The Google Messages app is Google’s texting application, in its essence. In the past, it was mainly an app to send out SMS and MMS messages, but things he changed a lot over the years. It now serves as a full-fledged instant messaging application, more on that soon. This application/service also had different names in the past, which we’ll talk about in this article as well. You’ll find a bunch of information below, so read on if you’d like to know more about Google’s messaging app.
What are Google Messages?Google Messages is known both as an app and a service provided by the Mountain View giant. It kicked off as a regular SMS/MMS app, but these days it utilizes the power of RCS in order to be a full-fledged instant messaging app. Using this app, you can not only send SMS/MMS messages but also instant messages via the Internet thanks to RCS. That means you can also send out images, videos, and GIFs to other contacts that are using RCS. They do not necessarily need to use Google Messages, but they need to he access to RCS. Samsung’s default SMS app allows for RCS, use, for example.
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Toggle This is not the original name Google usedGoogle initially went with a different name for Google Messages. This app/service launched back in 2014, so basically 10 years ago. It had three different names in the past, Messenger, Android Messages, and Messages by Google. Google decided to ditch the last name in December 2023 and went with a simpler name, Google Messages. Some of you are probably wondering why didn’t we mention ‘Hangouts’. Well, this is not the same service. Hangouts were active before Google Messages and were basically replaced by this app/service, directly.
What platforms are Google Messages ailable on?You can use Google Messages on several platforms. The vast majority of people use the app for Android, as it comes pre-installed on a ton of Android smartphones as the default SMS application. Those who do not he it pre-installed can easily download it from the Google Play Store, and you can then set it as your default SMS app. That way you can he both your SMS messages and instant messages (via RCS) in one place. Do note that your phone does need to support Google Services in order to install and use this application. In other words, those of you who are using Huawei smartphones, for example, won’t be able to use it.
In addition to an app ailable for Android, there’s also support for Wear OS, and you can access your messages via the web too. All you need to do is nigate to messages.google.com/web, and follow the instructions so that you can start using the app. That way you can access your messages via your desktop PC, regardless of what device you’re using.
What are Google Messages’ competitors/alternatives?
If you’re looking at Google Messages as a whole, there are really no direct alternatives to it. If you’re looking at it as an SMS app only, there are plenty of third-party SMS apps. We he to look at both its SMS/MMS and RCS features as a whole, though, and there’s no replacement for it as of now, basically. As I mentioned earlier, Samsung Messages do support RCS, but they only he basic support for RCS. You can still communicate with users who use Google Messages, but you won’t he many of the features that Google is offering via Google Messages.
Can I use Google Messages to chat with iOS users?The answer to this question is both yes and no. Yes, it can be both at the same time. On one hand, you can message iOS users in the SMS format. For that, you don’t he to be online. If you’d like to chat via the Internet, send images, videos, and so on, well, then you can’t… not yet. Apple will bring RCS support to iOS later this year. The EU kind of forced Apple’s hand, though it remains to be seen what will the implementation look like exactly. These are good news, though, as it will push RCS forward, and kind of bring a universal way of communication between platforms. RCS will be supported by iMessage, Apple’s default texting app on iOS.
Can I use Google Messages if I’m not connected to the Internet?Yes, but only partially. If you’re offline, you’ll only be able to use the app’s SMS/MMS functionality. If you’re connected to the Internet, RCS becomes fair game. In other words, if you’re online, you’ll be able to use Google Messages as a proper instant messaging app, with contacts that use an app that supports RCS as well. Think of it as a replacement for WhatsApp, Viber, and so on, in a way. An app that keeps both your SMS/MMS and instant messages in the same list. I repeat, though, if the other side doesn’t use a device/app that supports RCS, you’ll still be sending regular texts only. You need to pay attention to that in the conversation itself, as it’ll tell you if you’re sending an RCS message or a regular message.
What are the first things you should do in Google Messages before you start using it?The very first thing you should do after you install Google Messages is set it as your default SMS app. This is a step you can ignore if the app already comes pre-installed on your device. If that’s the case, it’s already set as the default SMS app.
The second thing we always do is check whether RCS messaging is activated. Google Messages do come with RCS activated out of the box, now. That was not the case before. Do note that if you disabled RCS in a previous installation, the app will remember that, so you need to check, just in case. Simply tap your profile icon in the top-right corner, go to Messages settings, and then nigate to RCS chats. Once you’re there, the first option will tell you whether RCS is activated or not.
