10 Google Messages Life Hacks Every User Should Know
Google Messages is Google’s official text messaging app, and while it wasn’t always the first to introduce useful features, it has caught up with other messaging apps and has a number of hidden tricks that make communicating and coordinating with contacts easier and more secure. Here are the best tips and tricks every Google Messages user should know.
Use the Keep integration to coordinate group events directly in Google Messages.
Google Messages recently added integration with Google Keep, allowing group chat participants to collaborate on notes and to-do lists directly within a message thread, without switching to a separate app. This also centralizes ideas in one place, rather than scattering them across dozens of individual text messages. Changes to Keep notes are automatically synced for all users. Tap the plus icon in the compose bar of a Google Messages message, select “Keep Notes,” and either select an existing note or create a new one to share in the chat.
Enable advanced fraud detection to protect against security threats.
Over the past few years, Google has implemented a number of security features to detect and protect against fraud and scams spread through calls and text messages. These features work by detecting suspicious spam and either preventing it from being delivered or hiding it in a separate folder, as well as flagging suspicious links. The new , optional Advanced Protection mode for Google Messages uses artificial intelligence to detect more sophisticated threats and alert you if a conversation or unfamiliar link that appears legitimate may pose a threat. Standard protection is enabled by default, but you can enable Advanced Protection in Messages settings > Privacy & Security > Spam & Fraud Protection .
Use the scheduled draft sending feature, but keep reasonable boundaries.
If you have an idea you want to write down but don’t want to send right away—for example, outside of work hours or late at night—you can write a draft in Google Messages and schedule it for later. The “Send Later” feature in messaging apps and chats is useful for maintaining clear boundaries, as it saves you from having to remember to type and send the message at a different time. After you’ve typed your message in the text field, press and hold the Send button, choose one of the suggested actions, and then tap Send again.
Customize swipe actions to sort your inbox in Google Messages.
Swiping left or right on messages in Google Messages allows you to archive or delete them. You can customize the swipe action to quickly sort your inbox, or disable one or both actions to prevent accidental triggering of unwanted actions. Tap your profile photo > Message settings > Swipe actions > Customize to select your preferences.
Starring messages allows you to save important data in a consolidated list.
Google Messages has a pinning feature that keeps messages at the top of your conversation history, but you can also star important messages you want to save and return to later. Starring makes it easier to track down information like flight information, contacts, or dates that might otherwise get lost in a conversation or be difficult to find using regular search—starred messages have their own search filter. Simply tap and hold a message, then tap the star at the top, then go to “Search Conversations” > “Starred” > “More Options” > “Starred” to see a list of your saved messages.
Enable temporary snooze mode to mute group chats during live broadcasts you’re not watching.
We’ve all been in overly active group chats where you don’t want to receive real-time notifications, but you also don’t want to leave them. You can snooze notifications semi-permanently, or you can set a temporary snooze so that notifications will resume after a short period. This can be useful for discussing current events or games you’ll be watching later, or if you need some quiet time while concentrating. Long-press the chat, then tap Snooze , select a duration, and tap Snooze to confirm. You can choose 1 hour, 8 hours, 24 hours, or forever.
Use the bulk SMS feature to send blind carbon copies (BCC) and receive personalized responses.
Google Messages offers two group chat modes. Group MMS is a standard group text chat: you send a single message to all recipients, and everyone receives replies in the message thread. Broadcast messaging, on the other hand, is similar to blind carbon copy (BCC). In this mode, your message is sent individually to each user, and replies are sent only to the sender. Using this mode allows you to communicate with a large number of people at once without creating annoying reply-to-all message threads. You can change your default group messaging settings in Profile > Message Settings > Advanced > Group Messaging .
Turn on real-time location sharing when you need to let someone know you’re safe.
Earlier this year, Google Messages finally launched an integrated real-time location sharing feature, which lets you share your location with trusted contacts directly in a conversation. Location sharing makes it easier to coordinate meetings or let someone know your location in case of a security issue. You can set a limited time or leave location sharing enabled indefinitely for specific contacts. Open a conversation and tap “Attachment” > “Real-Time Location.”
Use the Delete for Everyone feature to delete messages you’ve accidentally sent.
With Google Messages, you don’t have to deal with the embarrassment of sending a message by mistake—at least if you catch the error quickly. Google Messages has a “Delete for Everyone” feature that allows you to delete sent messages from the devices of users running the latest version of the app. This feature requires the conversation to use the RCS protocol, and you have a limited time—15 to 40 minutes, according to the support documentation —to use this feature before your messages become irreversible. Long-pressing on a message will display a list of available deletion options.
Sign in to the web interface to use Google Messages on your computer.
If you want to stay on top of your conversations but find yourself distracted every time you pick up your phone, you can access the Google Messages web interface through your browser. This will also make it easier to send photos and files from your computer through Google Messages without having to transfer them to your phone first.