Get ready for an exciting update on Google Messages! 🌟 We've got some fantastic new features rolling out, but here's the catch: it might take a while for them to reach your device, even after they're announced. Yes, you heard that right! Google Messages, like many other Google apps, takes its sweet time with these updates. But fear not, we've got the inside scoop on what's coming your way, straight from the beta testers and Google itself. Let's dive in!
Still Rolling Out (Beta):
Link Preview Redesign: Get ready for a visual treat! Google is revamping link previews, especially for YouTube links. Expect a taller cover image and a larger page title, making it easier to preview content. However, there's a trade-off - Google has removed the article snippet, reducing the information density. But don't worry, you can still enjoy the YouTube PiP feature, although opening the full app remains a mystery for now.
@Mentions in Group RCS Chats: Need to grab someone's attention in a group chat? Now you can! Even if their notifications are muted, a simple @mention will do the trick. No more missing out on important conversations.
MLS Encryption: Universal Profile 3.0 is bringing a game-changer - cross-platform (Android-iOS) RCS with end-to-end encryption (E2EE) thanks to the Messaging Layer Security (MLS) protocol. To check if a conversation is encrypted, long-press on a message and head to the redesigned Details page. Look for the "Encryption Protocol" section; value "0" means the existing E2EE, while "1" indicates the upcoming approach.
Read Receipts Redesign: Following the 2023 redesign, read receipts are getting another makeover. Now, they're displayed in a circle at the bottom-right corner of message bubbles and images. Swipe left to see all timestamps and the E2EE status, and swipe right to reply or quote a message. This feature started rolling out in August 2024, with more users receiving it in November. And in January 2025, Google gave the design a twist, making the circular background white for better visibility.
Recent Launches (Stable):
Leave Unknown Group Chats: Google is making it easier to leave group chats when invited by an unknown number. Simply tap "Leave group" and choose to block or report the sender. The alert card above the text field provides all the details, including the number of people in the conversation and whether anyone you know is part of the thread.
Image Viewer Redesign: After testing in June, Google has released a full-screen image viewer with a blurred background and swipe left/right functionality. Tap to open the full-size image, and access various options in the top-right corner. The bottom row displays comments and frequent emojis. Google has also updated how images are grouped in the conversation view.
Remix with Nano Banana: Long-press on an image in your conversation or select/take a new one, and you'll see a "Remix" button. This feature lets you transform your images using the Nano Banana model, but you'll need to have RCS enabled. Initially, this feature is available in English for users in Australia, Canada, India, Ireland, New Zealand, the UK, and the US, with a daily limit on image generations per user.
Tweaked Camera + Gallery Icon: A small change, but an important one - the gallery icon in the text field now drops the corner camera. The combined viewfinder and gallery remain unchanged.
Account Menu Redesign: Google Messages now has a full-screen account menu, giving you easy access to Settings, Your profile, Archived, Spam & blocked, Mark all as read, and Device pairing. The previous overlay design is gone, replaced by a fully Material 3 Expressive interface.
Spam Link Detection: Google is on the lookout for spam! If a message is suspected to be spam, Google will warn you and prevent you from visiting potentially harmful websites. You even have the option to mark a message as "not spam" if you think it's a false alarm.
Key Verifier: As previewed in May, Key Verifier is here to protect you from scammers impersonating someone you know. This tool lets you verify the other party's identity through public encryption keys, which are displayed as QR codes. You can access these contact keys via the Google Contacts app. For example, if someone gains access to a friend's phone number and uses it on another device, their contact's verification status will change to "no longer verified" in the Google Contacts app, indicating a potential compromise or change in your friend's account. To use Key Verifier, go to the Details page in Messages and tap "Verify encryption" to scan or generate your QR code.
And there you have it! These are just some of the exciting features rolling out for Google Messages. Remember, these updates might take some time to reach your device, so be patient and keep an eye out for them. Now, what do you think about these changes? Do you find them useful or do you have any concerns? Let's discuss in the comments and share our thoughts on these Google Messages updates!
