How to get a # notice when a TXT or Voice Message comes in?

[King Bengals]

Hi,
I'm currently using the default apps on my Moto Z force for txt & voicemail. I recently switched away from apple & have liked my droid experience so far. I'm still trying to tweak a few things though. I liked on iOS that whenever I got a txt or VM the corresponding app on my phone would get a number next to it as a sign a message came in. For instance let's say I wake up in the morning I could grab my phone & see a 7 next to the txt app meaning I have 7 unread txts. I would get the same with VM calls. Is there a way to activate that with the stock VZ Voice Mail app & Messager+? It seems like there ought to be.
Thanks!

 

[GoCliffGo05]

Not sure about the stock moto z apps but launchers like nova and others offer this as a customization.

Sent from my Pixel XL using Tapatalk

 

[Sajo]

That's called a Badge Count in Android. Which text app are you using? The red icon is Verizon Message + and I believe does not have a badge count feature. The blue icon is Google Messenger and does display a badge count. I liked Verizon Message + until I got this phone and started using Google Messenger. It's the best text app I have seen.

As far as voicemail, our phones come with Verizon Visual Voicemail standard (the free version not the premium paid version) and I don't believe that has a badge count feature.

Sent from my XT1650 using Tapatalk

 

[Sajo]

I stand corrected. The Voice Mail app does have a badge count. I never put an app icon on my home screen before. I just did, called myself from my work cell and sure enough the voice mail icon shows an unread count. Didn't know that.

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[King Bengals]

I'm using VZ Messenger+ for a couple reasons. It can work on my phone & laptop & kindle (if on wifi) which is convenient. I like the emojis on messenger+ cus it uses the normal round faces instead of the blob forms on the other apps. I know that sounds petty but I'm used to the round faces & other symbols like the bicep flex & fist. I can't believe there are no badges for Mess+ that seems strange. What do you like about Google Messenger vs VZ Mess+? Is Google Mess cross platform like VZ Mess? I heard if I used Nova launcher then my Mess+ would get badges is that right? I called myself from my work phone too & I did not get the VM badge. is that a option in setting or something? Thanks!

 

[Sajo]

The badge count on the Voice Mail app icon may not happen until the 30 day trial of Premium voice mail expires? I'm not sure. After 30 days you will get a notice to continue and set up payment or stick with the free standard version. Maybe that's when the badge count starts? Did you put an app icon on your homescreen for the voicemail app?

I like Google Messenger because of the UI, it looks cleaner than Message + and is less buggy. They both have a lot of customization options and both are good apps, just a matter of preference.

I think you can setup Verizon Message + on a laptop and tablet to sync texts but not use the app in your phone. I had it on my tablet for a while and was not using it on my phone.

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[King Bengals]

I bought the phone in mid Dec. so I'm past the 30 day period. I never got a message about 30 day trail or anything. I did move the VZ voicemail icon to my home screen. I'm currently running Action Launcher3-free would that have any effect on notifications like badges?

 

[Sajo]

Yes, it probably would since they are built into the launcher. And now that I think of it, Verizon Message + might have had a badge count when I used it on my Turbo 2? Trying to remember. But I always used the stock launcher.

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[Sajo]

I just switched back to Verizon Message + as my default text app and sent myself a text from my work phone. As you can see in the screenshot, the Message+ app does have a badge count on the stock launcher.

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[redbert31]

I stand corrected. The Voice Mail app does have a badge count. I never put an app icon on my home screen before. I just did, called myself from my work cell and sure enough the voice mail icon shows an unread count. Didn't know that.

Sent from my XT1650 using Tapatalk

Good to know.. Thanks, @Sajo!

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[King Bengals]

I think you are right Sajo. I switched from Action Launcher 3 to "launcher" which I think is the default launcher & I saw 1 badge in VZ Voicemail which is the one I left myself. So the "unread badges" appear to be a launcher specific thing. That kinda sucks. Dumb question but how do I switch launchers & keep that launcher active? I've been reading that I go to Setting/Devices/ Home. But I do not have a "Home" option under Devices. At some point when I selected a different launcher it prompted me about "go to setting & home" but that window had a option to hit "setting" in it. That took me to a screen that had devices then home. I can't seem to get back to that screen.

 

[King Bengals]

Nevermind on the device/home questions I figured it out. Its Setting on the home screen/apps/ setting icon/ home app.

 

[Sajo]

Sounds like you are all setup now to have new badge counts on voicemail and texts.

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