What new Google Messages features are rolling out [September 2026]

Like other Google apps, Messages for Android A/B tests many features. It can take the RCS/SMS client a rather long time to actually launch new functionality in stable. From various reports, Google announcements, and devices we’ve checked, this is the current state of Messages.

Update 9/27:

Still rolling out (beta)

These are Messages features that Google announced or have been spotted in the wild by beta users.

Messages for web removing QR code pairing

Going forward, Messages for web users will have to use Google Account sign-in. As of late April, the QR code method is still available.

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Read receipts redesign

Read receipts are now placed in a circle at the bottom-right corner of message bubbles and images. You swipe left to see timestamps and the encryption lock, while you can swipe right to reply. This first started appearing in August of 2024, but is now seeing wide beta and stable availability.

Ellipsis	Sending
Single check with ring	Sent
Double check with ring	Delivered
Double check solid circle	Read

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Recent launches (stable)

[New] Swipe for timestamps & updated reply gesture

To see timestamps and the RCS encryption lock, you can now swipe left anywhere in a conversation. To reply to a message, you have to swipe right on the bubble. Tapping a message still shows the read receipts.

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Instead of a top toolbar, long-pressing on a message or image opens a floating menu as the background blurs. Another press lets you copy just a part of the chat. Previously, you had to copy the entire message.

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[New] Official chat for feature updates

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iOS 27 adds replies & photo reactions to Android-iPhone RCS

With iOS 27’s September launch, Android-iPhone conversations over RCS gain support for inline replies that include quotes, as well as photo reactions with the actual emoji instead of just the text description.

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[Wide] Google Keep in Google Messages

The new Google Keep integration lets you quickly create and share notes inside chats. If you don’t see a contextual suggestion to “Create list,” open the ‘plus’ menu for a new “Keep Notes” tile.

This will slide up a sheet that shows your list of notes and the “Create a note” button. Upon selecting or starting a note, you’ll see a send button in the bottom-right corner. Afterward, there’s a live preview in the conversation thread.

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Chat theme

Google Messages now lets you extensively customize conversations with a “Chat theme.” Replacing “Change colors” from 2024, you access this new option from the three-dot overflow menu. Be on the lookout for a red badge when this is rolled out for your phone. Themes will only appear on your device.

The Colors carousel themes message bubbles. There are nine options, with Dynamic Color being the first option and responding to the background of your chat.

The Wallpapers option lets you change the background of the conversation. In addition to uploading your own image, Google provides the following collections: Animals, Architecture, Black & White, Cityscapes, Landscapes, Macro, Space, Sunsets, and Textures.

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