Google Messages' New Features: 9 Changes Coming to Android Users
Humpy Adepu
Chat Themes: Google Messages lets users personalize individual conversations with custom colours and wallpapers, including personal photos and curated background collections.
Google Keep Integration: Users can create, edit and share Google Keep notes directly inside conversations, making collaborative lists and planning easier without leaving Messages.
Precise Copying: The redesigned long-press menu lets users select and copy specific portions of messages instead of copying an entire message at once.
Swipe for Timestamps: Users can swipe left anywhere within a conversation to view message timestamps and RCS encryption information more conveniently than before.
Updated Reply Gesture: Google Messages now uses a right swipe on message bubbles for direct replies, replacing the previous left-swipe interaction used for replying.
Official Feature Chat: Google is introducing an official RCS chat where users can discover information about new Google Messages features and receive updates within conversations.
Android-iPhone RCS Replies: RCS conversations between Android and iPhone users support inline quoted replies and actual emoji reactions to photos with iOS 27.
Read Receipt Redesign: Google Messages is testing redesigned read receipts alongside easier access to timestamps and encryption details through new swipe-based conversation controls.
Messages for Web: Google is moving Messages for web toward Google Account sign-in, with QR-code pairing being phased out as the newer login approach rolls out.