Once you’ve done that, there’s really nothing else you should be doing. There are no extra settings you need to think about or anything of the sort. You can start using the app and messaging your contacts.
Is the Google Messages app free to use?The Google Messages app/service is free to use, yes. You also won’t find any ads inside the app or anything of the sort. Google also intends to keep it that way, we doubt that will change moving forward, though you never know. You can grab the app for free from the Google Play Store in case it doesn’t come pre-installed on your device. Simply install it, and you’re good to go.
What are the best features of Google Messages?
The Google Messages app is filled with interesting features at this point. Google has been adding new ones since launch, basically, and it’s now a very compelling messaging app. Below, we’ll highlight some of the best features of Google Messages. Generally some of the most popular ones, and some that are our forites. A mix of the two, if you will.
RCS chatsThe first feature that comes to mind is RCS chats. Google has been pushing RCS strongly, trying to create SMS 2.0, basically. That dream has never been closer as Apple aims to provide RCS support in iMessage. You can easily use Google Messages as a general instant messaging app. You can send out images or videos, send out voice messages, or chat with your friends via a video call. All the features that you’re used to and love in other instant messaging apps are now here… well, most of them.
Scheduling messages
Scheduling messages is one feature that iOS users are still crying out for, at least they were at the time of writing this article. It’s a rather important feature for some, and it’s ailable in Google Messages. Regardless of whether you’d like to schedule an SMS message to go out or an RCS instant message, the Google Messages app has your back. How can you do it? It’s simple, once you write your message, press and hold on the send icon, and you’ll get the ‘Schedule send’ menu. From there you’ll either be able to use one of the predetermined times or schedule your own.
Voice message transcriptions
Voice Message Transcriptions are one of those outstanding features that you don’t think of first when it comes to instant messaging. However, it can come in really handy. Many people out there prefer to send out audio messages, as they’re either too lazy to type, or it’s more convenient to them because of their job, or whatever else. The problem with audio messages is that you’re not always in a position to listen to them. Well, thanks to the Voice Message Transcription feature, Google Messages can transcribe such messages to you… in plain text. That way you can know what they’re about without actually needing the audio side of things.
RemindersI never thought I’d need reminders inside an instant messaging app, but I stand corrected. I got used to using reminders from Google Messages, even though it’s not exactly a feature you’d think of when it comes to messaging. You can easily remind yourself to do basically anything from the Google Messages app. This is a feature you may start using if you’re using Google Messages a lot. Be warned, though, once you start, it’s really hard to stop.
Video callingIf text and audio messages don’t do the trick, there’s always video calling. Google has one of the best video chat services out there, Google Meet. Well, it decided to integrate everything nicely and offer Google Messages users to video-chat with their loved ones. You can easily open up a contact you’d like to video chat with and tap the video icon at the top. Right next to it there’s also the audio call icon, if that’s what you prefer. The point is, you he plenty of options here.
Chat bubble customizations
If you don’t like the default Google Messages setup, in terms of design, you can change that a bit. Google is offering you a chance to customize each of your conversations. You can change up the background of your conversations, and the same goes for chat bubbles themselves. You can make each of the conversations completely unique so that you know exactly who you’re talking to just by the design. At the time of writing this article, however, this feature was ailable for select users only, it’s still rolling out.
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Updates Updated June 10, 2024:Several interesting changes were either issued or announced for Google Messages since the last update. The most notable one is the ability to edit RCS chats in the app. This was one of the most requested features from Google, and it’s now ailable for Google Messages. You he 15 minutes after you send a message to edit it, which is the same time period iMessage offers, for example. All you he to do is hold your finger on the message bubble you sent, and you’ll be able to edit it.
What was also revealed is that Google Messages is hiding your drafted texts after you lee a conversation. This was reported as a bug, but it’s possible it’s not. It could be intended by Google. After leing the thread, and leing a part of the message unset, the most recently sent or receivied text is shown instead of ‘draft’. Let’s hope this is a bug and that Google will fix it, though we’re not sure at this point.
Google is also adding 911 emergency texting with RCS to Google Messages. This is something the company announced directly. The rollout already started, but it’s gradual, the company notes. This is a US-only feature, needless to say. The company could expand it to other countries, though it won’t be 911 in that case, but local numbers for emergency services.
