channel with a Platform Type of Enhanced, the upgrade is complete. Optionally, click the channel name to review and update its routing, auto-response, or opt-in settings.

- **[Messaging Video Demos](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=service.messaging_videos.htm&release=264.0.0&type=5)**  
    For in-depth walkthroughs of upgrading standard messaging channels to enhanced channels or migrating from legacy to enhanced Chat, watch our video demos.