Upcoming Google Messages Update Will a Lot of New Features

Google Messages on Android is getting a huge update that will bring it closer to other instant messaging apps like WhatsApp or Messenger.

Google Messages app features (Image via Google)

The Android 16 update is not the only big release coming to Android users this year. The Google Messages app is also getting a huge update that will bring some level of feature parity with other instant messaging apps on the market. Google Messages lagged behind a lot in this area compared to others, and it’s good to see that the search giant is finally taking things seriously.

A whole bunch of new features are coming to this app, and beta users have confirmed that they are already in the testing phase. In this article, we will look at these new features and explain how you could benefit from them.

Note: Some aspects of the article are subjective and reflect the writer’s opinions.

List of All the New Features Coming to Google Messages

Here are the major new features coming to the Google Messages app:

1) Custom Icons for Group Chat

As of this writing, if you create a group chat in the Google Messages app, the group icon is essentially the profile pictures of four users together, which looks quite clunky and dated. However, the new update will allow you to set a custom icon. To do this, you must open the group details and tap on the pencil/edit icon that appears on top.

2) Warning for Sensitive Content

The RCS chats of Google Messages are encrypted for privacy and security (Image via Google)

If you receive a sensitive image that may contain nudity, it will be blurred out by default with this safety feature turned on. You will also see a delete button right next to the blurred image, which will help you delete them without viewing them. It can be a helpful feature on your children’s phones. However, users over 18 can disable it.

3) A New “Delete for Everyone” Option

Currently, if you delete a message, it only gets deleted for you, but the person on the other end can view it without any issue. This can be a bit problematic if you accidentally send something you didn’t intend to. The new update will add an option called “Delete for Everyone,” which will delete the message for users on both ends. If the message was in a group chat, it will be deleted from every user’s phone.

4) The Text Field Limit Has Been Expanded

The text field of Google Messages was quite limited in nature and only allowed four lines of text, which can be a bit of a problem when you have to send a large list. Once you receive the update, the text field limit will expand to as many as 14 lines, allowing you to add a lot more data.

5) Read Receipts Interface Redesigned

The read receipts interface received a redesign back in 2023 and once again in January 2025, but apparently, some users were still confused. Google has decided to redesign it once again. In the redesigned interface, a single tick with a hollow circle means the message was sent. On the other hand, a double tick with a hollow circle means the message was delivered. Lastly, a double tick with a solid white circle means the message was read.

6) New UI for Photo Picker and Original Quality Option

You can send rich media in RCS chats (Image via Google)

When you click on the media attachment icon in the app, the photo picker presents you with the media. This photo picker has been updated to include a live viewfinder, allowing you to capture and send immediately. An option to send the media in its original quality has also been added, which is denoted as HD+. If you do not use this option, any photo you send will include some compression.

7) Support for Dual SIM RCS

As of this writing, RCS can only be activated on one SIM card. However, the upcoming update will allow you to activate and use RCS on both SIM cards.

8) Better Smart Reply Suggestions Will Appear When Replying

A series of reply suggestions appears when you tap on a text field to write something. Some people use it, but others are not impressed because the replies are not always accurate. The upcoming update seeks to change that by providing even smarter suggestions. This feature will now be contextually aware and process older messages to give you a better reply suggestion.

This concludes the list of all the major new features coming to Google Messages with the upcoming update. A few more features could be added by the time it is released. In that case, we will update the article with the newer features. However, there are no indications as to when we can expect this update. Stay tuned to learn more.

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Upcoming Google Messages Update Will a Lot of New Features