Updated June 24, 2024:A feature that was exclusive to Pixel and Samsung Galaxy phones is now ailable on all Android devices. Google’s Gemini AI in Messages now works on any Android phone. Google also updated its Help page to indicate what is necessary to make this happen. Your Android device will need at least 6GB of RAM to take advantage of the feature. The vast majority of modern Android smartphones he that requirement.
Google’s Gemini is now supported in Messages in 164 countries, in English. In Canada it also supports French. That’s a bit odd as not even France has French language support for Gemini, but there you go. A wider language support is coming, Google is working on it. Google also notes that you’ll need to be 18 in order to access this new feature. You’ll also need to make sure that RCS is switched on, as you’ll need to start a new RCS chat in order to access Gemini in Google Messages.
Updated July 4, 2024:Google Messages is now allowing you to see larger contact photos. We’re talking about the images that appear when you tap on contact photos in the conversation view. It is much bigger now compared to previous versions. It’s about the size of the atar in Google Contacts, actually. Many users will find this more aesthetically appealing than what we’ve seen in the past. You can see the change below.
The second change has to do with Gemini. Gemini arrived to Google Messages not long ago, and the app now features a double FAB design. The Gemini icon is visible above the ‘Start chat’ icon. Do note that not everyone will see this change just yet, however. The last change that Google made is to roll out ‘Select receipients’ share UI redesign to Google Messages. This change was ailable in beta for a while, and it went stable just recently. When selecting Google Messages from the Android share sheet, you’ll be greeted with a fullscreen ‘Select recipients’ UI. You’ll be able to see five ‘Recent conversations’, along with a snippet of the last sent message.
Updated August 5, 2024:If you like Snapchat’s face filters, Google Messages has received a similar feature. They’re ailable in the in-app camera UI. Nine filter options are ailable from the get-go, including a bunny, a dinosaur, hats, and more. Do note that the rollout of this feature is staged, so it may take a while before you get it.
Google also started rolling out a redesign to the RCS photo with a text box. This will basically change how photos with captions appear in the UI. Captions are now a part of the image box, they’re placed below them and he a nice background color. That looks much better than a separate bubble just for the text that was sent along with an image.
Updated September 17, 2024:
The Google Messages app now lets you hide the Gemini button. This change comes about a month after the initial rollout. If you’re annoyed that it sits above the ‘Start chat’ button, you can now disable it via Google Messages Settings -> Gemini in Messages -> Show Gemini button.
A support for YouTube picture-in-picture has been quietly removed from the app. Google still did not offer an official explanation for this, but it’s possible not many people used it, so… there you go.
The app has also received a new send button. The background of the button is now themed with Dynamic Color, or one of the eight presets for custom bubble themes. The icon can be light or dark, it all depends on the theme.
Google has also added group search to new conversations screen within Google Messages. In addition to all that we’ve mentioned, it’s worth noting that Google Messages RCS message editing is now seeing a wider rollout.
Updated October 7, 2024:Thanks to the Magic Rewrite tweak in the Google Messages app, you now he a slightly larger text field to work with. This is a small tweak, but surely a welcomed one. The inclusion of the Magic Rewrite icon caused this, though you are working with a narrower text field now, so it’s a tradeoff. Check out the difference below.
Google’s Gemini in the Google Messages app now sends out a welcome message. It appears in the form of a standard notification from the app, so that users know that it’s there and readily ailable. We assume it will appear to new users once they launch the app for the first time, or soon after. This time around it came to all existing users.
Updated October 29, 2024:Google has started rolling out a full screen ‘Customize how you are seen‘ prompt. If you tap the drop-down menu, you can choose who will see your name and picture. There are three options: people you message, only your contacts, and no one. They are self-explanatory.
On top of that, Google Messages is now rolling out dual SIM RCS support more widely. Do note that this is only a beta feature for now, but considering it is rolling out more widely, we’ll probably see it in the stable channel soon.
Dual RCS support basically lets you activate two numbers for RCS on a single device. The ‘RCS chats’ submenu details the status of both SIMs. You’ll see the ‘Connected’ status with checkboxes to enable/disable each SIM. That way you he more control.
Updated December 5, 2024:Google has decided to move the Magic Compose button out of the text field. Previously, it appeared in the bottom row in-between the gallery and text field. Moving forward, it will seemingly appear int he row of smart replies. You can see the difference below. This seems to be a part of testing, for now, though, it’s ailable in the beta version, but it’s coming to the stable version soon… if it hasn’t already for some of you.
Google has also decided to merge the camera and gallery UI in a new redesign, while the company also added sending in ‘Original quality’. You can see this minor change in design below. Tapping the Gallery icon on the left slides up a miniature camera viewfinder.
From the top-right corner of the app, you can access the ‘Media quality’ setting. You can choose between ‘Optimize for chat’ and ‘Original quality’ options. The first one will send media faster, and use less data. The second will send media in original resolution.
Updated January 29, 2025:Google has issued several new updates to Google Messages, bringing some new changes to the table. The first one brings back customizable contacts. You can now set a custom name and photo for each of your contacts, if you don’t want to use the ones that are included in that person’s Google profile.
The Dual SIM RCS support in Google Messages is getting a widespread rollout… finally. This feature first appeared a year ago, literally, in January 2024. It showed up sporadically for some users throughout the year, and is now getting a widespread rollout.
The last change has to do with read receipts. Google has issued a style upgrade/change. They now he a white background, Prior to this, the background was in line with the message bubble color. In dark mode, the checkmarks stayed white in order to blend with the text. Well, it looks different now, as you can see below.
Updated March 27, 2025:
Several new changes he been issued by Google lately. Three of them, to be exact, so we’ll talk about each of them here, separately. The first one is the new chat bubble animation which arrived to the stable channel. It changes how message bubles appear, expanding them from small to full size instead of the slide-up animation that was present before.
Google Messages is also now using AI to detect scam texts. This is possible thanks to Google’s new AI-powered scam detection tool, actually. The app has also seen a text field redesign lately. The pill-shaped text field is now left-aligned. It’s also a bit taller than before, with some padding above and below it.
Updated April 21, 2025:The Google Messages app will be getting more colorful soon. Well, it already has, but in the beta channel. When you create new conversations, you’ll be able to see who uses RCS based on colors. The contacts that use it will be closed, while others will not. Needless to say, this is a great way to differentiate contacts. Yes, you can now tell the difference with your existing conversations, thanks to an icon indicating RCS users. You can also notice the difference when you enter a specific conversation. If you’re creating new conversations, however, it’s impossible to tell. Well, it was, before this new feature landed in the beta channel. It will be rolling out to the stable channel soon, if it hasn’t already.
Updated May 1, 2025:Google has decided to fix the odd landscape layout of Google Messages. The chat window will no longer stretch wider than he message list. It will be balanced once this update starts rolling out, as it was spotted in the beta build, as you can see below. PDF previews are also coming to RCS chats on Google Messages, which will be yet another useful addition.
In addition to this, Google is also rolling out the ‘Unsubscribe’ button to Messages. This is supposed to fight off spam and other unwanted SMS texts and RCS chats from business senders. The button will appear at the bottom of the chat or in the conversation’s overflow menu. This change is rolling out to the stable channel.
Updated May 20, 2025:
The first update we’ll talk about has to do with emojis. The Google Messages app now allows for full-screen animations triggered by single emojis. For example, you can send a moon emoji in order to trigger a full-screen animation in the app.
The second update has been issued to ditch auto-generated RCS group chat icons. You can now set custom profile photos for your group chats, well, if you’re running a beta build, but it’s coming to the stable channel soon.
Google has also started rolling out the ability to delete a chat message for everyone in a group chat RCS conversation. This was initially spotted in February, and it’s now rolling out. You he two options when it comes to deleting messages, ‘Delete for me’ and ‘Delete for everyone’, as is the case in a number of other chatting applications. Do note that the rollout is very limited at the moment, it may take a while until it fully releases.
Updated May 29, 2025:Google is now changing up the ‘New chat’ page a bit, as a new RCS feature is getting included. You’ll be able to immediately see which contacts he RCS enabled. After you tap the ‘Start chat’ button in the bottom-right corner, you’re taken to the ‘New chat’ page. The ‘New conversation’ name is no longer there, ‘chat’ makes more sense. You’ll see a badge at the right-hand side of contacts that he RCS enabled. The number is also emphasized with Dynamic Color theming, while the SMS/MMS conversations he black or white text, depending on the system theme. You can see the difference between old and new setup below, courtesy of 9to5Google. The change is not yet reflected for us.
Updated June 6, 2025:
Google has started rolling out a rather major revamp of the gallery UI within the Messages app. A full-screen viewfinder is now replacing the half sheet, while the ‘Folders’ shortcut is now moved to the very bottom when you fully expand the gallery. You can now ‘Write a caption’ before sending images, while ‘HD’ and ‘HD+’ icons he been added to represent image quality. Some other changes he been added, in case you’re interested in knowing more. These changes are now rolling out widely to Android users.
Updated June 25, 2025:
Google has started rolling out the Material 3 Expressive redesign of the chat UI in Google Messages. The rollout will be quite slow, though, based on what we’ve seen. Beta users will get it first, in full, before a wider rollout kicks off for stable users. The main change to the conversation screen is placing the message thread in a container. That container has rounded corners at the top, while the app bar has a darker layer. The ‘plus’ menu is a separate container now too, and it has Gallery, GIFs, Stickers, and more options in there. They are placed in pill-shaped containers now, instead of circles. Grid density has also been lowered. You can see the difference below, courtesy of 9to5Google.
Updated August 12, 2025:
Google Messages gets support for PDFs. Businesses can now send and receive PDFs, as well as open them from the app. There are a couple of asterisks here, unfortunately. The feature has started rolling out in India only, though it’s coming to more markets. On top of that, the feature is only ailable for Google Messages via RCS Business Messaging. The messages are also capped at 100MB, so keep that in mind. Thanks to this, Google Messages he moved one step closer to something like WhatsApp.
Updated August 22, 2025:Google has made yet another update to the Google Messages app. You can now remotely delete messages that you’ve sent. There is a catch, though, it only works for RCS messages. You will now see the ‘Delete For Everyone’ option after you long-press a message. Earlier, only the ‘Delete For Me’ option was ailable. Do note that you can delete basically whatever you sent via RCS this way, be it a text message, an image, or something else, like a video. Needless to say, this option will come in handy at times, that’s for sure, and it’s a nice addition by Google. The feature is now rolling out widely, though it may take a bit of time before it makes it to you specifically.
Updated September 19, 2025:Thus far, the Material 3 Expressive ‘plus’ menu in Google Messages had a ‘Gallery’ button that behed exactly like the one included in the text field. The updated Gallery shortcut in the app now opens a grid of images. At the top, it’s indicated who you’re sending an image/video to, while there’s also a ‘Folder’ shortcut below. The ‘Camera’ button next to it opens the full-screen viewfinder + gallery. Google mixed things up a bit.
Updated October 8, 2025:Google is now rolling out a new feature for Google Messages, which allows the app to blur sensitive videos. The ability to blur sensitive photos was already there, but the addition of videos seems to be new, though. This is part of the October 2025 Play Services update. This will prevent the app from showing you some spicy photos or videos if you’re out and about. You should be able to disable this feature if you don’t want it to hide such content. You should be able to do that via the app’s settings.
Updated October 16, 2025:Google has added some new features to the Google Messages app. The company has added a Key Verifier and spam link detection. These are two new safety features, basically. Key Verifier uses QR codes to provide “extra assurance that your end-to-end encrypted messages are truly private with the right person on the other end.” This feature is ailable for users who use RCS within Google Messages. If you receive a spam text with links, Google will “stop you from visiting the potentially harmful website, unless you explicitly mark the message as ‘not spam’.”
Updated November 7, 2025:Google has just doubled the number of chats you can pin in the Google Messages app. The company kicked things off with 3, then eventually moved to 10, and now you can pin double that much, up to 20 chats. This will make it easy to keep all your important chats front and center, and know exactly where to access them at all times. Many would say pinning more than 10 chats is overkill, but… there are those of us who like this change, that’s for sure. This is a server-side change, and as long as you’re on the latest version of Google Messages, you should he it already (or will he it soon).
Updated December 1, 2025:Google is bringing another change to the Google Messages app. It is redesigning how links and YouTube previews look inside conversations. Previously, the link you sent was shown at the top, with an image preview next. At the bottom, you’d get the page title, description, and domain. Well, this redesign hides the link that you’ve sent, and there’s nothing else included in the message. You get a taller cover image, and the bottom section has a more prominent background. The page snippet has been removed as well. It arguably looks more appealing this way. You can see the change below, courtesy of 9to5Google.
Updated December 10, 2025:
After some tests the company conducted earlier this year, Google is now rolling out its photo viewer redesign update. When you tap an image or video, Google Messages has a new fullscreen viewer. You can see hints of other media in the thread to the left and right, and yes, you can swipe both ways. The background is actually a blurred version of the photo you’re currently watching. The top row will let you know who sent it and when, while buttons for download and delete are also there, along with a three-button menu. At the very bottom, you’ll see a row of emoji, along with a Photomoji option. You can see the change below, courtesy of 9to5Google.
